Situation of Agrippina.--Her state of mind.--Nero's views in respect to his mother.--Plans and measures adopted by Agrippina.--Nero establishes his mother as a private lady.--Agrippina finds herself forsaken and friendless.--A plot discovered.--Statement of Paris.--Nero is greatly alarmed.--A council called.--Burrus defends Agrippina.--Agrippina's indignant answer to the charge.--Return of the commissioners to Nero.--Nero is convinced of his mother's innocence.--Nero's course of life.--Riots in the street.--Agrippina lives in seclusion.--Poppæa.--Her influence over Nero.--Her taunts and reproaches.--Effect of them on Nero's mind.--Nero begins to desire the death of his mother.--Great naval celebration at Misenum.--Anicetus.--Proposal of Anicetus.--Nero is pleased with it.--Arrangements for carrying it into effect.--Agrippina goes to Baiæ.--Preparations for destroying Agrippina.--Nero bids his mother an affectionate farewell.--Agrippina and her attendant on board the barge.--The result of the attempt.--Narrow escape of Agrippina.--Agrippina and Aceronia in the sea.--Agrippina escapes.--Her message to Nero.--Nero's alarm on bearing of his mother's escape.--Consultation with Seneca and Burrus.--Anicetus undertakes to finish his work.--Anicetus goes to Agrippina's villa.--Conversation.--Agrippina is murdered.--Nero is overwhelmed with remorse and horror.--He becomes more calm.--The dead body.--Burning of the body of Agrippina. However it may have been with others, Agrippina herself was not deceived by the false pretenses which Nero offered in explanation of his brother's death. She understood the case too well, and the event filled her mind with a tumult of conflicting emotions. Notwithstanding the terrible quarrels which had disturbed her intercourse with the emperor, he was still her son,--her first-born son,--and she loved him as such, even in the midst of the resentment and hostility which her disappointed ambition from time to time awakened in her mind. Her ambition was now more bitterly disappointed than ever. In the death of Britannicus the last link of her power over Nero seemed to be forever sundered. The hand by which he had fallen was still that of her son,--a son to whom she could not but cling with maternal affection, while she felt deeply wounded at what she considered his cruel ingratitude toward her, and vexed and maddened at finding herself so hopelessly circumvented in all her schemes.