Evidence abounds for the death of this golden haired Apollo- definitely Antioch, definitely dead, doubtfully poison. Graves follows Dio, who claims that marks on the body seen when it was displayed in the agora were proof of poisoning. Tacitus, while not dispelling the poison theory, claims no marks were evident. Suetonius presents the poisoning as a common belief, not really stating it as fact. Pulman follows Graves.

Pulman, however, shortchanges us by opening the episode with an already dead Germanicus. Graves draws out the deathbed scene with a blow by blow description of Germanicus' last days, complete with horrors catalogued, hate mail to Piso sent and vengeance oaths sworn.

Tacitus, after mentioning Germanicus' sudden illness and its suspected causes, focuses attention on his obsession with Piso and the efforts of his friends/staff. Tacitus cannot resist the opportunity to dramatize the exitus of his favorite Julio-Claudian, providing a set of rousing deathbed oratories. In the first one, the dying man charges his friends with orders which include: how to bring charges against Piso, suggested trial venue, prosecution tips for gaining sympathy (parading his soon-to-be widow & fatherless children), and in his best Bob Dole "Tears for Germanicus even strangers will shed; vengeance must come from you." The second speech, indirectly reported, is even more interesting: Germanicus advises Agrippina (in front of everybody) to behave herself by reining in her imperious tendencies. He expressly begs her in the name of their children and his memory to avoid stoking a political rivalry with those more powerful. Curiously Graves omits this speech. Pulman removes it one step further by having a wailing Agrippina lob politically incendiary comments aimed at Tiberius & Co. over the corpse of her dead husband.

Perhaps death can be seen as a blessing in disguise for Germanicus- he's spared the rest of Agrippina's aggravating performance.