Suetonius Section J - Translation

Question 1

nuntiata etiam ceterorum exercituum defectione

Answer 1

(after a report of the revolt) of the rest of the armies (was brought to him)

lit. with the revolt … having been announced

Question 2

litteras prandenti sibi redditas concerpsit

Answer 2

while he was eating breakfast, he ripped up the letters that had been received

Question 3

sumpto a Locusta veneno

Answer 3

(he obtained poison from Locusta)

lit. poison having been received from Locusta

Question 4

veneno … in auream pyxidem condito

Answer 4

(after he had hidden the poison in) a little golden box

lit. the poison [having been] placed in

Question 5

transiit in hortos Servilianos

Answer 5

he crossed into the Gardens of Servilius

Question 6

tribunos centurionesque praetorii de fugae societate temptavit

Answer 6

he urged the tribunes and the centurions of the praetorian guard (to escape with him)

lit. about escape as a group

Question 7

partim tergiversantibus, partim aperte detrectantibus

Answer 7

(some were evasive, others openly refused)

lit. with some evasive and others openly refusing

Question 8

uno vero etiam proclamante

Answer 8

(with one even declaring)

lit. one indeed even proclaiming

Question 9

“usque adeone mori miserum est?”

Answer 9

“at this point, is it so wretched a thing to die?”

Question 10

varie agitavit sed tandem obdormivit

Answer 10

he was greatly distressed but at last he fell asleep

Question 11

sic cogitatione in posterum diem dilata

Answer 11

(so he put off his decision) until the following day

lit. in this way, the decision having been put off

Question 12

ad mediam fere noctem excitatus

Answer 12

he woke at about midnight

Question 13

ut comperit stationem militum recessisse

Answer 13

when he found that his bodyguard of soldiers had withdrawn

Question 14

prosiluit e lecto misitque circum amicos

Answer 14

he jumped out of bed and sent [messages] around his friends

Question 15

quia nihil a quoquam renuntiabatur

Answer 15

because nothing was heard back from anyone

Question 16

ipse cum paucis hospitia singulorum adiit

Answer 16

he himself approached the lodgings of each of them with a few companions

Question 17

verum clausis omnium foribus, respondente nullo

Answer 17

(however), with the doors of all of them closed and nobody answering

lit. indeed

Question 18

in cubiculum rediit, unde iam et custodes diffugerant

Answer 18

he returned to his bedroom, from where by now his guards had scattered

Question 19

direptis etiam stragulis, amota et pyxide veneni

Answer 19

even the bed linen had been plundered and the little box of posion removed

Question 20

Spiculum murmillionem vel quemlibet alium percussorem … requisiit

Answer 20

he searched for Spiculus the gladiator or some other murderer

Question 21

cuius manu periret

Answer 21

by whose hand he might perish

Question 22

nemine reperto … inquit

Answer 22

having found no one he said

Question 23

“ego … nec amicum habeo nec inimicum?”

Answer 23

“do I have neither a friend nor an enemy?”

Question 24

procurritque, quasi praecipitaturus se in Tiberim

Answer 24

and he rushed forward as if he were going to throw himself into the Tiber