Messalina - Section 3

1 se 2 caelibem , 3 orbum , 5 nuptiis 6 et 7 adoptando 8 Britannico 4 paratum . 2 eandem 1 Messalinae 3 potentiam 4 mansuram 4 esse , 5 addita 6 securitate , 7 si 8 praevenirent 9 Claudium , 10 qui 13 insidiis 12 incautus 14 sed 16 ad 17 iram 15 celer 11 esset . 1 Messalina , 4 non 5 amore 6 in 7 maritum , 8 sed 9 verita 10 ne 11 Silius 13 summa 12 adeptus 15 se 14 sperneret , 3 diu 2 haesitavit ; 1 sed 2 tandem 3 persuasum . 3 nomen 1 enim 4 matrimonii 2 concupivit 5 ob 6 magnitudinem 7 infamiae . 1 nec 3 ultra 2 morata 4 quam 5 dum 10 sacrificii 9 gratia 6 Claudius 8 Ostia 7 proficisceretur , 12 cuncta 14 nuptiarum 13 sollemnia 11 celebrat .

Section 3 Translation: He was single, childless, ready for marriage and adopting Britannicus. The same power would remain for Messalina, with added security, if they forestalled Claudius, who was oblivious to treachery but swift to anger. Messalina hesitated for a long time, not out of love for her husband, but fearing that Silius, having obtained supreme power, might reject her; but finally she was persuaded. For she craved the title of marriage because of the magnitude of the disgrace. Not delaying any further than until Claudius set out for Ostia for a sacrifice, she celebrated all the rites of marriage.