e had attained it, and had made
himself sure, as he fancied, of his foothold, his first act was to
turn basely and ungratefully against the hand that had raised him.
But notwithstanding his fancied security, she would teach him, she
said, that her power was still to be feared. Britannicus was still
alive, and he was after all the rightful heir, and since her son had
proved himself so unworthy of the efforts and sacrifices that she
had made for him, she would forthwith take measures to restore to
Britannicus what she had so unjustly taken from him. She would
immediately divulge all the dreadful secrets which were connected
with Nero's elevation. She would make known the arts by means of
which her marriage with Claudius had been effected, and the adoption
of Nero as Claudius's son and heir had been secured. She would
confess the murder of Claudius, and the usurpation on her part of
the imperial power for Nero her son. Nero would, in consequence, be
deposed, and Britannicus would succeed him, and thus the base
ingratitude and treachery toward his mother which Nero had displayed
would be avenged. This plan, she declared, she would immediately
carry into effect. She would take Britannicus to the camp, and
appeal to the army in his name. Both Burrus and Seneca would join
her, and her undutiful and treacherous son would be stripped
forthwith of his ill-gotten power.

These words of Agrippina were not, however, the expressions of sober
purpose, really and honestly entertained. They were the wild and
unthinking threats and denunciations which are prompted in such
cases by the frenzy of helpless and impotent rage. It is not at all
probable that she had any serious intention of attempting such
desperate measures as she threatened; for if she had really
entertained such a design, she would have carefully kept it secret
while making her arrangements for carrying it into execution.

Still these threats and denunciations, though they were obviously
prompted by a blind and temporary rage, which it might be reasonably
supposed would soon subside, made a deep impression upon Nero's
mind. In the first place, he was angry with his mother for daring to
utter them. Then there was at least a possibility that she might
really undertake to put them in execution, as no one could foresee
what her desperate frenzy might lead her to do. Then besides, even
if Agrippina's resentment were to subside, and she should seem
entirely to abandon all idea