What Happens

The speed of events becomes unstoppable. Claudius remains eerily silent throughout, completely under Narcissus's control - the emperor obeys his freedman in everything. Narcissus arranges a military assembly in the camp where Claudius speaks only briefly before the soldiers erupt in demands for the names of the guilty and immediate punishment. Meanwhile, Silius is brought to trial but makes no attempt to defend himself or delay proceedings - instead, he simply begs for a quick death, showing he knows the situation is hopeless. In stark contrast, Messalina still clings to life in the luxury gardens, composing petitions and maintaining both hope and anger. Tacitus notes she still displays incredible arrogance even facing death. The section ends with an ominous warning: if Narcissus hadn't moved quickly to kill Messalina, she might have turned the tables and destroyed him instead.

Historical Context

Military assemblies (contio militum) were important political events in Rome where emperors addressed their troops to maintain loyalty. By arranging this meeting, Narcissus was ensuring the army supported Claudius's actions against Messalina. The soldiers' immediate demand for punishment shows how quickly public opinion had turned against her. Roman trials usually involved lengthy speeches for the defence, so Silius's refusal to defend himself was unusual - it showed he accepted his guilt and fate. The contrast between Silius accepting death and Messalina still fighting reflects different personalities and perhaps different levels of guilt. The mention that she could have destroyed Narcissus reflects the dangerous court politics of imperial Rome, where fortunes could change rapidly and accusers might become the accused. Freedmen like Narcissus, despite their origins as slaves, could wield enormous power but were always vulnerable to imperial displeasure.

Questions to Consider

• What does Claudius's silence and complete obedience to Narcissus reveal about his character as emperor?
• How does the contrast between Silius's acceptance of death and Messalina's continued defiance develop their characterisation?
• Why does Tacitus emphasise that Messalina still showed "such great pride" even facing death?
• What does the soldiers' immediate demand for punishment suggest about public opinion and military loyalty?
• How does the final warning about destruction turning on the accuser create dramatic tension and foreshadow future events?