MESSALINA Flashcards
(18 cards)
Messalina novo et quasi amore incensa est. nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat ut luniam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.
“messalina”- emphatic at start highlights she is the focus
“incensa est” “inflamed” - metaphor of fire highlights her passion consumes and overwhelms her
“iuventutus Romanae pulcherrium” “most handsome of Roman youth” contrast with Ceasar and supperlative highlights how handsome he is
“burned” “exarserat”- highlights her passion is distructive- further suggests by driving out noble women
“liberoque adultero” “unrestricted adulterer”- oxymoron highlights moral worng and short phrase emphasises shock vslue
neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat: sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse; simulque se magna praemia accepturum. igitur placuit neglegere futura et praesentibus frui.
“flagiit aut periculi”- two verbs emphasise the moral and physical risk
“nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse” some hope of hiding the crime- enclosing word order of “nonnullam …spem” “some hope” is reflective of it hiding the crime.
illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque; postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur. at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.
“illa non furtim” “she visited not secertly” - negative phrasising outlines her lack of shame
“egredienti adharet,” “clung to him when he went out”. Vivid verb “adharet” shows how possesive she is of him
“servi, liberti, paratus principis “- tricolon emphasises her extragavence
“adulterum” explicity labels Silius which highlights moral wrongdong
“claudiues unaware of the state of his own marriage”. dramtic irony: we know but the emp doesnt
iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorem ad novas libidines versa est. Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus, abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat: quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.
“ad novas libidines versa est.” “turned to unusual lusts.”- highlights her passion becoming more uncontrolable
;fateful folly,fatali insania ; highlights his self destructive mindset and foreshadows what will happen to them
“ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum” paradoxal idea highlights Silius’s desperiaion
se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum. eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate, si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset. Messalina, non amore in maritum sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum.
“caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum. “ “He was single, childless, ready for marriage and adopting Britannicus.” tertacolon highlights his suitability + asyndeton suggests urgency
“insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.” oblivouse to treachery but quick to anger - contrast highlights unpredictability
nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae. nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur, cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.
“concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae” “she craved craved the magnitude of the ignominy”- highligts attraction to scandal
“celebrat” “she celebrated” - emphatic end outlines her lack of fear
igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur: spem tamen habebant, si Claudo de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam; sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret, neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.
“domus principis inhorruit,” “emperor’s household shuddered,” The emporer being inbetween the enclosing word order highlights how he is in the middle of the panic
“Claudo” and “messalinam” being at opposite end of the phrase highlights their conflict
“damantam” “condemned” emphatic ,”at end of sentence” suggests that she can be overthrown quickly- her vulnreability
Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur, duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire. exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen), ubi datum est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat; altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.
“narcissus”- naming him highlights his opportance
“Caesar” variato suggests Claudius’s imperial status is on the ropes
“EXCLAMAT”- indirect speech makes it vivid and feel like the events are now unfolding
qui ‘discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites; ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.’ non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.
“discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti?” direct speech confronts Claudius and raises drama-
populus et senatus et milites- tricolon and polyptoton -ironic how everyone knows but him and makes it seem like more people know
“tenet urbem maritus” “The husband controls (holds) the city” inversion of word order with “hold” at the sart suggests Silius is already in power
igitur Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando metui ad forum digrediuntur. illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent, ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium; misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.
Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius. - Messalina and Sillius being i different phrases highlights that they have split
“dissimulando metui” “hide his fear”- hiding fear infront of public
“ire obviam et aspici” “she decided to go and be seen”- active + passive vrb highlights she is trying anything
atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus - tam repens erat sollitudo - postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat. nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.
“tam repens erat sollitudo” “so sudden was the isolation”- juxtapostition with before + solitudo at the end highlights her loss
“quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur”- inclusion of his highlights how far she has fallen
“nullam misericordiam” “no sympathy” , “nullam” emphatic position highlights none at all
et iam erat in aspectu Claudii clamitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem. Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens; simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret. nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.
“clamitabatque …obstrepuit” “shouting…shouted” messalina imprefect nd Narcissus perfect highlights Narcissus stopping her and that his word are final
“liberi” “children” - variato highlights children being depersonalized so claudiues does not fell sympathy
mirum inter haec silentium Claudii: omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit. apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit: continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.
“mirum” “suprising” -placed first to immediatly take reader attention
“omnia liberto oboediebat” “obeyed the freedman in every respect” variato highlights Claudius’s lack of power
“continuus dehinc clamor “ “continous shout” - contrast with Claudius- army anger fill void of emps reactions
ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit, sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur. interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira: tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat. ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset, vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.
“-short sentence highlight Silius’s lack of importance
-“prolatare” “componere” - infinitive highlights her streching on her life
“accusatorem” -“accusor” at end of sentence + not using his name suggest things can go wrong for him
nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit, imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.
“cena vinoque” binged + drunk
“incaluit” warming physically
“femina misera” “wretched women”- pitying her
quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam; igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere. missus quoque unus e libertis: is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam;
languescere iram redire amorem - balanced phrases + similar structure mirror Narcissus thinking and relasising the scale tipping
n alliteration- murmor of returning intimacy
prorumpit denuntiatque- frantic immeditate moment
adsidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat; sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad miserationem versa suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur: transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.
“adsidebat mater Lepida” “ sitting beside their” - gentle
“florenti filiae” “she was flourishing” - f repetition highlighting when she was in her prime
“tranisse” “passed”- emphatic at start- highlights nothing she can do
Lepia represent Roman ideolgy
sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto; lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur, cum impetus venientium pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus. tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit; quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens, ictu tribuni transigitur. corpus matri concessum.
“per libidines corrupto;” “corrupted by lust” - fits roman idea of women destroyed by the own excesses + suggest she if fully corrupted
“adstititque” “standing” - contrast with with Lepida- strun inevibility
“ferrum” “sword”- poetic world highlights the trajedy
“ictu tribuni transigitu”- struck by tribunes sword - short phrase highlights how quick it was
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