THE FATE OF MESSALINA.
A.D. 48
Silius forms a scheme for making himself emperor.--He proposes
his plan to Messalina.--Messalina's reply.--Her motives.--Her
proposal.--Audacity of Messalina in this proposal.--The false marriage
is celebrated.--Indignation of the emperor's friends.--Plot formed
for Messalina's destruction.--Plans and arrangements of the
conspirators.--Their hesitation.--Calpurnia.--Motives addressed to
her.--Calpurnia and Cleopatra undertake their task.--Messalina's
festival in the palace gardens.--Calpurnia's interview with Claudius
at Ostia.--Claudius is exceedingly terrified.--The statement of
Narcissus.--Council called.--Measures adopted by Claudius and the
conspirators.--Messalina receives warning.--Scene in the
garden.--Silius withdraws.--Messalina's anxiety.--Messalina's
course of action.--Her two children.--She proceeds to meet the
emperor.--Her entreaties.--Claudius will not hear her.--Vibidia
repulsed.--Executions.--Claudius at supper.--Messalina's
letter.--Claudius relents.--Alarm of Narcissus.--Narcissus orders
Messalina to be slain.--Interview between Messalina and her mother
in the garden.--Indifference of Claudius in respect to Messalina's
fate.--Claudius marries Agrippina.--Adoption of her son.
As might naturally have been expected, 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 inclined to assent to it. Her historian
says that she was not influenced in this decision by any remaining
sentiments of conjugal affection, or by conscientious principle of
any kind, but by her distrust of Silius, and her unwillingness to
commit herself so entirely into his power. She preferred to keep him
dependent upon her, rather than to make herself dependent upon him.
She liked the plan, however, of being married to him, she said, and
would consent to that, even while the emperor remained alive. And so
if Silius would agree to it, she was ready, she added, the next time
that the emperor went to Ostia, to have the ceremony performed.
That a wife and a mother, however unprincipled and corrupt, should
make, under such circumstances, a proposal like this of
Messalina's, is certainly very extraordinary; and to those who do
not know to what extremes of recklessness and infatuation, the
irresponsible despots that have arisen from time to time to rule
mankind, have often pushed their wickedness and crime, it must seem
wholly incredible. The Roman historian who has recorded this
narrative, assures us, that it was the very audacity of this guilt
that constituted its charm in Messalina's eyes. She had become weary
of, and satiated with, all the ordinary forms of criminal indulgence
and pleasure. The work of deceiving and imposing upon her husband,
in order to secure for herself the gratifications which she sought,
was for a time sufficient to give zest and piquancy to her
pleasures. But he was so easily deceived, and she had been
accustomed to deceive him so long, that it now no longer afforded to
her mind any stimulus or excitement to do it in any common way. But
the idea of being actually married to another man while he was
absent at a short distance from the city, would be something
striking and new, which would vary, she thought, the dull monotony
of the common course of sin.
The proposed marriage was finally determined upon, and the mock
ceremony, for such a ceremony could, of course, have no legal force,
was duly performed at a time when Claudius was absent at Ostia,
inspecting the works which were in progress there. How far the
pretended marriage was open and public in the actual celebration of
it, is not very certain; but the historians say that it was
conducted with all the usual ceremonies, and was attended by the
usual witnesses. The service was performed by the _augur_, a sort of
sacerdotal officer, on whom the duty of conducting such solemnities
properly devolved. Messalina and Silius, each in their turn,
repeated the words pertaining respectively to the bridegroom and the
bride. The usual sacrifice to the gods was then made, and a nuptial
banquet followed, at which there passed between the new married pair
the caresses and endearments usual on such occasions. All things in
a word were conducted, from the beginning to the end, as in a real
and honest wedding, and whether the scene thus enacted was performed
in public as a serious transaction, or at some private entertainment
as a species of sport, it created a strong sensation among all who
witnessed it, and the news of it soon spread abroad and became very
generally known.
