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 solicitude in entertaining his mother.  If she were absent he feigned to miss her sorely, and if she were present he was lavish of caresses.  He bade her ask whatever she desired and bestowed many gifts without her asking.  When he had shaped the situation to this extent [Footnote:  Adopting Reiske’s conjecture, nv.], then rising from dinner about midnight he embraced her, and straining her to his breast kissed her eyes and hands, exclaiming:  “Mother, farewell, and happiness attend you!  For you I live and because of you I rule.”  He then gave her in charge of Anicetus, a freedman, supposedly to convey her home on the ship that he had prepared.