of the empress was crushed to death, but the posts
of Agrippina's couch proved strong enough to bear the weight, and she
and Acerronia escaped and made their way hastily to the deck. Here
confusion and consternation reigned. The plot had failed. The vessel had
not fallen to pieces at once, as intended. Those who were not in the
plot rushed wildly to and fro, hampering, by their distracted movements,
the operations of the guilty. These sought to sink the vessel at once,
but in spite of their efforts the ship sank but slowly, giving the
intended victims an opportunity to escape.

Acerronia, with instinctive devotion to her mistress, or a desire to
save her own life, cried out that she was Agrippina, and pathetically
implored the mariners to save her life. She won death instead. The
assassins attacked her with oars and other weapons, and beat her down to
the sinking deck. Agrippina, on the contrary, kept silent, and, with the
exception of a wound on her shoulder, remained unhurt. Dashing into the
dark waters of the bay, she swam towards the shore, and managed to keep
herself afloat till taken up by a boat, in which some persons who had
witnessed the accident from the shore had hastily put out. Telling her
rescuers who she was, they conveyed her up the bay to her villa.

Agrippina had been concerned in too many crimes of her own devising to
be deceived. The treachery of her son was too evident. Without touching
a rock, and in complete calm, the vessel had suddenly broken down, as
if constructed for the purpose. Her own wound and the murder of her maid
were further proofs of a preconcerted plot. Yet she was too shrewd to
make her suspicions public. The plot had failed, and she was still
alive. She at once despatched a messenger to her son, saying that by the
favor of the gods and his good auspices she had escaped shipwreck, and
that she thus hastened to quiet his affectionate fears. She then retired
to her couch.

Meanwhile Nero waited impatiently for the news of his mother's death.
When word was at length brought him that she had escaped, his craven
soul was filled with terror. If this should get abroad; if she should
call on her slaves, on the army, on the senate; if the people should
learn of the plot of murder, and rise in riot; if any of a dozen
contingencies should happen, all might be lost.

The terrified emperor was in a frightful quandary. He sent in all haste
for his advisers, but none of them cared to offer any