a major power broker. the beginning of a growing conflict between nero and his mother and her piano is traced to a particular event nero fell in love. active was a freed slave who belonged to the retinue of his wife octavia. born in greece act it was the beautiful daughter of syrian parents and offered nero respite from his loveless arranged marriage. according to tacitus and cassius dio a woman named look costa brewed the best poisons in rome. she's alleged to have supplied the. poison for claudius is murder amid ubiquitous ambition and political intrigue poison was often employed as