“Is that fault to be charged against the Julian family?” asked Agrippina.
“Nay,” he replied, vexed at her self-control. Then he added: “The funeral of Drusus will take place two days hence. ’Twill be a gorgeous display. All the effigies of the Julian and Claudian families will be borne in the procession.”
“The effigies of the Julian family are to be carried!” exclaimed Agrippina. “But he had not blood of that family in his veins!”
“Ay; effigies that were forbidden at the funeral of the noble Germanicus are to be borne at the funeral of Drusus,” he declared, rejoicing that he had at last moved her.
“Are those the orders of the emperor?” she asked.
“Ay, O Agrippina,” he replied.
“Then must we be content,” she most diplomatically responded.
“Art thou not enraged to see these symbols so dishonored?” he insisted.
“Nay; the Roman people must be the judges of this act. The lips of Agrippina are sealed.”
“But the thoughts of Agrippina?”