The more immediate friends of Claudius were very indignant at such a
proceeding. They conferred together, uttering to each other many
murmurings and complaints, and anticipating the worst results and
consequences from what had occurred. Silius, they said, was an
ambitious and dangerous man, and the audacious deed which he had
performed was the prelude, they believed, to some deep ulterior
design. They feared for the safety of Claudius; and as they knew
very well that the downfall of the emperor would involve them too in
ruin, they were naturally much alarmed. It was, however, very
difficult for them to decide what to do.
If they were to inform the emperor of Messalina's proceedings, they
considered it wholly uncertain what effect the communication would
have upon him. Like almost all weak-minded men, he was impulsive and
capricious in the extreme; and whether, on a communication being
made to him, he would receive it with indifference and unconcern,
or, in case his anger should be aroused, whether it would expend
itself upon Messalina or upon those who informed him against her, it
was wholly impossible to foresee.
At length, after various consultations and debates, a small number
of the courtiers who were most determined in their detestation of
Messalina and her practices, leagued themselves together, and
resolved upon a course of procedure by which they hoped, if
possible, to effect her destruction. The leader of this company was
Callistus, one of the officers of Claudius's household. He was one
of the men who had been engaged with Chaerea in the assassination of
Caligula. Narcissus was another. This was the same Narcissus that is
mentioned in the last chapter, as the artful contriver, with
Messalina, of the death of Silanus. Pallas was the name of a third
conspirator. He was a confidential friend and favorite of Claudius,
and was very jealous, like the rest, of the influence which Silius,
through Messalina, exercised over his master. These were the
principal confederates, though there were some others joined with
them.
The great object of the hostility of these men, seems to have been
Silius, rather than Messalina. This, in fact, would naturally be
supposed to be the case, since it was Silius rather than Messalina
who was their rival. Some of them appear to have hated Messalina on
her own account, but with the others there was apparently no wish to
harm the empress, if any other way could be found of reaching
Silius. In fact, in the consultations which were held, one plan
which was proposed was to go to Messalina, and without evincing any
feelings of unkindness or hostility toward her, to endeavor to
persuade her to break off her connection with her favorite. This
plan was, however, soon overruled. The plotters thought that it
would be extremely improbable that Messalina would listen to any
such proposition, and in case of her rejection of it, if it were
made, her anger would be aroused strongly against them for making
it: and then, even if she should not attempt to take vengeance upon
them for their presumption, she would at any rate put herself
effectually upon her guard against any thing else which they should
attempt to do. The plan of separating Messalina and Silius was,
therefore, abandoned, and the determination resolved upon to take
measures for destroying them both together.
The course which the confederates decided to pursue in order to
effect their object, was to proceed to Ostia, where Claudius still
remained, and there make known to him what Messalina and Silius had
done, and endeavor to convince him that this audacious conduct on
their part was only the prelude to open violence against the life of
the emperor. It would seem, however, that no one of them was quite
willing to take upon himself the office of making such a
communication as this, in the first instance, to such a man. They
did not know how he would receive it,--or against whom the first
weight of his resentment and rage would fall. Finally, after much
hesitation and debate, they concluded to employ a certain female for
the purpose,--a courtesan named Calpurnia. Calpurnia was a favorite
and companion of Claudius, and as such they thought she might
perhaps have an opportunity to approach him with the subject under
such circumstances as to diminish the danger. At any rate, Calpurnia
was easily led by such inducements as the conspirators laid before
her, to undertake the commission. They not only promised her
suitable rewards, but they appealed also to the jealousy and hatred
which such a woman would naturally feel toward Messalina, who,
being a wife, while Calpurnia was only a companion and favorite,
would of course be regarded as a rival and enemy. They represented
to Calpurnia how entirely changed for the better her situation would
be, if Messalina could once be put out of the way. There would then,
they said, be none to interfere with her; but her influence and
ascendency over the emperor's mind would be established on a
permanent and lasting footing.
