ssus, 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 wi