Messalina Line 1-26

Messalina burned with a new and, as it were, mad passion

Messalina burned with a new and, as it were, mad passion

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

For she had been so inflamed with love for Gaius Sillius, the most handsome of the Roman young men, that she drove out Junia Silana

nam in C.Sillium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat ut Iuniam Silanam

a noble woman, from her marriage and took possession of the unecumbered adulterer

nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberque adultero potiretur.

Nor Silius was unaware of the scandal or danger

neque SIlius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:

but he understood that if he were to refuse, his death would be certain, and if he were to consent, there was some hope of hiding his crime

sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse;

and at the same time he would receive great awards

simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

Therefore it pleased him to ignore the future and to enjoy the present

igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

she came repeatedly to his house, not furtively but with many attendants, she clung to him when he went out, and gave him money and honours

illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque;

Finally slaves, freedmen, and luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often seen in the presence of the adulterer

postremo sevi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur.

but Claudius was ignorant of his own marriage

at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

Now Messalina, because of the ease of her adulteries, turned to new pleasures

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Silius, whether due to some fatal madness, or having thought that the solution to the threatening dangers was to face up to the dangers themselves

Slilius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericularemedium imminentium periculorum ratus

He urged for the concealment to be thrown off; for obviously they should not have to wait for the emperor to grow old

abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat; quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

(he said that) he was unmarried, childless, and ready to adopt Brittanicus

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannicus paratum.

(He said that) the power of Messalina would remain the same, with added security, if they could forestall Claudius who was slow to suspect but was quick to anger

Eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate, si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

Messalina, not in love with her husband, but fearing that Silius, having obtained supreme power, would reject her, delayed for a long time; but at last she was persuaded

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum.

For she longed the name of marriage because of the magnitude of her infamy

nomen enin matrimonni concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

And having delayed only until Claudius set out for Ostia for the purpose of a sacrifice

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,

she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage

cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.