Locust — poisoner emperors, which was executed through rape a giraffe
Human history is replete with high-profile murders committed for political and selfish motives. At all times one of the most popular tools eliminate people standing on the road to power, wealth and fame, were the poisons. Only a master poisoner could have done the murder so that it was like death by natural causes and to give full guarantee. One of the most famous in the history of experts in the field of poisons was Locusta, who lived in Rome two thousand years ago.
Locusta was not a Roman. She was born in the first years of our era in Gaul, that is, somewhere on the territory of France or Northern Italy. Her father was a skilled witch, so the girl from an early age learned to understand the gifts of flora and fauna. In those days healers not only treated, but killed. They had to get rid of the suffering of seriously ill or injured, call women have abortions and kill wild animals that threaten people and livestock.
For all these purposes to use a poison prepared from plants, minerals and animal parts. Together with the skill of doctoring Locusta mastered and the science of poisoning, which, as it turned out, was much more highly paid. After leaving his father's house in a quite young age, the healer went to Rome, to make a career.
But in the capital of the ancient world her medical talents were not in demand, but the art of killing with poisons found an appreciative audience. It was the time of Caligula, when the Emperor and patricians hunted right and left, and everyone who could afford it, sought to have your own expert in poisons.
It happened with Lakustai, which is rescued from the dungeons of Agrippina, the wife of the Emperor Claudius. 54 year she entered the dungeon to the poisoner and offered her a deal — freedom in exchange for the stronger of the available poisons intended for her husband.
The poisoning of the Emperor, but still very careful, demanding special, non-traditional approach. So Locust have developed a whole operation on Claudius in the grave, in which he used not one, but two different poison. First, not too strong, the poisoner put in mushrooms, which adored monarch. The composition had the taste and smell was not fatal, but acted very quickly.
Tasting favorite delicacy, Claudius immediately felt a burning sensation in the stomach. Present at the luncheon wife Agrippina asked him proven method getting rid of food already trapped in the stomach, to tickle in the throat with a feather to induce vomiting. So Claudius did, and it is this simple manipulation brought him to the grave. Ingenious Locusta soaked the pen is the strongest of all known poisons that killed the Emperor for a few minutes.
The Emperor Claudius
But Agrippina was ungrateful and mean-spirited — she didn't want to leave alive a witness in danger and initiated an "investigation", during which the poisoner sentenced to death, and again cast into prison. But Lacoste was lucky again — it saved Nero, stepson of Claudius, which also needed the services of a poisoner.
The Emperor Nero
"The people of Rome need a real Caesar", talking about his son Claudius, though he was the least like a man who can rule with an imperious hand. Britannica was smart, but good-natured, and also suffered from epilepsy, the attacks which beset a young man in the most inopportune moments.
As Nero was 16, and Britannica was still 14, the throne was inherited by the adopted son of Claudius. As soon as he became Emperor, Nero immediately recognized the father as God and built a temple for him. He struggled portrayed a worthy successor and tried to enlist the support of the army and the people. But he was well aware that half-brother, if you do not take action, sooner or later will take his place.
Cynical bastard Nero decided to eliminate a dangerous rival, resorting to the help of Locusta, awaiting his execution in the basement. He ordered the poisoner to cook the strongest poisons known to her, but the woman disobeyed the Emperor. She prepared the poison, which only caused Britannica strong stomach cramps and a fever.
The statue of the young Britannica
Made Lucusta it because I didn't want to step on the old rake and again to fall under suspicion as the killer. She wanted to get used to the light, the young man gradually, so it was like a debilitating serious illness. But Nero wasn't interested in these nuances — he wanted to kill his brother quickly. For the fact that Locust not complied with the order, she was beaten half to death with a whip.
Locusta and Nero feel the poison on the slave
Afterwards Nero did not hesitate long, she ordered the poison Britannica during the meal. The young man, having drunk from the Cup, and died almost instantly. The Emperor immediately announced that his brother battled the usual fit of epilepsy, and commanded to take the dead man under the guise of the unconscious body in his chambers.
Version Tranquilla the middle of the night, everyone was notified that a seizure was fatal and the true heir of Claudius hastily, without honors was buried in the pouring rain and with a minimum of witnesses. But another Roman historian, Tacitus, describes the dastardly crime otherwise.
The historian said about the special plan Locusta, which was even more masterly than that used in the case of Claudius. Tacitus claims that had not poisoned the wine in the Cup, and water, which the wine was diluted. In the cold season the Romans diluted wine with hot water and Britannica filed a too hot drink.
The Death Of Britannica
The wine and hot water served on the table, carefully checked and to poison them was extremely difficult. But cold water, which is usually on the table not standing, no one to check I guess. When Britannic was required to dilute too hot drink cold water, he poured it in the Cup with poison. A moment later the young man was dead. The funeral of the unfortunate Tacitus writes:
Locusta by order of Nero, were generously rewarded with lands, slaves and valuables. In addition, Nero commanded for her to open a school of healers, where under the guise of the medical art he studied to prepare deadly potions. With ' 55, died when the Britannic and 68 years old, became the year of the death of Nero, Locusta lived happily ever after and nothing does not deny.
In ' 68, the Senate declared Nero a criminal and a madman, and sent a detachment of soldiers to arrest the Emperor and subjected to public execution. But Nero found out about this in advance and ordered to dig his own grave right in your Villa. On the edge of the pit, the Emperor tried to kill himself with a sword, but could not and asked his Secretary Epaphrodite to slit his throat. Say, before the death of Nero exclaimed: "this is faithfulness!".
To Lacoste and other minions of bastard Nero pity the people of Rome was not. Dozens of villains, the most close to the Emperor, carried in chains through the city and killed in the square, in front of a crowd. There is a legend that Lacoste that everyone hated is particularly strong, has prepared a special punishment.
The Death Of Nero. Vasily Smirnov. 1888
According to some sources, she was sentenced to rape by giraffe, why the poisoner died. Authoritative authors nothing about this fact is not mentioned, so with high probability the story of the giraffe, is nothing more than a folk tale. But thanks to her the story of one of the greatest poisoners who ends very effectively!
Keywords: The ancient world | The plot | The Emperor | The poisoning | Rome | Poison