Notes to Tacitus, Annales 15.63.1-3, 64.2

velut adverb
as if; just as.
commune, -is, n.
common property; state; in commune: in general, equally; for a common end; the implication is that his speech had been addressed to a wider audience than those present at his final dinner party.
dissero, disserere, disserui, dissertum
set out; arrange; discuss, explain; the subject of the verb is Seneca, the object is haec atque talia [verba]. Seneca finished his farewells to his friends, then turned to Paulina to say his goodbyes to her.
complector, complecti, complexus/a sum
embrace, hug, include.
paululum, adverb
a little bit; somewhat; slightly.
adversus, preposition + accusative
towards; against.
praesens, -entis
resolute; ready; prompt.
fortitudo, -inis f.
courage, strength; resolution.
mollio, mollire, mollivi, mollitum
soften, tame;modifies Seneca.
tempero (1) + dative
spare; be moderate in; refrain from; ut has been omitted following rogat oratque, which introduce indirect discourse using the subjunctive.
aeternus, -a, -um
lasting; eternal; used here as an adverb.
suscipio, suscipere, suscepi, susceptum
take up, support, accept, undertake; supply [neu/neve]= and not; neither, nor.
ago, agere, egi, actum
spend, conduct, act, drive, urge; modifies vitae.
solacium, , solacii n.
comfort, solace, source of consolation.
honestus, -a, -um
respectable, virtuous.
tolero, (1)
endure, bear, sustain.
contra, adverb
in reply.
destinatus, -a, -um, from destino (1)
fixed, decided, determined.
adsevero (1)
declare, assert strongly, act earnestly. Understand esse in the indirect statement this verb introduces.
percussor, -oris m.
assassin (person employed to carry out a killing). We should imagine that Tacitus is seeking to capture in words the passion of Paulina's decision (i.e, adseverat, percussor, exposcit). Further, Paulina has elected suicide but will not strike the blow herself.
exposco, exposcere, expoposci
demand, ask for, request.
ne: conjunction; here introduces a negative purpose clause using the subjunctive
lest; in order that . . . not.
unice, adverb
especially, uniquely.
dilectus, -a, -um
beloved, dear; followed by the dative sibi.
iniuria, -ae f.
insult; injustice; wrong.
delenimentum, -i n.
charm, enticement, consolation.
monstro, (1)
point out, show.
decus, -oris n.
glory, virtue, beauty.
malo, malle, malui
invideo, invidere, invidi, invisum + dative
begrudge; envy, be jealous of.
exemplum, -i n.
example, model; instance of conduct; here, praiseworthy for her act of marital loyalty.
sit: volitive subjunctive (subjunctive of wish).
exitus, exitus m.
death, exit, departure; genitive case, modified by huius tam fortis.
penes, preposition + accusative
belonging to, in the power of.
par, paris, adjective
equal, like; predicate adjective with sit, modifying constantia.
claritudo, -inis f.
brightness; distinction ; a partitive genitive with plus. Paulina’s death will be more famous because she has elected rather than been compelled to die.
ictus, ictus, m.
blow, stroke ; modified by eodem and followed by ablative of means (ferro).
exsolvo, exsolvere, exsolvi, exsolutum
release, set free, end.
senilis, -e
of an old person; Seneca, at the time of his death, was about 70.
parcus, -a, -um
sparing, frugal, scanty. Seneca was known for the frugality of his diet, which was in keeping with his Stoic philosophical principles.
victus, victus m.
diet, nourishment, way of life.
tenuo, tenuare, tenuavi, tenuatum
wear down, make thin, reduce, lessen; construe with corpus.
effugium, effugii n.
way of escape, flight.
sanguis, sanguinis m.
praebeo, praebere, praebui, praebitum
supply, provide, present, show, put forward.
crus, cruris n.
poples, poplitis n.
knee. Seneca would have cut the veins at his ankles and knees to let the blood flow out of his body as quickly as possible.
vena, -ae f.
artery, vein.
abrumpo, -ere, -rupi, -ruptum
sever; rupture.
cruciatus, cruciatus m.
suffering, physical pain, torture. This may have been either the pain from the wounds themselves or the consequence of losing so much blood in a short time.
defessus, -a, -um
exhausted, weakened, worn out.
infringo, infringere, infregi, infractum
weaken, dishearten, crush, break; in the subjunctive following the negative purpose clause introduced by ne.
visendo: ablative of the gerundive expressing means, followed by the accusative tormenta.
delabor, delabi, delapsus sum
sink, fail, fall, slip down, glide down; a subjunctive in the same clause as infringeret, its object is ad impatientiam.
suadeo, suadere, suasi, suasum + infinitive
persuade, urge, advise, suggest.
abscedo, , -ere, -cessi, -cessum
depart; withdraw; the subject of the infinitive is Paulina.
cui: the antecedent in the immediately preceding clause is vita.
addo, -ere, -didi, ditum + dative
add; increase; the subject is Paulina, whose suicide attempt was halted by order of the emperor (Tacitus, Annales 64.1).
postea, adverb
laudabilis, -e
praiseworthy; in apposition with cui, followed by the ablative of description (memoria).
pallor, -oris
paleness of complexion, wanness.
albeo, -ere
be white.
ut, conjunction
that; followed by the subjunctive in a result clause.
ostentus, ostentus m.
display, sign,indication; usually in the predicate dative (=for).
spiritus, spiritus m.
breath, soul, life; in the genitive, modified by vitalis.
egero, egerere, egessi, egestum
discharge, carry out; the subject of egestum esset is multum.