Crossword clues for locusta
locusta
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Locusta \Lo*cus"ta\, n. [NL.: cf. locuste.] (Bot.)
The spikelet or flower cluster of grasses.
--Gray.
Wiktionary
n. (context botany English) The spikelet or flower cluster of grasses.
Wikipedia
Locusta (or Lucusta) was a notorious poison mixer in Ancient Rome. She, along with Canidia and Martina, made up the infamous trio of female poisoners in Roman times.
She was born in the ancient province of Gaul. Her early history remains mostly a mystery. According to ancient historians, in AD 54 Locusta was hired by Agrippina the Younger to supply a poisoned dish of mushrooms for the murder of Emperor Claudius. Once the drug was made, the task of administering it was given to Claudius's food-taster Halotus. In 55, she was convicted of poisoning another victim, but Nero rescued her from execution and in return called upon her to supply poison to murder Britannicus.
Her first attempt at poisoning Britannicus proved futile, as the concoction was too weak to kill him. Angry and impatient at Locusta's failure, Nero beat her with his own hands and told her to make a more deadly poison to finish the task. When she succeeded Nero rewarded her with a vast estate and even sent pupils to her. When Nero fled Rome, he acquired poison from Locusta for his own use, but ultimately died by other means. After Nero's suicide, Locusta was condemned to die by the emperor Galba during his brief reign, which ended 15 January AD 69. Along with many other of Nero's "favorites" such as Helius, Patrobius, and Narcissus, she was led in chains through the city, and finally executed.
Locusta's career is described by the ancient historians Tacitus (Annals 12.66 and 13.15), Suetonius (, 33 and 47), and Cassius Dio (61.34 and 63.3). Juvenal also mentions Locusta in Book 1, line 71 of his Satires.
In The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas the poisoner Madame de Villefort is frequently compared to Locusta. Chapter 101 is entitled 'Locusta'.
Usage examples of "locusta".
Serenus too occupied a box, and further down, beneath a parasol, the red-haired Locusta sat.
Through the storm of flower petals, gambling tokens, fruit peels and other objects being rained down in praise upon us, I thought I saw Locusta nod and smile in return.
For help with that selection I turned to Locusta, whom I saw almost nightly.
What Locusta had done was no worse than what countless married Roman women did every night, from lust rather than worthy ambition.
Since there was nothing shameful in open lovemaking, Locusta and I were indulging in a bit of it when there was a sudden fearful crash of pottery and metal.
He was staring at me intently, but I knew now that he had been looking at Locusta a moment ago, and was speaking to her as well as me.
Only last night Locusta had boasted too openly of her power and her secrets.
Looking about in the antechamber, I failed to see Locusta until she stormed at me from the shadow of a pillar, spitting all sorts of obscene oaths.
With Locusta in her present frame of mind it might well be unbearable.
I said nothing, By mutual consent Locusta and I had not concealed our reason for going to Africa.
When I returned to my quarters, I reluctantly went to inform Locusta that we would leave in four days.
Before he conducted me inside the tower, he paused, turned and saluted Locusta again.
With four spears piercing her body, Locusta fell into the dark, her hair a red banner of her destruction.
At the moment, Locusta was under house arrest in her dwelling near the Palatine, guarded by a tribune who was directly responsible to the empress.
When Locusta said the potion was ready, Nero hurried out to fetch a kid that he had tethered inside his bedroom and led the animal in.