After attempting to get her drowned
at sea, he ordered her to be put to death in her palace; and coming to
gaze upon the dead body, was heard to say, that he had never thought
his mother so handsome a woman.
The manner of his attempt to drown her was extremely singular. He
caused a vessel to be constructed that, by withdrawing some bolts,
would separate in the open sea, and thus give her death the appearance
of a shipwreck. Agrippi'na, naturally suspicious, at first refused to
go on board; but, lulled into security by the artful blandishments of
her son, she embarked. The attempt was made; but Agrippi'na was taken
up by some fisher-boats, and conveyed to her own villa. The very great
calmness of the sea prevented the possibility of its being
considered as an accident. Agrippi'na, however, dissembled her
suspicions, and informed the emperor of her wonderful escape. Three
years after the death of his mother, he murdered his tutor Burrhus,
and also his wife Octavia, a young princess of admirable virtue and
beauty that he might marry the infamous Poppae'a.
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