When tidings were brought back to Narcissus that his commands had been obeyed, he went again to the presence of Claudius, and reported to him simply that Messalina was no more. He made no explanations, and the emperor asked for none; but went on with his supper as if nothing had occurred, and never afterward expressed any curiosity or interest in respect to Messalina's fate. As soon as the excitement produced by these transactions had in some degree subsided, various plans and intrigues were commenced for providing the emperor with another wife. There were many competitors for the station, all of whom were eager to occupy it; for, though Claudius was old, imbecile, and ugly, still he was the emperor; and all those ladies of his court who thought that they had any prospect of success, aspired to the possession of his hand, as the summit of earthly ambition. Among the rest, Agrippina appeared. She was Claudius's niece. This relationship was in one respect a bar to her success, since the laws prohibited marriage within that degree of consanguinity. In another respect, however, the relationship was greatly in Agrippina's favor, for under the plea of it she had constant access to the emperor, and was extremely assiduous in her attentions to him. She succeeded, at length, in inspiring him with some sentiment of love, and he determined to make her his wife. The Senate were easily induced to alter the laws in order to enable him to do this, and Claudius and Agrippina were married. Claudius not only thus made the mother of our hero his wife, but he adopted her son as his son and heir--changing, at the same time, the name of the boy. In place of his former plebeian appellation of Ahenobarbus, he gave him now the imposing title of Nero Claudius Cæsar Drusus Germanicus. He has since generally been known in history, however, by the simple prenomen, Nero. CHAPTER V. THE CHILDHOOD OF NERO. A.D. 39-53 Early history of Nero.--Character of his father.--Brutal character of Brazenbeard.--Nero neglected.--Nero reappears at court.--Britannicus.--The secular or centennial games.--Mode of celebrating them.--Nero and Britannicus.--Nero applauded.--The story of the serpents.--Advancement of Nero after the death of Messalina.--Agrippina's treatment of Britannicus.--Nero assumes the toga.--Britannicus secluded.--Agrippina's treatment of the two boys.--Britannicus offends Nero.--Agrippina's anger.--The Fucine lake.--Plan for draining it.--The canal.--Grand celebration at the opening of the canal.--Naval conflict to take place on the lake.--End of the naval battle.--The water will not flow.--Deepening the canal.--New celebrations.--Influences under which Nero's character was formed.--Agrippina's plan in respect to Octavia.--Tragical end of Silanus.--Marriage of Nero.