reason for security in the extraordinary obligations, whether of
hospitality or of religious vows, which seemed to lay him under some
peculiar restraints in that case above all others; for such circumstances
of peculiarity, by which the murder would be stamped with unusual
atrocity, were but the more likely to make its fascinations irresistible.
Hence he dallied with the thoughts of murdering her whom he loved best,
and indeed exclusively--his wife Caesonia; and whilst fondling her, and
toying playfully with her polished throat, he was distracted (as he half
insinuated to her) between the desire of caressing it, which might be
often repeated, and that of cutting it, which could be gratified but once.

Nero (for as to Claudius, he came too late to the throne to indulge any
propensities of this nature with so little discretion) was but a variety
of the same species. He also was an amateur, and an enthusiastic amateur
of murder. But as this taste, in the most ingenious hands, is limited and
monotonous in its modes of manifestation, it would be tedious to run
through the long Suetonian roll-call of his peccadilloes in this way. One
only we shall cite, to illustrate the amorous delight with which he
pursued any murder which happened to be seasoned highly to his taste by
enormous atrocity, and by almost unconquerable difficulty. It would really
be pleasant, were it not for the revolting consideration of the persons
concerned, and their relation to each other, to watch the tortuous pursuit
of the hunter, and the doubles of the game, in this obstinate chase. For
certain reasons of state, as Nero attempted to persuade himself, but in
reality because no other crime had the same attractions of unnatural
horror about it, he resolved to murder his mother Agrippina. This being
settled, the next thing was to arrange the mode and the tools. Naturally
enough, according to the custom then prevalent in Rome, he first attempted
the thing by poison. The poison failed: for Agrippina, anticipating tricks
of this kind, had armed her constitution against them, like Mithridates;