XXIX.
Ac primo (ac primo: ‘and now’) Callistus, iam mihi circa necem G. Caesaris narratus, et Appianae cacdis molitor Narcissus fagrantissimaque eo in tempore gratia Pallas agitavere, (Callistus, iam mihi circa necem G. Caesaris narratus, et Appianae cacdis molitor Narcissus fagrantissimaque eo in tempore gratia Pallas agitavere: ‘Callistus, already mentioned by me with regard to the slaying of Caligula, Narcissus, the perpetrator of Appius Junius Silanus’ death, and Pallas, then (eo in tempore) in the highest position of dominance, [all three] were striving to decide [whether] … ‘; these three secretaries of Claudius held most power during his reign: Callistus’ role in the murder of Caligula in 41 A.D. was reported in the missing books (VII – X) of the Annals and so was the death of Appius Silanus in 42 A.D. at the hand of Narcissus, Claudius’ principal assistant. Silanus was consul in 28 A.D. (cf. Book 4, ch. 68). He had refused the advances of Messalina, whose stepfather he was, and paid with his life for the rebuff. Pallas had been a slave of Antonia, the mother of Claudius and Germanicus, and grandmother of Caligula; at her death he had passed to Claudius, who gave him his freedom. mihi … narratus: here mihi is dative of agent, normally used in the passive periphrasis with the gerundive, but also found in poetry and in Tacitus with passive verbs, replacing the abl. of agent.) num Messalinam secretis minis depellerent amore Silii, cuncta alia dissimulantes. (num Messalinam … depellerent amore Silii, cuncta alia dissimulantes: ‘whether they should drive Messalina from her love of Silius, pretending not to know all the rest.’ num … depellerent: subjunctive in indirect question; the particle num asks an indirect question to which the answer is not known, unless the question is rhetorical, in which case the expected answer is negative.) dein metu ne ad perniciem ultro traherentur, desistunt, Pallas per ignaviam, Callistus prioris quoque regiae peritus et potentiam cautis quam acribus consiliis tutius haberi: (dein metu ne ad perniciem ultro traherentur, desistunt, … Callistus prioris quoque regiae peritus et potentiam cautis quam acribus consiliis tutius haberi: ‘then they desisted from fear they would be dragged to ruin, Callistus also having expert knowledge of the court of the previous emperor as well and that power is retained safely more through prudent than risky plans.’ prioris … regiae peritus: peritus, from a theoretical perior (cf. ex–perior), takes genitive.) perstitit Narcissus, solum id immutans ne quo sermone praesciam criminis et accusatoris faceret. (perstitit Narcissus, solum id immutans ne quo sermone praesciam criminis et accusatoris faceret: ‘Narcissus persevered, changing this alone, that by any word he should not make Agrippina aware of the charges and of the accuser.’ ne faceret: Narcissus is addressing a negative command to himself in indirect discourse after immutans; the direct command would be either noli facre or ne feceris. See A.G 450, 588 and Note 2.) ipse ad occasiones intentus, longa apud Ostiam Caesaris mora, (longa apud Ostiam Caesaris mora: abl. abs.: ‘Caesar’s stay at Ostia being long’) duas paelices, quarum is corpori maxime insueverat, largitione ac promissis et uxore deiecta plus potentiae ostentando perpulit delationem subire. (duas paelices, quarum is corpori maxime insueverat … plus potentiae ostentando perpulit delationem subire: ‘he prevailed on two [of Claudius’] concubines of whose embraces he (is) had grown especially used to, to assume the accusation, by pointing out the greater influence [they would gain].’)