ected, there were two very different
emotions awakened in the mind of Silius by the situation in which he
found himself placed with Messalina,--one was ambition, and the
other was fear. Finding himself suddenly raised to the possession of
so high a degree of consideration and influence, it was natural that
he should look still higher, and begin to wish for actual and
official power. And then, on the other hand, his uneasiness at the
dangers that he was exposed to by remaining as he was, increased
every day. At length a plan occurred to him which both these
considerations urged him to adopt. The plan was to murder Claudius,
and then to marry Messalina, and make himself emperor in Claudius's
place. By the accomplishment of this design he would effect, he
thought, a double object. He would at once raise himself to a post
of real and substantial power, and also, at the same time place
himself in a position of security. He resolved to propose this
scheme to Messalina.

Accordingly, on the first favorable opportunity, he addressed the
empress on the subject, and cautiously made known his design. "I
wish to have you wholly mine," said he "and although the emperor is
growing old, we can not safely wait for his death. We are, in fact,
continually exposed to danger. We have gone quite too far to be safe
where we are, and by taking the remaining steps necessary to
accomplish fully our ends we shall only be completing what we have
begun, and by so doing, far from incurring any new penalties, we
shall be taking the only effectual method to protect ourselves from
the dangers which impend over us and threaten us now. Let us,
therefore, devise some means to remove the emperor out of our way. I
will then be proclaimed emperor in his place, and be married to you.
The power which you now enjoy will then come back to you again,
undiminished, and under such circumstances as will render it
permanently secure to you. To accomplish this will be very easy; for
the emperor, superannuated, infirm, and stupid as he is, can not
protect himself against any well-planned and vigorous attempt which
we may make to remove him; though, if we remain as we are, and any
accidental cause should arouse him from his lethargy, we may expect
to find him vindictive and furious against us to the last degree."

Messalina listened to this proposal with great attention and
interest, but so far as related to the proposed assassination of the
emperor she did not seem