§10Tunc divus Augustus surrexit sententiae suae loco dicendae, et summa facundia disseruit:
"Ego"
inquit "p. c. vos testes habeo, ex quo deus factus sum, nullum me verbum fecisse: semper meum negotium ago.
Then the divine Augustus rose in his turn to deliver his opinion, and spoke with the greatest eloquence: "I," he said, "conscript fathers, call you to witness that since the day I was made a god, I have not uttered a single word: I always mind my own business.
Sed non possum amplius dissimulare, et dolorem, quem graviorem pudor facit, continere.
But I can no longer dissemble, nor contain the grief which shame makes all the heavier.
In hoc terra marique pacem peperi? Ideo civilia bella compescui? Ideo legibus urbem fundavi, operibus ornavi, ut—quid dicam p. c. non invenio: omnia infra indignationem verba sunt.
Was it for this that I established peace on land and sea? Was it for this that I suppressed civil wars? Was it for this that I founded the city with laws and adorned it with public works, so that—what to say, conscript fathers, I do not find: all words are below my indignation.
Confugiendum est itaque ad Messalae Corvini, disertissimi viri, illam sententiam
"pudet imperii. "
Hic, p. c. , qui vobis non posse videtur muscam excitare, tam facile homines occidebat, quam canis adsidit.
Therefore, I must fly to that saying of Messala Corvinus, a most eloquent man, 'I am ashamed of my authority.' This fellow, conscript fathers, who seems to you not to be able to disturb a fly, used to kill men as easily as a dog sits down.
Sed quid ego de tot ac talibus viris dicam? Non vacat deflere publicas clades intuenti domestica mala.
But why should I speak of so many and such men? I have no leisure to weep for public disasters when I look at my domestic misfortunes.
Itaque illa omittam, haec referam; nam etiam si soror mea Graece nescit, ego scio:ἔγγιον γόνυ κνήμης. Iste quem videtis, per tot annos sub meo nomine latens, hanc mihi gratiam rettulit, ut duas Iulias proneptes meas occideret, alteram ferro, alteram fame;
Therefore, I shall pass over those and relate these; for even if my sister does not know Greek, I do: 'the knee is nearer than the shin.' This fellow whom you see, who for so many years was hiding under my name, has returned this gratitude to me, that he should kill two Julias, my great-granddaughters, one by the sword, the other by starvation; and one great-great-grandson, Lucius Silanus.
unum abnepotem L. Silanum. videris luppiter an in causa mala, certe in tua, si aequus futurus es.
You will see, Jupiter, whether it was in a bad cause; certainly it was in yours, if you are to be just.
Dic mihi, dive Claudi, quare quemquam ex his, quos quasque occidisti, antequam de causa cognosceres, antequam audires, damnasti? Hoc ubi fieri solet? In caelo non fit.
Tell me, divine Claudius, why did you condemn anyone of those, whom you killed, before you could investigate their case, before you heard them? Where is this accustomed to be done? In heaven it is not done.
Ecce Iuppiter, qui tot annos regnat, uni Volcano crus fregit, quem
"
ῤῖψε ποδὸς τεταγὼν ἀπὸ βηλοῦ θεσπεσίοιο
"
et iratus fuit uxori et suspendit illam: numquid occidit? Tu Messalinam, cuius aeque avunculus maior eram quam tuus, occidisti.
Behold Jupiter, who has reigned for so many years, broke the leg of Vulcan alone, whom 'he threw, catching him by the foot, from the heavenly threshold,' and he was angry with his wife and suspended her; did he kill her? You killed Messalina, of whom I was as much a great-uncle as I was of yours.
"Nescio"
inquis.
'I do not know,' you say.
Di tibi male faciant: adeo istuc turpius est, quod nescisti, quam quod occidisti.
May the gods do ill to you: that is so much more shameful, that you did not know, than that you killed.
C. Caesarem non desiit mortuum persequi.
He did not cease to pursue Gaius Caesar even after his death.
Occiderat ille socerum: hic et generum.
Gaius had killed his father-in-law; this fellow killed his son-in-law as well.
Gaius Crassi filium vetuit Magnum vocari: hic nomen illi reddidit, caput tulit.
Gaius forbade the son of Crassus to be called Magnus; this fellow restored the name to him, but took his head.
Occidit in una domo Crassum, Magnum, Scriboniam, Tristionias, Assarionem, nobiles tamen, Crassum vero tam fatuum, ut etiam regnare posset.
He killed in one house Crassus, Magnus, Scribonia, the Tristionias, Assario, noble people nonetheless, and Crassus indeed so foolish that he might even have reigned.
Hunc nunc deum facere vultis? Videte corpus eius dis iratis natum.
Do you now wish to make this man a god? Look at his body, born under the anger of the gods.
Ad summam, tria verba cito dicat, et servum me ducat.
In short, let him speak three words quickly, and he may lead me away as his slave.
Hunc deum quis colet? Quis credet? Dum tales deos facitis, nemo vos deos esse credet.
Who will worship this god? Who will believe in him? While you make such gods, no one will believe that you are gods.
Summa rei, p. c. , si honeste me inter vos gessi, si nulli clarius respondi, vindicate iniurias meas.
In short, conscript fathers, if I have conducted myself honorably among you, if I have never answered anyone too sharply, avenge my wrongs.
