Tacitus - Annals 14.4

Tacitus - Annals 14.4: The Invitation to Baiae

placuit sollertia , tempore etiam iuta , quando Quinquatruum festos dies apud Baias frequentabat . illuc matrem elicit , ferendas parentium iracundias et placandum animum dictitans quo rumorem reconciliationis efficeret acciperet que Agrippina facili feminarum credulitate ad gaudia . venientem dehinc obvius in litora ( nam Antio adventabat ) excepit manu et complexu ducit que Baulos . id villae nomen est quae promunturium Misenum inter et Baianum lacum flexo mari adluitur . stabat inter alias navis ornatior , tamquam id quoque honori matris daretur : quippe sueverat triremi et classiariorum remigio vehi . ac tum invitata ad epulas erat ut occultando facinori nox adhiberetur . satis constitit extitisse proditorem et Agrippinam auditis insidiis , an crederet ambiguam , gestamine sellae Baias pervectam . ibi blandimentum sublevavit metum : comiter excepta super que ipsum conlocata . iam pluribus sermonibus modo familiaritate iuvenili Nero et rursus adductus , quasi seria consociaret , tracto in longum convictu , prosequitur abeuntem , artius oculis et pectori haerens , sive explenda simulatione , seu periturae matris supremus aspectus quamvis ferum animum retinebat .

Section 14.4 Translation: Ingenuity was decided upon, which was also helped by time, since (Nero) was visiting the festival of the Quinquatrus at Baiae. He enticed his mother there, repeatedly saying that the angry feelings of parents had to be put up with and any hostile feeling should be appeased, so that he might create a (false) report of reconciliation and Agrippina might receive it, since women readily believe in joyful events. Then as she came onto the shores (for she was coming from Antium), he met her, welcomed her with his hand and an embrace and escorted her to Bauli. That is the name of the villa which (lying) between Cape Misenum and the Baian lake, is washed by a bend in the sea. A more elaborate ship stood among the others, as if this, too, was to be given as an honour to his mother: for she had been accustomed to sail in a trireme and with oars pulled by marines. And then she had been invited to a banquet, so that darkness could be used to hide the crime. It was sufficiently well-known that an informer appeared, and when Agrippina heard of the plot, uncertain as to whether to believe it, was carried to Baiae by a sedan chair. There flattery alleviated her fear: she was graciously received and placed above (Nero) himself (at the table). Now with many conversations, now with youthful friendship, then again stern as if he was sharing serious topics, having dragged out the banquet for a long time, Nero escorted her as she departed, cleaving more closely to her eyes and her breast, whether because he was bolstering up his pretence or the last sight of his doomed mother repressed his feelings, however savage they were.

Passage Analysis

What Happens

The murder plan moves into action. Nero exploits the Quinquatrus festival at Baiae (a five-day celebration of Minerva) as cover for inviting Agrippina. He repeatedly claims he wants reconciliation, playing on what Tacitus calls women's readiness to believe good news. When Agrippina arrives from Antium, Nero meets her at the shore with hand and embrace—physical gestures of filial affection masking matricidal intent. The special ship stands ready, more ornate than usual, presented as honour but designed for death. Despite a warning from an informer, Agrippina comes by sedan chair, choosing land over sea for the journey. At the banquet, she's seated above Nero—the place of highest honour. Nero performs brilliantly, alternating between youthful warmth and serious consultation, extending the dinner to maximise darkness for the crime. The final embrace is ambiguous: calculated performance or genuine last-moment emotion?

Key Themes & Ideas

Performance and Deception: Every gesture is theatrical—the embrace, the seating arrangement, the conversational variety all constitute elaborate performance.
Gender Stereotypes: Tacitus's comment about "women's easy credulity for joys" reveals Roman misogyny whilst explaining Agrippina's vulnerability.
Warning Ignored: The informer's alert shows Agrippina had intelligence networks but chose to disbelieve or risk attendance anyway.
Temporal Manipulation: Using festival timing, extending the banquet, waiting for darkness—time itself becomes a weapon.
Physical Intimacy: The progression from hand to embrace to clinging shows escalating physical contact as psychological manipulation.
Ambiguous Emotion: Tacitus refuses to determine whether Nero's final clinging is performance or genuine feeling—even monsters might hesitate.

Tacitean Technique

Geographic Precision: Exact locations (Baiae, Bauli, Misenum, Antium) create documentary realism whilst building the trap's geography.
Variatio in Conversation: "Modo...rursus" structure shows Nero's varied performance—informal then formal, creating disorientation.
Parenthetical Information: "(nam Antio adventabat)" provides crucial journey details in aside, maintaining narrative flow.
Alternative Explanations: "Sive...seu" construction presents dual possibilities for Nero's behaviour, refusing simple interpretation.
Euphemistic Language: Murder becomes "ingenium" (cleverness), death is being "peritura" (about to perish).
Symbolic Geography: The journey from Antium to Baiae to sea represents movement from safety to danger to death.

Historical Context

The Quinquatrus (March 19-23) was Minerva's festival, celebrated with gladiatorial games and theatrical performances—perfect cover for murder. Baiae was Rome's premier resort, where the elite had luxury villas; its reputation for hedonism made suspicious deaths plausible. The geography is precise: Bauli was between Cape Misenum (where the fleet was based) and Lake Baianus, connected to the sea. Sedan chairs (lectica) were standard elite transport, carried by slaves—Agrippina's choice suggests caution about the sea route. The seating arrangement at dinner was crucial: being placed above the host was the highest honour, making the betrayal more shocking. Naval protocol matters: Agrippina normally used a trireme with military rowers, befitting an empress; the "more ornate" ship would seem an upgrade. The detail about the informer suggests palace intelligence networks were active but unreliable.

Questions to Consider

Why does Tacitus include the sexist comment about women's credulity—what does this reveal about Roman attitudes and narrative blame?
What is the significance of Agrippina choosing land transport despite the naval honour offered?
How does Nero's varied conversational performance (youthful, then serious) work as manipulation?
Why does Tacitus leave Nero's final emotion ambiguous—what effect does this uncertainty create?
How does the geographic progression (Antium → shore → Bauli → ship) build dramatic tension?
What does the detail about "cleaving to eyes and breast" suggest about the nature of their embrace?