§29his, ut dixi, uxoribusque addictus, non principem, sed ministrum egit, compendio cuiusque horum uel etiam studio aut libidine honores exercitus impunitates supplicia largitus est, et quidem insciens plerumque et ignarus.
Subservient, as I have said, to these freedmen and to his wives, he acted not as a ruler but as a servant; according to the personal interest, or even the whim or caprice of each of them, he distributed honors, army commands, immunities, and punishments, and indeed for the most part without his own knowledge and in ignorance.
ac ne singillatim minora quoque enumerem, reuocatas liberalitates eius, iudicia rescissa, suppositos aut etiam palam immutatos datorum officiorum codicillos: Appium Silanum consocerum suum Iuliasque, alteram Drusi, alteram Germanici filiam, crimine incerto nec defensione ulla data occidit, item Cn.
And not to enumerate also minor matters one by one—his recalled favors, revoked judgments, forged or even openly altered warrants of appointments—he put to death Appius Silanus, his father-in-law, and the two Julias, one the daughter of Drusus, the other of Germanicus, on an uncertain charge and without granting any defense; likewise Gnaeus Pompeius, the husband of his elder daughter, and Lucius Silanus, the betrothed of his younger daughter.
Pompeium maioris filiae uirum et L. Silanum minoris sponsum. ex quibus Pompeius in concubitu dilecti adulescentuli confossus est, Silanus abdicare se praetura ante IIII. Kal. Ian. morique initio anni coactus die ipso Claudi et Agrippinae nuptiarum.
Of these, Pompeius was stabbed to death in the embrace of a favorite youth, while Silanus was compelled to resign his praetorship four days before the Kalends of January and to die at the beginning of the year, on the very day of the wedding of Claudius and Agrippina.
in quinque et triginta senatores trecentosque amplius equites R. tanta facilitate animaduertit, ut, cum de nece consularis uiri renuntiante centurione factum esse quod imperasset, negaret quicquam se imperasse, nihilo minus rem comprobaret, affirmantibus libertis officio milites functos, quod ad ultionem imperatoris ultro procucurrissent.
Against thirty-five senators and more than three hundred Roman knights he took action with such facility that, when a centurion reported back concerning the death of a man of consular rank that he had done what was ordered, and Claudius denied that he had ordered anything, he nonetheless approved the deed, since his freedmen asserted that the soldiers had done their duty in rushing forward of their own accord to avenge the emperor.
nam illud omnem fidem excesserit quod nuptiis, quas Messalina cum adultero Silio fecerat, tabellas dotis et ipse consignauerit, inductus, quasi de industria simularentur ad auertendum transferendumque periculum, quod imminere ipsi per quaedam ostenta portenderetur.
For it would surpass all belief that at the wedding which Messalina celebrated with her adulterous lover Silius, he himself signed the dowry contract, having been induced to do so on the ground that it was simulated on purpose to avert and transfer a danger which was portended by certain omens to be threatening himself.
§30Auctoritas dignitasque formae non defuit †et ueterum stanti uel sedenti ac praecipue quiescenti, nam et prolixo nec exili corpore erat et specie canitieque pulchra, opimis ceruicibus;
He did not lack authority and dignity of appearance, whether standing or sitting, and especially when at rest; for he was of tall stature, not thin, and had a handsome appearance and fine gray hair, with a thick neck.
ceterum et ingredientem destituebant poplites minus firmi, et remisse quid uel serio agentem multa dehonestabant: risus indecens, ira turpior spumante rictu, umentibus naribus, praeterea linguae titubantia caputque cum semper tum in quantulocumque actu uel maxime tremulum.
However, when he walked, his weak knees failed him, and many things disgraced him whether he was acting in jest or in earnest: an unseemly laugh, an even uglier anger with foaming mouth and running nose, furthermore a stammering tongue and a head that was always tremulous, but especially so in the slightest activity.
§31ualitudine sicut olim graui, ita princeps prospera usus est excepto stomachi dolore, quo se correptum etiam de consciscenda morte cogitasse dixit.
Though his health was poor in the past, as emperor he enjoyed good health, except for stomach pain, from which he said he was so afflicted that he even thought of committing suicide.
§32Conuiuia agitauit et ampla et assidua ac fere patentissimis locis, ut plerumque sesceni simul discumberent.
He gave banquets both large and frequent, and usually in the most open places, so that for the most part six hundred guests would recline together.
conuiuatus est et super emissarium Fucini lacus ac paene summersus, cum emissa impetu aqua redundasset.
He also banqueted over the outlet of Lake Fucinus and was almost drowned when the water, released with force, overflowed.
adhibebat omni cenae et liberos suos cum pueris puellisque nobilibus, qui more ueteri ad fulcra lectorum sedentes uescerentur.
To every dinner he admitted also his own children along with noble boys and girls, who, according to the ancient custom, sat and ate at the feet of the couches.
conuiuae, qui pridie scyphum aureum subripuisse existimabatur, reuocato in diem posterum calicem fictilem apposuit.
To a guest who was suspected of having stolen a golden cup the day before, he served a clay cup when he was invited back for the following day.
dicitur etiam meditatus edictum, quo ueniam daret flatum crepitumque uentris in conuiuio emittendi, cum periclitatum quendam prae pudore ex continentia repperisset.
It is said that he even contemplated an edict by which he would grant permission for passing wind and making noise at table, when he found that someone had run into danger out of restraint due to modesty.
§33Cibi uinique quocumque et tempore et loco appetentissimus, cognoscens quondam in Augusti foro ictusque nidore prandii, quod in proxima Martis aede Saliis apparabatur, deserto tribunali ascendit ad sacerdotes unaque decubuit.
He was extremely greedy for food and wine at any time and in any place; once, while hearing cases in the Forum of Augustus, he was struck by the smell of a luncheon which was being prepared for the Salii in the neighboring temple of Mars, and deserting his tribunal, he went up to the priests and reclined with them.
nec temere umquam triclinio abscessit nisi distentus ac madens, et ut statim supino ac per somnum hianti pinna in os inderetur ad exonerandum stomachum.
He never left the dining room readily unless he was bloated and soaked, and so that immediately, as he lay on his back and slept with his mouth open, a feather was inserted into his throat to empty his stomach.
somni breuissimi erat. nam ante mediam noctem plerumque uigilabat, ut tamen interdiu nonnumquam in iure dicendo obdormisceret uixque ab aduocatis de industria uocem augentibus excitaretur.
His sleep was very short; for he was usually awake before midnight, although during the day he would sometimes fall asleep while administering justice and could scarcely be aroused by the advocates who raised their voices on purpose.
libidinis in feminas profusissimae, marum omnino expers.
His passion for women was most profuse, but he had absolutely no interest in males.
aleam studiosissime lusit, de cuius arte librum quoque emisit, solitus etiam in gestatione ludere, ita essedo alueoque adaptatis ne lusus confunderetur.
He played dice most eagerly, even publishing a book on its art, and was accustomed to play even while traveling, with his carriage and board so adapted that the game would not be disrupted.