Calpurnia was very easily led by these inducements to undertake the
commission. There was another courtesan named Cleopatra, who, it was
arranged, should be at hand when Calpurnia made her communication,
to confirm the truth of it, should any confirmation seem to be
required. The other conspirators, also, were to be near, ready to be
called in and to act as occasion might require, in case Calpurnia
and Cleopatra should find that their statement was making the right
impression. Things being all thus arranged the party proceeded to
Ostia to carry their plans into execution.
In the mean time Messalina and Silius, wholly unconscious of the
danger, gave themselves up with greater and greater boldness and
unconcern to their guilty pleasures. On the day when Callistus and
his party went to Ostia she was celebrating a festival at her palace
with great gayety and splendor. It was in the autumn of the year,
and the festival was in honor of the season. In the countries on the
Mediterranean the gathering of grapes and the pressing of the juice
for wine, is the great subject of autumnal rejoicings; and Messalina
had arranged a festival in accordance with the usual customs, in the
gardens of the palace. A wine-press had been erected, and grapes
were gathered and brought to it. The guests whom Messalina had
invited were assembled around; some were dancing about the
wine-press, some were walking in the alleys, and some were seated in
the neighboring bowers. They were dressed in fancy costumes, and
their heads were adorned with garlands of flowers. There was a group
of dancing girls who were engaged as performers on the occasion, to
dance for the amusement of the company, in honor of Bacchus, the god
of wine. These girls were dressed, so far as they were clothed at
all, in robes made of the skins of tigers, and their heads were
crowned with flowers. Messalina herself, however, was the most
conspicuous object among the gay throng. She was robed in a manner
to display most fully the graces of her person; her long hair waving
loosely in the wind. She had in her hand a symbol, or badge, called
the _thyrsus_, which was an ornamented staff, or pole, surmounted
with a carved representation of a bunch of grapes, and with other
ornaments and emblems. The thyrsus was always used in the rites and
festivities celebrated in honor of Bacchus. Silius himself, dressed
like the rest in a fantastic and theatrical costume, danced by the
side of Messalina, in the center of a ring of dancing girls which
was formed around them.
[Illustration: MESSALINA IN THE GARDEN.]
In the mean time, while this gay party were thus enjoying themselves
in the palace gardens at Rome, a very different scene was enacting
at Ostia. Calpurnia, in her secret interview with Claudius, seizing
upon a moment which seemed to her favorable for her purpose, kneeled
down before him and made the communication with which she had been
charged. She told him of Messalina's conduct, and informed him
particularly how she had at last crowned the dishonor of her husband
by openly marrying Silius, or at least pretending to do so. "Your
friends believe," she added, "that she and Silius entertain still
more criminal designs, and that your life will be sacrificed unless
you immediately adopt vigorous and decided measures to avert the
danger."
Claudius was very much amazed, and was also exceedingly terrified at
this communication. He trembled and turned pale, then looked wild
and excited, and began to make inquiries in an incoherent and
distracted manner. Calpurnia called in Cleopatra to confirm her
story. Cleopatra did confirm it, of course, in the fullest and most
unqualified manner. The effect which was produced upon the mind of
the emperor seemed to be exactly what the conspirators had desired.
He evinced no disposition to justify or to defend Messalina, or to
be angry with Calpurnia and Cleopatra for making such charges
against her. His mind seemed to be wholly absorbed with a sense of
the dangers of his situation, and Narcissus was accordingly sent for
to come in.
Narcissus, when appealed to, acknowledged, though with well-feigned
reluctance and hesitation, the truth of what Calpurnia had
declared, and he immediately began to apologize for his own
remissness in not having before made the case known. He spoke with
great moderation of Messalina, and also of Silius, as if his object
were to appease rather than to inflame the anger of the emperor. He
however admitted, he said, that it was absolutely necessary that
something decisive should be done. "Your wife is taken from you,"
said he, "and Silius is master of her. The next thing will be that
he will be master of the republic. He may even already have gained
the Praetorian guards over to his side, in which case all is lost. It
is absolutely necessary that some immediate and decisive action
should be taken."
