Nero (38-40)

He spared, moreover, neither the people of Rome, nor the capital of the country. Somebody in conversation saying

ἐμοῦ θανόντοσ γαῖα μιχθήτω

When I am dead let fire devour the world.

To these terrible and shameful calamities brought upon the people by their prince, were added some proceeding from misfortune. Such were a pestilence, by which, within the space of one autumn, there died no less than thirty thousand persons, as appeared from the registers in the temple of Libitina: a great disaster in Britain, [*] where two of the principal towns belonging to the Romans were plundered; and a dreadful havoc made both amongst our troops and allies; a shameful discomfiture of the army of the East; where, in Armenia, the legions were obliged to pass under the yoke, and it was with great difficulty that Syria was retained. Amidst all these disasters, it was strange, and, indeed, particularly remarkable, that he bore nothing more patiently than the scurrilous language and railing abuse which was in every one's mouth; treating no class of persons with more gentleness, than those who assailed him with invective and lampoons. Many things of that kind were posted up about the city, or otherwise published, both in Greek and Latin: such as these,

Νέρων Ὀρέστης,

Νεόνυμφον, Νέρων, ἰδίαν μήτερ' ἀπέκτεινεν.

Orestes and Alcmaon—Nero too,

The lustful Nero, worst of all the crew,

Fresh from his bridal—their own mothers slew.

Quis neget Aeneae magna de stirpe Neronem?

Sustulit hic matrem: sustulit[*] ille patrem.

Sprung from Aeneas, pious, wise and great,

Who says that Nero is degenerate?

Safe through the flames, one bore his sire; the other,

To save himself, took off his loving mother.

Dum tendit citharam noster, dum cornua Parthus,

Noster erit Peean, ille ἑκατηβελέτησ

His lyre to harmony our Nero strings;

His arrows o'er the plain the Parthiah wings:

Ours call the tuneful Paean, famed in war,

The other Phoebus name, the god who shoots afar.[*]

Roma domus fiet: Vejos migrate, Quirites,

Si non et Vejos occupat ista domus.

All Rome will be one house: to Veii fly,

Should it not stretch to Veii, by and by.[*]

The world, after tolerating such an emperor for little less than fourteen years, at length forsook him; the Gauls, headed by Julius Vindex, who at that time governed the province as pro-praetor, being the first to revolt. Nero had been formerly told by astrologers, that it would be his fortune to be at last deserted by all the world; and this occasioned that celebrated saying of his, "An artist can live in any country;" by which he meant to offer as an excuse for his practice of music, that it was not only his amusement as a prince, but might be his support when reduced to a private station. Yet some of the astrologers promised him, in his forlorn state, the rule of the East, and in express words the kingdom of Jerusalem. But the greater part of them flattered him with assurances o fhis being restored to his former fortune. And being most incluined to believe the latter prediction, upon losing Britain and Armenia, he imagined he had run through all his misfortunes which the fates had decreed him. But when, upon consulting the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, he was advised to beware of the seventy-third year, as if he were not to die till then, never thinking of Galba's age, he conceived such hopes, not only of living to advanced years, but of constant and singular good fortune, that having lost some things of great value by shipwreck, he scrupled not to say amongst his friends, that "the fishes would bring them back to him." At Naples he heard of the insurrection in Gaul, on the anniversary of the day on which he killed his mother, and bore it with so much unconcern, as to excite a suspicion that he was really glad of it, since he had now a fair opportunity of plundering those wealthy provinces by the right of war. Immediately going to the gymnasium, he witnessed the exercise of the wrestlers, with the greatest delight. Being interrupted at supper with letters which brought yet worse news, he expressed no greater resentment, than only to threaten the rebels. For eight days together, he never attempted to answer any letters, nor give any orders, but buried the whole affair in profound silence.