without marriage, for the law did not sanction the union of uncle and niece; the senate, however, abolished the law, to please the guilty pair, and Claudius became the slave and, at last, the victim of one of the most imperious and base of the female sex.

To procure the crown for her son was the great and ex clusive object to which Agrippina sacrificed every other. The first step which visibly showed this, was her successful manoeuvring to induce the senate to implore Claudius to betroth his daughter Octavia to her son, by which he was raised nearly to an equality in rank with the emperor's own son and legitimate heir, Britannicus. She next proceeded to remove out of the way every female whom she apprehended might rival her in the affections of the emperor; and, in effecting this, she hesitated not the murder of the objects of her suspicions or fear. After this, by the agency of Pallas, Claudius was prevailed on to adopt, as his son and heir, her son, instead of Britannicus, on the plausible pretence that the former was three years older than the latter. This adoption was highly approved by the senate, and the young prince received the name Nero Claudius Cesar Drusus Germanicus. Britannicus was from this time, although nine years of age, confined to the nursery, and excluded from all society, except those who complied with all the wishes of Agrippina, while this subtile woman employed every artifice to fix the eyes of the public on her own son. Accordingly, she persuaded the emperor to present Nero, in his fourteenth year, with the robe of manhood, which intimated that he was qualified for the honours, offices, and employments of state. The senate, at the same time, decreed that he should be chosen consul in his twentieth year, and, in the mean time, invested him with proconsular authority, and styled him prince of the Roman youth. To honour him in the presence of the people, he was also introduced to the Circensian games, in a triumphal robe, the mark and ornament of the imperial state; and to attach the soldiers to him, they received a largess from the emperor. Britannicus was now not only neglected, but all the officers at court who were believed to pity or love him, were, under various pretences, removed or killed. The prætorian cohorts were commanded by two officers whom the empress believed devoted to the interests of her predecessor Messalina, the mother of Britannicus; to reconcile the emperor to their removal from office, Agrippina asserted that the fidelity of the troops would be more secured by being placed under

one commander. She knew that Burrhus Afranius would execute her counsels, and she easily procured for him the command of the troops, because he was universally esteemed by them.

Nero, in his sixteenth year, was married to Octavia, and appeared before the royal tribunal as an orator and advocate of the oppressed. At his intercession, the Ilians, as ancestors of the Romans, obtained an immunity from all tribute and taxes; the Rhodians were restored to their ancient liberty; and the Roman colony of Bononia, who had lately suffered much from a great fire, received a large grant of money. It now became common for the deputies of the provinces to apply to Nero to plead their cause before the emperor and senate, and they readily procured his efficient services. The licentious habits and violent measures pursued by Agrippina were at length so conspicuous that the simple Claudius perceived them, and was heard to lament, "that it was his fate to bear the iniquities of his wives, and at last to punish them." This saying soon reached the empress, and excited no pleasant thoughts; and she was still more alarmed when she learned that the emperor had showed to his despised son strong marks of love, and expressed his purpose to give him soon the manly robe, in order, he said, "that the Roman people may have, at last, a true Cesar." These incidents probably determined her to destroy her husband speedily, to prevent her own ruin and that of her son. Claudius in his sixtyfourth year, feeling indisposed, proposed to visit Simnessa, to enjoy its fine air and famed waters. While there, his infamous wife succeeded in poisoning him by the agency of his physician, Xenophon. The court assumed the appearance of astonishment at the suddenness of his death, and many means were used to recall life, on the supposition that he had merely fainted. This conduct was adopted by the murderess that she might have time to employ proper means to secure the empire for Nero; and, with this view, affecting inconsolable grief, and pretending to seek, on all hands, some allay to her sorrow, clasped Britannicus fast in her arms, styled him the true image of his father, and, by various devices, kept him in the chamber, and likewise his two sisters Octavia and Antonia. At the same time, she posted guards in all the avenues, shut up all the passages, and from time to time gave out that the prince was recovering. At last, when she had taken all possible precautions to prevent any disturbance, at noon the gates of the palace were unexpectedly thrown

