Messalina is Denounced Flashcards
igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur:
Therefore the household of the emperor shuddered, and those who held power were especially afraid that there would be a coup:
spem tamen habebant, si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuassent,
however they had hope that, if they persuaded Claudius about the enormity of this crime,
Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestrione damnatam;
Messalina could be overwhelmed, condemned without a trial;
sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret,
but they believed that there was danger that he would hear her defence,
neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.
and that his ears would not be closed even to her confessing.
Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur,
Narcissus, searching for opportunities, when Caesar was delaying for a long time at Ostia,
duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.
persuaded two of his concubines with bribery and promises to undertake the accusation.
exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen), ubi datum est secretum,
Then Caplurina (that was the name of one concubines), when a private interview was granted,
ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat;
after falling down at Caesar’s knees, exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius;
altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.
when the other concubine confirmed these things, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.
qui ‘discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti?
He said, ‘Did you know about your divorce?
nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites;
For the people and the senate and the soldiers saw the marriage of Silius;
ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.’
and unless you act quickly, her husband holds the city.’
non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt,
Meanwhile, not only a rumour, but messengers from all sides hurried to Messalina,
qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.
to report that Claudius had discovered everything and was coming prepared for revenge.
igitur Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando metui ad forum digrediuntur.
Therefore, Messalina and Silius went in different directions, she to the garden of Lucullus, he to the forum to conceal his fear.
illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent,
She however, although misfortunes were taking away her ability to plan,
ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod seape ei fuerat subsidium;
she decided to go to meet and be seen by her husband at once, because often it had been a means of salvation for her;
misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.
and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia should go into the embrace of their father.
atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus - tam repens erat solitudo -
And meanwhile, with only three accompanying her - so sudden was her solitude -
postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat.
after she went through the city on foot, she entered the Via Ostiensis in a cart in which the refuse of the gardens was removed.
nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas parevalebat.
She aroused no pity from the citizens because the appalling nature of her crimes carried more weight.
et iam erat in aspectu Claudii camitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem.
And now she was in sight of Claudius and was demanding loudly that he hear the mother of Octavia and Britannicus.
Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;
However Narcissus shouted her down, recalling Silius and the wedding;
simul condicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.
at the same time he handed over notebooks as proof of her lusts, with which he distracted Caesar’s attention.
nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.
And not long afterwards, her children were being offered to Caesar as he entered the city, but Narcissus ordered them to be removed.
