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170 DAKKNESS AND DAWN
CHAPTER XXII
BRITANNICUS AND HIS SONG
'
Even then
The princely blood flows in his cheek, he sweats,
Strains his young nerves, and puts himself in posture.'
SHAKESPEARE, Cymbeline,
iii. 3.
NERO was chary of showing his bruised face. He daily
smeared it with the juice of an herb called tliapsia from the
island of Thapsos where it was found, and with a mixture of
wax and frankincense, but it retained for some days the marks
of the buffet which he had received from the arm of Pudens.
From Octavia he did not care to conceal either that or any
other disgrace. He had reduced his unhappy girl-bride to
such a condition that she dared ask him no question.
From Agrippina he would gladly have concealed it, but he
had been unable as yet to break the habit of paying her a
daily visit. Intensely miserable was that visit to them both,
and, except when Nero chose to bring his friends and attendants
with him, the salutations often ended with the stormiest
scenes.
did on this occasion.
They
The Augusta at once noticed the bruise on Nero's cheek,
and she was perfectly aware of the cause of it ;
for she had
not sunk so completely out of the old habits of power as not
to have spies in her pay who kept her well informed of the
Emperor's proceedings.
Supremely wretched, but even in her wretchedness agitated
by the furies of pride and passion, she had scarcely received
his cold kiss when she began to taunt her son.
'
'
Caesar looks gallantly to-day,' she said ;
for all the world
like some clumsy gladiator who has been hit while practising
with wooden foils.'
Nero maintained a sulky silence.