and daily took potent antidotes and prophylactics. Or else (which is more
probable) the emperor's agent in such purposes, fearing his sudden
repentance and remorse on first hearing of his mother's death, or possibly
even witnessing her agonies, had composed a poison of inferior strength.
This had certainly occurred in the case of Britannicus, who had thrown off
with ease the first dose administered to him by Nero. Upon which he had
summoned to his presence the woman employed in the affair, and compelling
her by threats to mingle a more powerful potion in his own presence, had
tried it successively upon different animals, until he was satisfied with
its effects; after which, immediately inviting Britannicus to a banquet,
he had finally dispatched him. On Agrippina, however, no changes in the
poison, whether of kind or strength, had any effect; so that, after
various trials, this mode of murder was abandoned, and the emperor
addressed himself to other plans. The first of these was some curious
mechanical device, by which a false ceiling was to have been suspended by
bolts above her bed; and in the middle of the night, the bolt being
suddenly drawn, a vast weight would have descended with a ruinous
destruction to all below. This scheme, however, taking air from the
indiscretion of some amongst the accomplices, reached the ears of
Agrippina; upon which the old lady looked about her too sharply to leave
much hope in that scheme: so _that_ also was abandoned. Next, he
conceived the idea of an artificial ship, which, at the touch of a few
springs, might fall to pieces in deep water. Such a ship was prepared, and
stationed at a suitable point. But the main difficulty remained, which was
to persuade the old lady to go on board. Not that she knew in this case
_who_ had been the ship-builder, for that would have ruined all; but
it seems that she took it ill to be hunted in this murderous spirit, and
was out of humor with her son; besides, that any proposal coming from him,
though previously indifferent to her, would have instantly become
suspected. To meet this difficulty, a sort of reconciliation was proposed,