Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"scheming and licentious woman," 1887, in reference to Valeria Messalina, notorious third wife of Roman emperor Claudius.
Wikipedia
Valeria Messalina, sometimes spelled Messallina, (c. 17/20–48) married (as his third wife) the Roman Emperor Claudius. She was a paternal cousin of the Emperor Nero, a second-cousin of the Emperor Caligula, and a great-grandniece of the Emperor Augustus. A powerful and influential woman with a reputation for promiscuity, she allegedly conspired against her husband and was executed on the discovery of the plot. Her notorious reputation arguably results from political bias, but works of art and literature have perpetuated it into modern times.
Valeria Messalina (c.17/20-48), was a Roman Empress as the third wife of Emperor Claudius
Messalina can also refer to:-
- Statilia Messalina (c. 35-68), Roman Empress as the third wife of Emperor Nero
- Saint Messalina, see Felician of Foligno (died 250 AD)
- 545 Messalina, a minor planet orbiting the Sun
- Messalina (1924 film), an Italian film
- Messalina (1930 film), a Brazilian film
- Messalina (1951 film), directed by Carmine Gallone
- Messalina (1960 film), an Italian film
Messalina is a 1960 Italian-French peplum film directed by Vittorio Cottafavi.
Messalina is a 1924 Italian historical drama film directed by Enrico Guazzoni and starring Rina De Liguoro, Calisto Bertramo and Gildo Bocci. It portrays the life of Messalina, the third wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius.
Messalina or The Affairs of Messalina is a 1951 historical drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring María Félix, Georges Marchal and Memo Benassi. It was a co-production between France, Italy and Spain. It was shot at the Cinecittà studios in Rome with sets designed by Gastone Medin and Vittorio Nino Novarese. It was part of a growing trend of epic historical films of 1950s. In 1954 a dubbed English version was released in the United States by Columbia Pictures.
The film portrays the story of the Messalina, the wife of the Roman Emperor Claudius.
Usage examples of "messalina".
Breathless from the dance, her hair as disheveled as a genuine bacchante, Messalina screamed with delight and shook the ivy-twined staff of Bacchus.
Now, Senator, may I advise you that from now on you are to answer any request my Messalina may make of you, and I shall not discuss the c-consequences if you refuse.
But now I must ask you: does this change your opinion that Messalina should be exposed?
Ostia, surveying progress on his beloved harbor, and he asked Messalina if she would care to accompany him.
Even in exile, he knew, Messalina would have her agents try to assassinate him for his disclosure.
Tribune, and arrest Senator Gaius Silius, the empress Messalina, and all who are at his residence on the Esquiline.
There, incredibly, was Messalina, stained with what appeared to be compost, climbing off the cart and running up to the litter.
Narcissus, whose agents had briefed him on what to look for, appointed himself as tour guide, identifying which furnishings had come from the palace, and which had been confiscated from the estates of those whose death Messalina had caused.
There, at the end of the bed, stood a magnificent inlaid table that he had presented Messalina as a wedding gift.
Claudius was on his way to the Castra Praetoria to place Silius and Messalina on trial for treason.
But for Narcissus, the agony of suspense was far from over: Messalina continued to live, and while she did, the sword was only inches from his own neck.
Mother Lepida had long since tried to warn Messalina of the catastrophe awaiting her conduct, but the advice was spurned and the two had become estranged.
At that moment Evodus arrived and saw, to his relief, that Messalina was still inside the grove.
Lepida rocked Messalina in her arms, shedding bitter tears for the daughter who had just died, and for the Messalina who, in many respects, had died years before.
And what was happening to Rome, that such grotesque actors as Messalina and Silius had commanded center stage?