Ego pro sententia mea hoc censeo:" atque ita ex tabella recitavit:
"quando quidem divus Claudius occidit socerum suum Appium Silanum, generos duos Magnum Pompeium et L. Silanum, socerum filiae suae Crassum Frugi, hominem tam similem sibi quam ovo ovum, Scriboniam socrum filiae suae, uxorem suam Messalinam et ceteros quorum numerus iniri non potuit, placet mihi in eum severe animadverti, nec illi rerum iudicandarum vacationem dari, eumque quam primum exportari, et caelo intra triginta dies excedere, Olympo intra diem tertium.
For my opinion, I propose this:" and thus he read from his tablet: "Since the divine Claudius killed his father-in-law Appius Silanus, his two sons-in-law Pompeius Magnus and Lucius Silanus, the father-in-law of his daughter Crassus Frugi, a man as like himself as one egg is to another, Scribonia the mother-in-law of his daughter, his wife Messalina, and others whose number could not be calculated, it is my pleasure that he be severely punished, and that no exemption from legal proceedings be given to him, and that he be deported as soon as possible, and leave heaven within thirty days, and Olympus within three days." The senate voted for this proposal.
"
Pedibus in hanc sententiam itum est. Nec mora, Cyllenius illum collo obtorto trahit ad inferos, a caelo
"
"illuc unde negant redire quemquam. "
" §12Dum descendunt per viam sacram, interrogat Mercurius, quid sibi velit ille concursus hominum, num Claudii funus esset.
Without delay, the Cyllenian dragged him by his twisted neck to the underworld, from heaven "to that place whence they deny that anyone returns." While they were descending along the Sacred Way, Mercury asked what that crowd of people meant, and whether it was Claudius' funeral.
Et erat omnium formosissimum et impensa cura, plane ut scires deum efferri: tubicinum, cornicinum, omnis generis aenatorum tanta turba, tantus concentus, ut etiam Claudius audire posset.
And indeed it was the most beautiful of all and with immense care, so that you would clearly know a god was being carried out: such a crowd of trumpeters, horn-blowers, and brass-players of every kind, such a concert, that even Claudius could hear it.
Omnes laeti, hilares: populus Romanus ambulabat tanquam liber.
All were glad and cheerful: the Roman people walked as if they were free.
Agatho et pauci causidici plorabant, sed plane ex animo.
Agatho and a few barristers were weeping, but clearly from their hearts.
Iurisconsulti e tenebris procedebant, pallidi, graciles, vix animam habentes, tanquam qui tum maxime reviviscerent.
The lawyers were coming forth from the darkness, pale, thin, scarcely having breath, as if they were just then coming to life again.
Ex his unus cum vidisset capita conferentes et fortunas suas deplorantes causidicos, accedit et ait:
"dicebam vobis: non semper Saturnalia erunt. "
Claudius ut vidit funus suum, intellexit se mortuum esse.
One of them, when he had seen the barristers putting their heads together and deploring their fortunes, approached and said: "I told you: it will not always be the Saturnalia." When Claudius saw his own funeral, he understood that he was dead.
Ingenti eum μεγάλῳ χορικῷ nenia cantabatur anapaestis:
"
"Fundite fletus, edite planctus,
resonet tristi clamore forum:
cecidit pulchre cordatus homo,
quo non alius fuit in toto
fortior orbe.
A great dirge was being sung for him with a large chorus in anapaests: "Pour out tears, utter lamentations, let the forum echo with a sad cry: the beautifully wise man has fallen, than whom no other in the whole world was more brave.
Ille citato vincere cursu
poterat celeres, ille rebelles
fundere Parthos levibusque sequi
Persida telis, certaque manu
tendere nervum, qui praecipites
vulnere parvo figeret hostes,
pictaque Medi terga fugacis.
He was able to conquer the swift in a rapid race; he was able to rout the rebellious Parthians, and to pursue the Persian with light darts, and with a sure hand to bend the bow, which would pierce the headlong enemies with a small wound, and the painted backs of the fleeing Mede.
Ille Britannos ultra noti
litora ponti
et caeruleos scuta Brigantas
dare Romuleis colla catenis
iussit et ipsum nova Romanae
iura securis tremere Oceanum.
He commanded the Britons beyond the shores of the known sea, and the blue-shielded Brigantes, to submit their necks to Romulus' chains, and ordered the Ocean itself to tremble at the new laws of the Roman axe.
Deflete virum, quo non alius
potuit citius discere causas,
una tantum parte audita,
saepe ne utra.
Mourn the man, than whom no other could more quickly learn cases, having heard only one side, and often neither.
Quis nunc iudex
toto lites audiet anno?
Tibi iam cedet sede relicta,
qui dat populo iura silenti,
Cretaea tenens oppida centum.
Who now as a judge will hear disputes throughout the year? He who gives laws to the silent people, ¦p.400| holding the hundred Cretan towns, will now yield to you, leaving his seat.
Caedite maestis pectora palmis,
o causidici, venale genus.
Beat your breasts with mournful palms, O barristers, a venal race.
Vosque poetae lugete novi,
vosque in primis qui concusso
magna parastis lucra fritillo. "
"
And you new poets, lament, and you in chief who gained great riches by the shaken dice-box."