Messalina - Section 1

1 Messalina 3 novo 4 et 5 quasi 6 insano 7 amore 2 incensa est . 1 nam 3 in 4 C. Silium , 7 iuventutis 6 Romanae 5 pulcherrimum , 8 ita 2 exarserat 9 ut 11 Iuniam 12 Silanam , 13 nobilem 14 feminam , 15 matrimonio 16 eius 10 exturbaret 19 liberoque 17 adultero 20 potiretur . 3 neque 1 Silius 5 flagitii 6 aut 7 periculi 4 nescius 2 erat : 1 sed 2 intellexit 3 exitium , 6 si 7 abnueret , 4 fore 5 certum 8 et , 9 si 10 consentiret , 12 nonnullam 15 facinoris 14 celandi 13 spem 11 esse ; 2 simulque 1 se 3 magna 4 praemia 5 accepturum . 1 igitur 2 placuit 3 neglegere 4 futura 5 praesentibus 7 frui .

Section 1 Translation: Messalina was inflamed with a new and almost insane love. For she had burned with love for C. Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth, to such an extent that she drove Junia Silana, a noble woman, from her marriage, and got possession of an unrestricted adulterer. Silius was not unaware of the disgrace or the danger: but he realised that ruin would be certain if he rejected her, and if he agreed, there was some hope of concealing the crime; and at the same time he would receive great rewards. Therefore he decided to ignore future events and enjoy the present circumstances.