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To accede to the empress's proposals, would be of course to place himself in a position of extreme peril; and the fate of Silanus was a warning to him of what he had to fear from her wrath, in case of a refusal. He concluded that the former danger was on the whole the least to be apprehended, and he accordingly divorced his wife, and gave himself up wholly to Messalina's will.
And such inconsistencies involve their own retribution, not only in loss of influence and fair fame, but even in direct consequences. It was so with Seneca. Circumstances possibly a genuine detestation of Messalina's exceptional infamy seem to have thrown him among the partisans of her rivals. Messalina was only waiting her opportunity to strike a blow.
He could not but be aware that lofty as his position was, it was the brink of a precipice that he stood upon. Still he shut his eyes in a great measure to his danger and went blindly on. The catastrophe, which came very suddenly at last, will form the subject of the next chapter. Silius forms a scheme for making himself emperor. He proposes his plan to Messalina. Messalina's reply. Her motives.
Narcissus's pretended dream. Messalina's confirmation of it. Claudius alarmed. Silanus is executed. Unbounded influence of Messalina. Caius Silius. Messalina's attachment to him. Hesitation of Silius. His decision. Claudius. Public works at Ostia. The obelisk. Immense ship. Messalina continues her wicked career. Silius intoxicated with his elevation.
Mallard eyed with fresh curiosity the gentleman who had "fallen back on landscape." "What did you formerly aim at?" he inquired, with a sort of suave gruffness. "Things which were hopelessly out of the question. I worked for a long time at a 'Death of Messalina. That was in Rome. I had a splendid inspiration for Messalina's face.
Hercules is not introduced into Messalina's home without making some disturbance. Nevertheless I make bold to add that if there is free entrance to this house, just as there is in bazaars, you are not exactly compelled to buy what is for sale. Love and cards are on the programme, but nobody compels you to take up with either. And the exit is as free as the entrance."
It made Agrippina more than ever before the object of Messalina's hatred and hostility, and the empress would very probably before long have found some means of destroying her rival had she not soon after this become involved herself in the difficulties arising out of her connection with Silius, which resulted so soon in her own destruction.
The favor which Claudius showed to Agrippina, in recalling her from her banishment, and treating her with consideration and favor at Rome, only inflamed still more Messalina's hatred.
Amongst them all I found not one whom, had I been ever so free, I warned as I was of the risks, the horrors, the loathings of incongruous unions would have asked to marry me. Disappointment made me reckless. I tried dissipation never debauchery: that I hated, and hate. That was my Indian Messalina's attribute: rooted disgust at it and her restrained me much, even in pleasure.
However the fact may be in respect to Messalina's allowing her jealousy of Agrippina to carry her so far as to make direct attempts upon his life, there is no doubt that she lived in continual fear of the influence both of Nero and of his mother, on the mind of the emperor; and Agrippina was consequently compelled to submit to many indignities which the position and the power of Messalina enabled her to impose upon her enemies and rivals.
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