o at his own cost
gave the prizes to the horses, and the regular program of the circus was
carried out.

Agrippina showed readiness to attack the greatest undertakings, as is
evidenced by her causing the death of Marcus Julius Silanus, to whom she
sent some of the poison with which she had treacherously murdered her
husband.

Silanus was governor of Asia, and was in no respect inferior to the
general character of his family. It was for this, more than for anything
else, she said, that she killed him, not wishing to have him preferred
before Nero, by reason of the latter's manner of life. Moreover, she
turned everything into trade and gathered money from the most
insignificant and basest sources.

Laelianus, who was despatched to Armenia in place of Pollio, had been
assigned to the command of the night watch. And he was no better than
Pollio, for, while surpassing him in reputation, he was all the more
insatiable in respect to gain.

[Sidenote: A.D. 55 (a.u. 808)] [Sidenote:--7--] Agrippina found a
grievance in the fact that she was no longer supreme in affairs of the
palace. It was chiefly because of Acte. Acte had been brought as a slave
from Asia. She caught the fancy of Nero, was adopted into the family of
Attalus, and was cherished much more carefully than was Nero's wife
Octavia. Agrippina, indignant at this and at other matters, first
attempted to rebuke him, and set herself to humiliating his associates,
some by beatings and by getting rid of others. But when she accomplished
nothing, she took it greatly to heart and remarked to him: "It was I who
made you emperor," just as if she had the power to take away the authority
from him again. She did not comprehend that every form of independent
power given to any one by a private citizen immediately ceases to be the
property of the giver and belongs to the one who receives it to use
against his benefactor.

Britannicus Nero murdered treacherously by poison, and then, as the skin
was turned livid by the action of the drug, he smeared the body with
gypsum. But as it was being carried through the Forum a heavy rain falling
while the gypsum was still damp washed it all away, so that the horror was
exposed not only to comment but to view. [After Britannicus was dead
Seneca and Burrus ceased to give careful attention to public interests and
were satisfied if they might manage them conservatively and still preserve
their lives. Consequently Nero now made himself conspi