§108mori iuvabit; poena nam gravior nece est §109videre tumidos et truces miserae mihi §110vultus tyranni iungere atque hosti oscula.
It will be a pleasure to die; for a punishment heavier than death is for miserable me to see the arrogant and fierce face of the tyrant, and to join kisses with an enemy.
no §111timere nutus cuius obsequium meus §112haud ferre posset fata post fratris dolor §113scelere interempti, cuius imperium tenet §114et sorte gaudet auctor infandae necis.
To fear the nods of him whose obedience my grief could by no means bear after my brother's fate slain by crime, whose empire he holds and in whose lot the author of the unspeakable death rejoices.
§115quam saepe tristis umbra germani meis §116offertur oculis, membra cum solvit quies §117et fessa fletu lumina oppressit sopor: §118modo facibus atris armat infirmas manus §119oculosque et ora fratris infestus petit, §120modo trepidus idem refugit in thalamos meos §121persequitur hostis atque inhaerenti mihi §122violentus ensem per latus nostrum rapit.
How often the sad shade of my brother presents itself to my eyes, when quiet relaxes my limbs and sleep has oppressed my eyes weary with weeping: now he arms his weak hands with black torches, and hostilely attacks the eyes and face of his brother, now trembling, the same one flees into my bedchamber, the enemy pursues him, and as he clings to me, violently drives the sword through our side.
Then trembling and huge dread shake off my sleep and renew the grief and fear of miserable me.
§125adice his superbam paelicem, nostrae domus §126spoliis nitentem”, cuius in munus suam §127Stygiae parentem natus imposuit rati, §128quam dira post naufragia superato mari §129ferro interemit saevior pelagi fretis: §130quae spes salutis post nefas tantum mihi?
Add to this the proud mistress, shining with the spoils of our house, as a gift to whom her own mother the son placed upon the Stygian ship, whom, after a terrible shipwreck when she had overcome the sea, he destroyed with the sword, more savage than the straits of the sea: what hope of safety is there for me after such great wickedness?
§131inimica victrix imminet thalamis meis §132odioque nostri flagrat et pretium stupri §133iustae maritum coniugis poscit caput.
The victorious enemy looms over my bedchamber and burns with hatred of us, and as the price of her adultery demands from my husband the head of his lawful wife.
§134emergere umbris et fer auxilium tuae §135natae invocanti, genitor, aut Stygios sinus §136tellure rupta pande, quo praeceps ferar.
Rise up from the shades and bring help to your daughter who invokes you, father, or open the Stygian depths by breaking the earth, where I may be carried headlong.
§137Frustra parentis invocas manes tui, §138miseranda, frustra, nulla cui prolis suae §139manet inter umbras cura: qui nato suo §140praeferre potuit sanguine alieno satum §141genitamque fratris coniugem pactus sibi §142toris nefandis flebili iunxit face.
In vain, pitiable one, in vain do you invoke the shades of your parent, in whom no care for his offspring remains among the shades: who was able to prefer to his own son one sprung from foreign blood, and having betrothed to himself his brother's daughter as his wife, joined her to his unspeakable bed with a mournful torch.
§143hinc orta series facinorum: caedes, doli, §144regni cupido, sanguinis clari sitis; §145mactata soceri concidit thalamis gener §146victima, tuis ne fieret hymenaeis potens.
Hence arose the chain of crimes: slaughters, deceits, desire for the kingdom, thirst for noble blood; the son-in-law fell, slaughtered like a victim in the bedchamber of his father-in-law, lest he should become powerful through marriage with you.
§147pro facinus ingens! feminae est munus datus
Oh, what a huge crime!
Silanus was given as a gift to a woman, and defiled his ancestral household gods with his own blood, accused of a false crime.
§150intravit hostis, ei mihi, captam domum, §151dolis novercae principis factus gener §152idemque natus, iuvenis infandi ingeni, §153scelerum capacis, dira cui genetrix facem §154accendit et te iunxit invitam metu.
An enemy entered our captured house, alas for me, made the son-in-law of the emperor by the deceits of his stepmother, and at the same time his son, a youth of unspeakable nature, capable of crimes, for whom his dread mother lit the torch and joined you to him by fear, unwilling as you were.
And having become a victorious woman, fierce with such great success, she dared to loom over the empire of the sacred world.
§157quis tot referre facinorum formas potest §158et spes nefandas feminae et blandos dolos §159regnum petentis per gradus scelerum omnium?
Who can relate so many forms of crimes, and the unspeakable hopes and flattering deceits of the woman seeking the kingdom through the steps of all crimes?
§160tunc sancta Pietas extulit trepidos gradus §161vacuamque Erinys saeva funesto pede §162intravit aulam, polluit Stygia face §163sacros penates, iura naturae furens §164fasque omne rupit: miscuit coniunx viro §165venena saeva, cecidit atque eadem sui §166mox scelere nati; tu quoque extinctus iaces, §167deflende nobis semper infelix puer, §168modo sidus orbis, columen augustae domus, §169Britanniae, heu me, nunc levis tantum cinis §170et tristis umbra; saeva cui lacrimas dedit §171etiam noverca, cum rogis artus tuos §172dedit cremandos membraque et vultus deo §173similes volanti funebris flamma abstulit.
Then holy Piety withdrew her trembling steps, and fierce Erinys with fatal foot entered the empty court, polluted the sacred household gods with a Stygian torch, and raging broke the laws of nature and all divine right: the wife mixed savage poisons for her husband, and she herself fell soon by the crime of her own son; you also lie destroyed, always to be lamented by us, unhappy boy, recently the star of the world, the pillar of the august house, and of Britain, alas for me, now only light ashes and a sad shade; to whom even his savage stepmother gave tears, when she gave your limbs to the funeral pyres to be burned, and the funeral flame snatched away your limbs and face like to the flying god.
§174Extinguat et me, ne manu nostra cadat!
May he destroy me too, lest he fall by our hand!
§175Natura vires non dedit tantas tibi.
Nature did not give you such great strength.
§176Dolor ira maeror miseriae luctus dabunt.
Grief, anger, sorrow, miseries, and laments will give them.
§177Vince obsequendo potius immitem virum.
Rather conquer the harsh husband by obeying him.
§178Vt fratrem ademptum scelere restituat mihi?
So that he may restore to me my brother snatched away by crime?
So that you yourself may be safe, and so that you may one day restore the falling house of your father with your offspring.
The house of the emperor expects another offspring; the dread fates of my wretched brother drag me away.
§183Confirmet animum civium tantus favor.
May such great favor of the citizens strengthen your mind.
§184Solatur iste nostra, non relevat mala.
That comforts our evils, but does not relieve them.
§185Vis magna populi est.
The power of the people is great.
He himself will look back to his wife, Indeed, the one hated by everyone.
§188Nondum uxor est.
She is not yet his wife.
§189Iuvenilis ardor impetu primo furit, §190languescit idem facile nec durat diu §191in Venere turpi, ceu levis flammae vapor: §192amor perennis coniugis castae manet.
Youthful ardor rages with its first onslaught, and the same easily languishes and does not last long in base love, like the vapor of a light flame: The love for a chaste wife remains perennial.