Tacitus paragraphs 10-18 summary

paragraph 10

So Nero started off quite well, seemed very sane and stable, was making reasonable decisions, like refusing offers made to construct gold statues of him, or to move the start of the year to December, his birth month. He also didn’t allow bonkers prosecutions to be realised in court, which was what he said he would do before he became emperor, all looking good!

paragraph 11

When Antistius was like ‘I’m gonna swear allegiance to you specifically’ Nero was like no babe swear allegiance to the empire, very demure, very mindful. He also allow Lateranus to be restored to his former position in the senate, who had been demoted on account of adultery, which was very nice of him, but might also foreshadow his later depravity (condoning adultery?). Seneca is still writing his speeches, but in fairness to him, he is literally 14.

paragraph 12

Agrippina’s authority over Nero is weakening, since he’s found new interest in a freedwoman called Acte, and some new friends (Otho and Senecio), whose confidence he keeps even though Agrippina does not like them. They also don’t disapprove of the affair with Acte, with whom he is cheating on his sister. His wife. Sister-wife. Even though she is of (his same) high descent, and should his affair become public public knowledge, shame would be brought upon Octavia.

paragraph 13

Agrippina still doesn’t like Acte. Seneca doesn’t approve either, but instead of trying to get them to break up, he sets up his friend Serenus to fake-date Acte to explain where she’s getting all her presents from, should anyone ask. Agrippina is grappling for Nero’s protection, and control over the emperor, and so decides to change tactics by flattering him, offering him the privacy of her bedroom for his affair (ew) and some money. Nero’s friends told him to watch that, because his mum is usually ruthless, but not always a liar. Nero gives Agrippina gifts, and she is not very grateful, declaring that anything he can give her is already hers, since all he has earnt has been only thanks to her.

paragraph 14

In reaction, Nero sends away Pallas, an associate of Agrippina, and said that she couldn’t ask any questions about why he was sent away, or where he had gone. Agrippina reacts super rationally by reminding Nero that Britannicus (his brother(?)) was now of age, and has more right to the imperial throne than Nero, and that she herself has previously been seen to go to great lengths to ensure her proximity to those in power. She slags off Burrus and Seneca, Nero’s advisors, and reminds him about the people she had killed to ensure he would be emperor.

paragraph 15

This perturbs Nero, so he plots to have Britannicus killed after he tries to have him humiliated at Saturnalia by making him sing a silly song, but Britannicus only wins sympathy of the crowd by undermining Nero’s own claim to the throne. This solidifies Nero’s hatred of him, so, since he can’t have him arrested, he commissions Pollio to have him poisoned. The first dose doesn’t work (he shits it out), so Nero threatens to have the poisoner killed because the delay is making him anxious (poor baby).

paragraph 16

At the kids’ table one night, Britannicus is served a drink that is too hot, and requests cold water to put added to cool it down, the water having been spiked with poison to ensure that Britannicus’ taster would not alert anyone to the poison. He instantly chokes, and everyone either starts to run away, or look to Nero for explanation, who just shrugs and blames it on epilepsy. Dinner resumes with Britannicus’ dead body at the table. This episode disturbs Agrippina, who suddenly realises that her son is now capable of murder.

paragraph 17

Very conveniently, a pyre was set up and ready for Britannicus’ funeral, where it starts chucking it down, which the crowd believes to be an omen of anger from the gods, who do not approve of fratricide, even though the Romans are cool with it. Allegedly, Nero asked to have sex with Britannicus in the days leading up to his death, so he was probably better off dead than having to deal with that, although he didn’t get to say goodbye to his sister. People also thought that such a quick and low-key funeral was weird, which Nero justifies by saying that it’s tradition to have quiet funeral rites when people die young, which is not true. He draws attention away from this deceit by promising that now his brother is dead, his sole focus will be on the state, and he should be cherished by his people as the last survivor of a great family.

paragraph 18

Nero was suddenly really generous, which was weird. Agrippina set out to turn Octavia against him, and was often meeting her friends and saving money for a rainy day. She was also looking for new friends in high places, all of which Nero noted, and reacted to by withdrawing her bodyguard to leave her unprotected, and moved her out of his house, visiting with a crowd of bodyguards (ouch), and leaving with a quick kiss. slay.