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open; and Nero, accompanied by Burrhus, captain of the prætorian guards, walked forth to the cohort which was then upon duty. There, by the command of Burrhus, he was received with shouts of joy, and instantly put into a litter. Some, indeed, hesitated, frequently looking and asking where was Britannicus? but, as he was detained in the chamber of the deceased emperor, and no one appeared to propose him, they presently joined the others, and embraced the choice which was offered them. Thus Nero was caried to the camp, where, after a speech suitable to the exigency, and the promise of a largess equal to that of the late prince, he was saluted emperor. The declaration of the soldiers, was followed and confirmed by the decrees of the senate, which were, without reluctancy, accepted by the people, both at Rome and in the provinces. To Claudius was decreed a solemn and pompous funeral, the same as had been ordained to Augustus, Agrippina emulating the magnificence of her great grandmother Livia Augusta." Thus Nero attained the empire of the world, A. D. 54, in his seventeenth year.

CHAPTER III.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE TRIUMPHANT-CONTINUED.

1

THE mighty influence in early life of example and circum stances in the formation of the human character was, perhaps, never more clearly seen than in Nero, the Roman emperor. He must have conceived, for the first seventeen years of his life, that his mother lived and acted almost wholly for him; and he could not therefore fail to fix his eyes on her conduct. and regard her as the pattern most deserving his imitation. From her he was fully taught to consider happiness to consist in the uncontrolled gratification of every passion and appetite, and the possession of power and popular admiration. To procure these objects, Agrippina exerted all the energies of her vigorous mind, and applied the varied arts of deceit and malignity, the knowledge of which she had acquired by a long period of observation of the ways of men, and of intimacy with those of every rank who were most familiar with the practice of these destructive arts. She purchased, at any price, the agency of the most depraved to execute the schemes which she judged most suitable to destroy the power or life of all whom she envied, feared, or hated; and that she might the more readily command the services of such, the most unprincipled and profligate were her favourite associates. With what perseverance and fearful success her son trode in her paths, the records of his wretched reign afford large evidence. This, however, was far from her wishes; for, in proportion to the intensity of her ambition that Nero should ascend the throne, so was she solicitous that he should be acceptable to the Roman people; and this she well knew he could not be, unless he discovered virtues becoming the sovereign of the world. In order to this, she placed him under the tuition and direction of the able military commander, F. Burrhus, and the eminent philosopher Lucius Annæus Seneca. As these men owed their exaltation to Agrippina, and were. known for their integrity, she doubtless expected that they

would instruct the young prince to respect her counsels. On Seneca's gratitude she had especially strong claims. His family were more honoured for their talents than their rank. His father was a Roman knight, but apparently was one of a colony sent to Corduva, in Spain, where the philosopher was born. Marcus A. Seneca, the father, was a famous rhetorician, some of whose writings remain. His youngest son A. Shela Seneca, was the father of the celebrated poet Lucan, and the eldest was the wise and candid Gallio, proconsul of Achaia, who protected Paul from the vengeance of the Jews. The family removed to Rome, where the children received the best education. L. A. Seneca was instructed in the philosophy of Zeno by several admired stoics; and he was long one of the most enlightened and virtuous of the sect. His father urged him to apply himself to the bar, and aspire to public distinction; and he is said to have obtained successively the offices of quæstor, prætor, and consul. That he was admitted to court in the reign of Claudius is certain, for he was one of those accused of adultery with the princess Julia, and suffered exile with her. He lived in exile eight years, during which he wrote several of the works which have procured him the applause of posterity. Agrippina persuaded the emperor to recall him, that her son might be improved by his wisdom.

Burrhus and Seneca acted together harmoniously; the former taught Nero the duties of the supreme chief of the army; the latter instructed him how to conduct himself as the principal ruler, legislator, and judge of the empire. The tutors were highly esteemed by their royal pupil, and rose to the dignity of the first ministers of the state, which they governed for several years, with such consummate wisdom, that "the first five years of Nero's reign have been considered a perfect pattern of good government." Nero most liberally rewarded and honoured both his ministers. Burrhus amassed immense wealth; and Seneca was accounted still richer. "His houses and walks were the most magnificent in Rome. His villas were innumerable; and he had immense sums of money laid out at interest in almost every part of the world. Dion Cassius, the historian, reports him to have had £250,000 sterling at interest in Britain alone, and reckons his calling it in at once as one of the causes of a war with that nation."

While Burrhus secured the obedience of the army to Nero, Seneca recommended him to the esteem of the Romans, and both did much to promote the welfare of the provinces. Nero