loud denunciations gradually died away,
and were succeeded by mutterings and murmurings. At length she
became silent altogether, and after an interval of reflection, she
concluded no longer to give way to her clamorous and useless anger,
but calmly to consider what it was best to _do_.

She soon determined that the wisest and most politic plan after all,
would be for her to acquiesce in the fancy of her son, and endeavor
to retain her ascendency over him by aiding and countenancing him in
his pleasures. She accordingly changed by degrees the tone which she
had assumed toward him, and began to address him in words of favor
and indulgence. She said that it was natural, after all, at his time
of life, to love, and that his superior rank and station entitled
him to some degree of immunity from the restrictions imposed upon
ordinary men. Acte was indeed a beautiful girl, and she was not
surprised, she said, that he had conceived an affection for her. The
indulgence of his love was indeed attended with difficulty and
danger, but, if he would submit the affair to her care and
management, she could take such precautions that all would be well.
She apologized for the warmth with which she had at first spoken,
and attributed it to the jealous and watchful interest which a
mother must always feel in all that relates to the prosperity and
happiness of her son. She said, moreover, that she was now ready and
willing to enter into and promote his views, and she offered him the
use of certain private apartments of her own in the palace, to meet
Acte in, saying that, by such an arrangement, and with the
precautions that she could use, he could enjoy the society of his
favorite whenever he pleased, without interruption and without
danger.

Nero very naturally reported all this to his companions. They of
course advised him not to believe any thing that his mother said,
nor to trust to her in any way. "It is all," said they, "an artful
device on her part to get you into her power; and no young man of
pride and spirit will submit to the disgrace of being under his
mother's management and control." The young profligate listened to
the counsels of his associates, and rejected the overtures which his
mother had made him. He continued his attachment to Acte, but kept
as much as possible aloof from Agrippina.

He desired, however, if possible, to avoid an open quarrel with his
mother, and so he made some effort to treat her with attention an