Claudius, in great trepidation, immediately called together such of
his prominent councillors and friends as were at hand at Ostia, to
consult on what was to be done. Of course, it was principally the
conspirators themselves that appeared at this council. They crowded
around the emperor and urged him immediately to take the most
decisive measures to save himself from the impending danger, and
they succeeded so well in working upon his fears that he stood
before them in stupid amazement, wholly incapable of deciding what
to say or do. The conspirators urged upon the emperor the necessity
of first securing the guard. This body was commanded by an officer
named Geta, on whom Narcissus said no reliance could be placed, and
he begged that Claudius would immediately authorize him, Narcissus,
to take the command. The object of the confederates in thus wishing
to get command of the guard was, perhaps, to make sure of the prompt
and immediate execution of any sentence which they might succeed in
inducing the emperor to pronounce upon Silius or Messalina, before
he should have the opportunity of changing his mind. The emperor
turned from one adviser to another, listening to their various
suggestions and plans, but he seemed bewildered and undecided, as if
he knew not what to do. It was, however, at length, determined to
proceed immediately to Rome. The whole party accordingly mounted
into their carriages, Narcissus taking his seat by the side of the
emperor in the imperial chariot, in order that he might keep up the
excitement and agitation in his master's mind by his conversation on
the way.
In the mean time there were among those who witnessed these
proceedings at Ostia, some who were disposed to take sides with
Messalina and Silius, in the approaching struggle; and they
immediately dispatched a special messenger to Rome to warn the
empress of the impending danger. This messenger rode up along the
banks of the Tiber with all speed, and in advance of the emperor's
party. On his arrival in the city he immediately repaired to the
palace gardens and communicated his errand to Messalina and her
company in the midst of their festivities. Claudius had been
informed, he said, against her and Silius, and was almost beside
himself with resentment and anger. He was already on his way to
Rome, the messenger added, coming to wreak vengeance upon them, and
he warned them to escape for their lives. This communication was
made, of course, in the first instance, somewhat privately to the
parties principally concerned. It, however, put a sudden stop to all
the hilarity and joy, and the tidings were rapidly circulated around
the gardens. One man climbed into a tree and looked off in the
direction of Ostia. The others asked him what he saw. "I see a
great storm arising from the sea at Ostia," said he, "and coming
hither, and it is time for us to save ourselves." In a word the
bacchanalian games and sports were all soon broken up in confusion,
and the company made their escape from the scene, each by a
different way.
Silius immediately resumed his ordinary dress, and went forth into
the city, where, under an assumed appearance of indifference and
unconcern, he walked about in the forum, as if nothing unusual had
occurred. Messalina herself fled to the house of a friend, named
Lucullus, and, passing immediately through the house, sought a
hiding-place in the gardens. Here her mind began to be overwhelmed
with anguish, remorse, and terror. Her sins, now that a terrible
retribution for them seemed to be impending, rose before her in all
their enormity, and she knew not what to do. She soon reflected that
there could be no permanent safety for her where she was, for the
advanced guards of Claudius, which were even then entering the city
and commencing their arrests, would be sure soon to discover the
place of her retreat, and bring her before her exasperated husband.
She concluded that, rather than wait for this, it would be better
for her to go before him herself voluntarily; and, by throwing
herself upon his mercy, endeavor to soften and appease him. She
accordingly, in her distraction, determined to pursue this course.
She came forth from her hiding-place in Lucullus's gardens, and went
to seek her children, intending to take them with her, that the
sight of them might help to move the heart of their father. Her
children were two in number. Octavia, who has already been
mentioned, was the eldest, being now about ten or twelve years of
age. The other was a boy several years younger; his name was
Britannicus.
