me Caesar." All
that came of it was the response: "I sha'n't see you even consul." It was
to him that the emperor gave Sabina, of patrician family, after separating
her from her husband, and they both enjoyed her together. Agrippina,
therefore, fearing that Nero would marry the woman (for he was now
beginning to entertain a mad passion for her), ventured upon a most unholy
course. As if it were not enough for her story that she had attracted her
uncle Claudius into love for her by her blandishments and uncontrolled
looks and kisses, she undertook to enslave Nero also in similar fashion.
However, I am not sure whether this actually occurred, or whether it was
invented to fit their characters: but I state here what is admitted by
all, that Nero had a mistress resembling Agrippina of whom he was
especially fond because of this very resemblance. And when he toyed with
the girl herself or threw out hints about it to others, he would say that
he was having intercourse with his mother.

[Sidenote: A.D. 59 (a.u. 812)] Sabina on hearing about this began to
persuade Nero to get rid of his mother in order to forestall her alleged
plots against him. He was likewise incited,--so many trustworthy men have
stated,--by Seneca, whether it was to obscure the complaint against his
own name that the latter was anxious or to lead Nero on to a career of
unholy bloodguiltiness that should bring about most speedily his
destruction by gods and men. But they shrank from doing the deed openly
and were not able to put her out of the way secretly by means of poison,
for she took extreme precautions against all such things. One day they saw
in the theatre a ship that automatically separated in two, let out some
beasts, and came together again so as to be once more seaworthy; and they
at once had another one built like it. By the time the ship was finished
Agrippina had been quite won over by Nero's attentions, for he exhibited
devotion to her in every way to make sure that she should suspect nothing
and be off her guard. He dared, however, do nothing in Rome for fear the
crime should become widely known. Hence he went some distance into
Campania accompanied by his mother, and took a sail on the fatal ship
itself, which was adorned in the most brilliant fashion to the end that
she might feel a desire to use the vessel continually.

[Sidenote:--13--] When they reached Bauli, he gave for several days most
costly dinners at which he showed great solici