Locusta
or, more correctly, LUCUSTA (see Heinrich,
ad Juv. vol. ii. p. 62), a woman celebrated for her skill in concocting poisons.
She was employed by Agrippina in poisoning the emperor Claudius, and by Nero for despatching Britannicus. (
Tac. Ann. 12.66,
13.15;
Suet. Nero 33;
D. C. 60.34;
Juv. 1.71, with Schol.) Suetonius says (
Nero, 33) that the poison which she administered being too slow, Nero impatiently struck her with his own hand, and forced her to prepare a stronger draught in his presence, which killed Britannicus instantaneously.
She was rewarded by Nero with ample estates; but under the emperor Galba she was executed with other malefactors of Nero's reign. (
D. C. 64.3.)
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