In the mean time, the city was thrown quite into a state of
commotion, by the approach of Claudius, and by the tidings which had
spread rapidly through the streets, of what had occurred. The
soldiers whom Claudius had sent forward, were making arrests in the
streets, and searching the houses. In the midst of this excitement,
Messalina, with her children, attended by one of the vestal virgins,
named Vibidia, whom she had prevailed upon to accompany her and
plead her cause, came forth from her palace on foot, and proceeded
through the streets, her hair disheveled, her dress in disorder, and
her whole appearance marked by every characteristic of humiliation,
abasement, and woe. When she reached the gate of the city, she
mounted into a common cart which she found there, and in that manner
proceeded to meet her angry husband, leaving her children with
Vibidia, the vestal, to follow behind.
She had not proceeded very far, before she met the emperor's train
approaching. As soon as she came near enough to the carriage of
Claudius to be heard, she began to utter loud entreaties and
lamentations, begging her husband to hear before he condemned her.
"Hear your unhappy wife," said she, "hear the mother of Britannicus
and Octavia." Narcissus and the others who were near, interposed to
prevent her from being heard. They talked continually to the
emperor, and produced a written memorial and other papers for him to
read, which contained, they said, a full account of the whole
transaction. Claudius, taking very little notice of his wife,
pursued his way toward the city. She followed in his train. When
they drew near to the gates, they met Vibidia and the children.
Vibidia attempted to speak, but Claudius would not listen. She
complained, in a mournful tone, that for him to condemn his wife
unheard, would be unjust and cruel; but Claudius was unmoved. He
told Vibidia that Messalina would in due time have a suitable
opportunity to make her defense, and that, in the mean time, the
proper duty of a vestal virgin was to confine herself to the
functions of her sacred office. Thus he sent both her and the
children away.
As soon as the party arrived in the city Narcissus conducted the
emperor to the house of Silius, and entering it he showed to the
emperor there a great number of proofs of the guilty favoritism
which the owner of it had enjoyed with Messalina. The house was
filled with valuable presents, the tokens of Messalina's love,
consisting, many of them, of costly household treasures which had
descended to Claudius in the imperial line, and which were of such a
character that the alienation of them by Messalina, in such a way,
was calculated to fill the heart of Claudius with indignation and
anger. The emperor then proceeded to the camp. Silius and several of
his leading friends were arrested and brought together before a
sort of military tribunal summoned on the spot to try them. The
trial was of course very brief and very summary. They were all
condemned to death and were led out to instant execution.
This being done the emperor returned with his friends to the city
and repaired to his palace. His mind seemed greatly relieved. He
felt that the crisis of danger was past. He ordered supper to be
prepared, and when it was ready he seated himself at table. He
congratulated himself and his friends on the escape from the perils
that had surrounded them, which they had so happily accomplished.
Narcissus and the others began to tremble lest after all Messalina
should be spared; and they knew full well that if she should be
allowed to live, she would soon, by her artful management, regain
her ascendency over the emperor's mind, and that in that case she
would give herself no rest until she had destroyed all those who had
taken any part in effecting the destruction of Silius. They began to
be greatly alarmed therefore for their own safety. In the mean time
messages came in from Messalina, who, when the emperor entered the
city, had returned to her former place of refuge in the gardens of
Lucullus. At length a letter, or memorial, came. On reading what was
written it was found that Messalina was assuming a bolder tone. Her
letter was a remonstrance rather than a petition, as if she were
designing to try the effect of bravery and assurance, and to see if
she could not openly reassume the ascendency and control which she
had long exercised over the mind of her husband. Claudius seemed
inclined to hesitate and waver. His anger appeared to be subsiding
with his fears, and the wine which he drank freely at the table
seemed to conspire with the other influences of the occasion to
restore his wonted good-humor. He ordered that in reply to
Messalina's letter a messenger should go and inform her that she
should be admitted the next day to see him and to make her defense.
