# Anicetus — Poetry character guide

> Anicetus in Poetry by Thomas Gray.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0011-agrippina

## Snapshot

Nero's loyal advisor, a man whose usefulness lies in his willingness to do what the emperor cannot ask aloud.

## Who they are

Anicetus serves at the edge of the court, close enough to Nero to be trusted with the ugliest tasks. His defining quality is a loyalty that does not flinch, which makes him both valuable and quietly terrifying to those who know what he has done. He matters because he embodies the machinery of imperial violence that the play's central relationships depend on.

## Relationships

### [Agrippina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters/agrippina)

_rivalry_

Agrippina and Anicetus are adversaries, as Anicetus is instrumental in carrying out Nero's and Poppaea's plots to undermine and eventually murder Agrippina.

### [Nero](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters/nero)

_professional_

Anicetus is a loyal servant and enforcer for Nero, carrying out his most ruthless orders, including the murder of Agrippina.

### [Seneca](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters/seneca)

_professional_

Anicetus and Seneca are both advisors to Nero, but their roles conflict as Seneca represents philosophy and Anicetus represents ruthless action.

### [Agrippina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters/agrippina)

_rivalry_

Agrippina and Anicetus are adversaries, as Anicetus is instrumental in carrying out Nero's and Poppaea's plots to undermine and eventually murder Agrippina.

## In the story

### [Agrippina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/chapters/agrippina)

Captain of the Guards, who betrays Otho by introducing Nero to Poppaea and conspires to kill Agrippina.

### [Dramatis Personae](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/chapters/dramatis-personae)

Captain of the Guards

### [The Argument](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/chapters/the-argument)

Delivers Nero's orders to Agrippina, betrays Otho by arranging Nero's sight of Poppaea, plots with Poppaea to ruin Agrippina, contrives the shipwreck and later leads the guard to murder Agrippina.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/chapters/scene-i)

Mentioned as the messenger who delivers Nero's orders to Agrippina.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters/anicetus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_23_se/characters