XXXVIII.
Tunc primum fortunam suam introspexit ferrumque accepit, quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens (frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens: ‘ineffectually approaching the dagger now to her throat now to her breast on account of her trembling’; per trepidationem: here per + acc. denotes cause; iugulo aut pectori: aut is found used to distinguish two or more possibilities, only one of which is pertinent at any given time, ‘now … now’ (Oxf. Lat. Dict., entry 3). For special uses of aut to separate possibilities in time or in other respects, see examples in Book 1, ch. 55 and Book 2, ch. 46.) ictu tribuni transigitur. corpus matri concessum. nuntiatumque Claudio epulanti perisse Messalinam, non distincto sua an aliena manu. (nuntiatum Claudio epulanti perisse Messalinam, non distincto sua an aliena manu: ‘to Claudius having dinner it was announced that Messalina had died, not being specified whether by her or by someone else’s hand.’ distincto is impersonal neuter of a perfect participle ending in -to and used alone as abl. abs., a survival of an ancient usage (Ernout). Other examples are auspicato, consulto, intestato, etc. Tacitus has added quite a few to the ancient list.) nec ille quaesivit, poposcitque poculum et solita convivio celebravit. (solita convivio celebravit: ‘he proceeded with the routine usual to a banquet.’ convivio is dat. with solita.) ne secutis quidem diebus odii gaudii, irae tristitiae, ullius denique humani adfectus signa dedit, non cum laetantis accusatores aspiceret, non cum filios maerentis. (ne … ullius … denique humani adfectus signa dedit, non cum laetantis accusatores aspiceret, non cum filios maerentis: ‘in short (denique), he did not give any signs of human emotion, either when he looked at the jubilant accusers, or at his disconsolate children.’ cum … aspiceret: temporal cum with subjunctive, often used in narratives and therefore known as narrative cum or historical cum. filios: the masculine plural refers to both male and female children, a usage that survives in at least one European language.) iuvitque oblivionem eius senatus censendo nomen et effigies privatis ac publicis locis demovendas. (censendo nomen et effigies privatis ac publicis locis demovendas: ‘by decreeing that her name and effigies were to be removed from private and public places’; gerund and gerundive in the same participial phrase: censendo is instrumental abl. gerund, demovendam [esse] is passive periphrasis in indirect speech (after censendo) implying obligation.) decreta Narcisso quaestoria insignia, levissimum fastidii eius, cum super Pallantem et Callistum ageret; (levissimum fastidii eius, cum super Pallantem et Callistum ageret: ‘a very negligible lenitive of his pride, since he acted as being above Pallas and Callistus.’ The sarcasm is subtle, but hard to miss. cum … ageret: causal cum + subjunctive. For Pallas and Callistus see ch. 29.) honesta quidem, sed ex quis deterrima orerentur [tristitiis multis]. (honesta quidem, sed ex quis deterrima orerentur [tristitiis multis]: the sentence is omitted in many editions of the Annals as probably corrupt, incomplete, and unconnected with the preceding context. The probable meaning is the one given in the translation. It appears to imply that the death of Messalina, however merited, had dreadful consequences. It opened the way to Claudius’ marriage with Agrippina and to the disastrous reign of Nero, at whose violent death the armies came to control the succession to the throne, leading to a brutal civil war and the death of three successive emperors in 69 A.D. tristitiis multis is abl. abs., ‘tragic disasters being many’.)