Narcissus and his confederates were greatly alarmed, and determined
immediately that this must not be. Narcissus had been placed, it
would seem, according to the wish of the conspirators at the outset,
in command of the guard; and he accordingly had power to prevent the
emperor's determination from being carried into effect, provided
that he should dare to take the responsibility of acting. It was a
moment of great anxiety and suspense. He soon, however, came
strongly to the conclusion that though it would be very dangerous
for him to act, yet that not to act would be certain destruction;
since if Messalina were allowed to live it would be absolutely
certain that they all must die. Accordingly, summoning all his
resolution he hurried out of the banqueting room, and gave orders to
the officers on duty there, in the emperor's name, to proceed to the
gardens of Lucullus and execute sentence of death on Messalina
without any delay.
Messalina was with her mother Lepida, in the gardens, awaiting her
answer from the emperor, when the band of soldiers came. Messalina
and her mother had never been agreed, and now for a long time had
had no intercourse with each other. The daughter's danger had,
however, reawakened the instinct of maternal love in the mother's
heart, and Lepida had come to see her child in this the hour of her
extremity. She came, however, not to console or comfort her child,
or to aid her in her efforts to save her life, but to provide her
with the means of putting an end to her own existence as the only
way now left to her, of escape from the greater disgrace of public
execution.
She accordingly offered a poniard to Messalina in the gardens, and
urged her to take it. "Death by your own hand," said she, "is now
your only refuge. You _must_ die; it is impossible that this tragedy
can have any other termination; and to wait quietly here for the
stroke of the executioner is base and ignoble. You _must die_;--and
all that now remains to you is the power to close the scene with
dignity and with becoming spirit."
Messalina manifested the greatest agitation and distress, but she
could not summon resolution to receive the poniard. In the midst of
this scene the band of soldiers appeared, entering the garden. The
mother pressed the poniard upon her daughter, saying, "Now is the
time." Messalina took the weapon, and pointed it toward her breast,
but had not firmness enough to strike it home. The officer
approached her at the head of his men, with his sword drawn in his
hand. Messalina, still irresolute, made a feeble and ineffectual
effort to give herself a wound, but failed of inflicting it; and
then the officer who had by this time advanced to the spot where
she was standing, put an end to her dreadful mental struggles by
cutting her down and killing her at a single blow.
When tidings were brought back to Narcissus that his commands had
been obeyed, he went again to the presence of Claudius, and reported
to him simply that Messalina was no more. He made no explanations,
and the emperor asked for none; but went on with his supper as if
nothing had occurred, and never afterward expressed any curiosity or
interest in respect to Messalina's fate.
As soon as the excitement produced by these transactions had in some
degree subsided, various plans and intrigues were commenced for
providing the emperor with another wife. There were many competitors
for the station, all of whom were eager to occupy it; for, though
Claudius was old, imbecile, and ugly, still he was the emperor; and
all those ladies of his court who thought that they had any prospect
of success, aspired to the possession of his hand, as the summit of
earthly ambition. Among the rest, Agrippina appeared. She was
Claudius's niece. This relationship was in one respect a bar to her
success, since the laws prohibited marriage within that degree of
consanguinity. In another respect, however, the relationship was
greatly in Agrippina's favor, for under the plea of it she had
constant access to the emperor, and was extremely assiduous in her
attentions to him. She succeeded, at length, in inspiring him with
some sentiment of love, and he determined to make her his wife. The
Senate were easily induced to alter the laws in order to enable him
to do this, and Claudius and Agrippina were married.
Claudius not only thus made the mother of our hero his wife, but he
adopted her son as his son and heir--changing, at the same time, the
name of the boy. In place of his former plebeian appellation of
Ahenobarbus, he gave him now the imposing title of Nero Claudius
Caesar Drusus Germanicus. He has since generally been known in
history, however, by the simple prenomen, Nero.