XXXIV.  Claudius,  as  he  proceeded  towards  the  city,  felt
himself  distracted  by  contending  passions.  He  inveighed
against  his  wife ;  he  softened  into  tenderness,  and  felt  for
his  children.  During  all  that  agitation  of  mind,  Vitellius,  we
are  told,  contented  himself  with  saying,  "  The  vile  iniquity !
The  infamous  crime ! "  Narcissus  pressed  him  to  be  more
explicit ;  but  his  answers  were  in  the  oracular  style,  dark,
ambiguous,  and  liable  to  be  interpreted  various  ways.  Cascina
followed  his  example.  It  was  not  long  before  Messalina
appeared  in  sight.  Her  supplications  were  loud  and  vehe-
ment. ''Hear  your  unhappy  wife,"  she  said,  "hear  the
mother  of  Octavia  and  Britannicus."  To  prevent  any  im-
pression of  tenderness,  the  accuser  raised  his  voice :  he
talked  of  Silius,  and  the  wickedness  of  the  marriage ;  he
produced  a  memorial,  containing  a  full  account  of  the  whole
proceeding,  and,  to  draw  the  emperor's  eyes  from  Messalina,
gave  him  the  papers  to  read.  As  they  entered  Rome,  Octavia
and  Britannicus  presented  themselves  before  the  prince  :  but,
by  order  of  Narcissus,  they  were  both  removed.  Yibidia
claimed  to  be  heard ;  in  a  pathetic  tone  she  remonstrated,
that  to  condemn  his  wife  unheard,  would  be  unjust,  and
shocking   to  humanity.     She  received   for  answer,  that  Mes-


3  H  The  Works  of  Tacitus

salina  would  have  her  opportunity  to  make  her  defence ;
in  the  meantime,  it  became  a  vestal  virgin  to  retire  to
the  functions  of  her  sacred  office.
XXXV.  The  silence  of  Claudius,  during  the  whole  of
this  scene,  was  beheld  with  astonishment.  Vitellius  looked
aghast,  affecting  to  understand  nothing.  All  directions  were
given  by  the  freedman.  He  ordered  the  adulterer's  house
to  be  thrown  open,  and  proceeded  thither  with  the  emperor.
