The Empire. R 0 
the people bore all these levities, which they ascribed to the 
emperor’s youth, with patience, having occasion every day 
to experience his liberality, and having also been gratified by 
the abolition of many of their taxes. The provinces also 
were no way affected by these riots; for except disturbances 
bn the side of the Parthians, which were soon suppressed, 
they enjoyed the most perfect tranquillity. 
But those sensualities, which, for the first four years of his 
reign, produced but few disorders, in the fifth became alarm¬ 
ing. He publicly abandoned Octavia, his present wife, and 
took possession of Poppea, the wife of his favourite Otho, a 
licentious woman. She began her arts by urging him to di¬ 
vorce his present wife, and marry herself: she reproached him 
asa pupil!, who wanted not only power over others, but liberty 
to direct himself. She insinuated the dangerous designs of 
Agrippina; and, by degrees, worked on him to contemplate 
matricide without horror. His cruelties against his mother 
began rather by various circumstances of petty malice than 
By any downright injury. He encouraged several persons 
to tease her with litigious suits; and employed some of the 
meanest of the people to sing satirical songs under her win¬ 
dows: but, at last, he resolved on putting her to death. His 
first attempt was by poison; but this failing, a ship was 
contrived in so artificial a manner as to fall to pieces in the 
water; onboard of which she was invited to sail to the 
coasts of Calabria. However, this plot was as ineffectual as 
the former. He therefore caused a report to be spread, that 
she had conspired against him, and that a poniard was 
dropped at his feet by one who pretended a command from 
Agrippina to assassinate him. In consequence of this, he 
applied to his governors Seneca and Burrhus, for their advice 
how to act, and their assistance in ridding him of his 
fears. Seneca kept a profound silence; but Burrhus, with 
more resolution, refused to be perpetrator of so great a crime; 
alleging, that the army was entirely devoted to all the 
descendants of Caesar, and would never be brought to im¬ 
brue their hands in the blood of any of his family. In this 
embarrassment, Anicetus, the contriver of the ship above- 
mentioned, offered his services, which Nero accepted, with 
the greatest joy, crying out, “ That then was the first mo¬ 
ment he ever found himself an emperor.” This freedman, 
therefore, taking with him a body of soldiers, surrounded 
the house of Agrippina, and then forced open the doors. 
The executioners having dispatched her with several wounds, 
left her dead on the couch, and went to inform Nero of 
what they had done. Some historians say, that Nero came 
immediately to view the body ; that he continued to gaze 
upon it with pleasure, and ended his horrid survey, by 
coolly observing, that he never thought his mother had been 
so handsome.—However this be, he vindicated his conduct 
next day to the senate; who not only excused, but applauded 
his impiety. 
Nero now gave a loose to his appetites, that were not 
only sordid but inhuman. There seemed an odd contrast in 
his disposition; for while he practised cruelties which made 
mankind shudder with horror, he was fond of those amusing 
arts, music and poetry. But chariot-driving was his favourite 
pursuit. He never missed the circus, when chariot-races 
were to be exhibited there; till at last, he inclosed a space of 
ground in the valley of the Vatican, where he first exhibited 
only to some chosen spectators, but shortly after invited the 
whole town. The praises of his flattering subjects only 
stimulated him still more to these unbecoming pursuits; so 
that he now resolved to assume a new character, and to 
appear as a singer upon the stage. 
His passion for music, as was observed, was no less natural 
to him than the former, but as it was less manly, so he 
endeavoured to defend it by the example of some of the most 
celebrated men, who practised it with the same fondness. 
He had been instructed in the principles of this aft from his 
childhood ; and upon his advancement to the empire, he'had 
put himself under the most celebrated masters. He patiently 
submitted to their instructions, and used all those methods 
which singers practise, either to mend the voice, or improve 
Vol. XXII. No. 1500. 
M E. The Empire. 269 
its volubility. Yet, notwithstanding all his assiduity, his 
voice was but a wretched one, being both feeble and un¬ 
pleasant. However, he was resolved to produce it to the 
public, such as it was;' for flattery, he knew, would supply 
every deficiency. His first public appearance was at games of 
his own institution, called juveniles; where he advanced upon 
the stage, tuning his instrument to his voice with great ap¬ 
pearance of skill. A group of tribunes and centurions at¬ 
tended behind him; while his old governor Burrhus stood 
by his pupil, with indignation in his countenance, and 
praises on his lips. 
He was desirous also of becoming a poet. For this pur¬ 
pose, he got together several persons, who were considered 
as great wits at court, and who attended him with verses, 
and the whole of their compositions being tacked together, 
by his direction, was called a poem. 
He was at length resolved to make the tour of his empire, 
and give the most public display of his abilities wherever 
he came. The place of his first exhibition, upon leaving 
Rome, was Naples. His flatterers say that the crowds were 
so great, and the curiosity of the people so earnest in hearing 
him, that they did not perceive an earthquake that happened 
while he was singing. His desire of gaining the superiority 
over the other actors was truly ridiculous: he made interest 
with his judges, reviled his competitors, and formed private 
factions to support him. While he continued to perform, 
no man was permitted to depart from the theatre, upon any 
pretence whatsoever. An old senator, named Vespasian, 
afterwards emperor, happening to fall asleep upon one of 
these occasions, very narrowly escaped with his life. 
After being fatigued with the praises of his countrymen, 
Nero resolved upon going over into Greece, to receive new 
theatrical honours. At the Olympic games he drove a cha¬ 
riot with 10 horses; but being unable to sustain the violence 
of the motion, he was driven from his seat. The spectators, 
however, gave their unanimous applause,and he was crowned 
as conqueror. In this manner he obtained the prize at the 
Isthmian, Pythian, and Nemean games. The Greeks were 
not sparing of their crowns; he obtained 1800 of them. An 
unfortunate singer happened to oppose him on one of these 
occasions, and exerted all the powers of his art, which, it 
appears, were prodigious. But he seems to have been a 
better singer than a politician; for Nero ordered him to be 
killed on the spot. These absurdities were for a time checked 
by a tremendous conflagration which broke out in Rome, 
during the emperor’s absence, and destroyed nearly all the city, 
with its stately palaces, porticoes and temples, and, what was 
of far greater importance, many of the paintings, sculptures 
and writings of Greece. 
Nero on this occasion seemed to have lost that barbarity 
which has been so pertinaciously attributed to him : he laid 
open for the distressed poor the field of Mars, and all the 
great edifices erected by Agrippa, and even his own gardens. 
He likewise caused tabernacles to be reared in haste for the 
reception of the forlorn populace; from Ostia, too, and the 
neighbouring cities, were brought, by his orders, all sorts of 
furniture and necessaries, and the price of corn was consi¬ 
derably lessened. But these bounties, however generous 
and popular, were bestowed in vain, because a report was 
spread abroad, that, during the time of this general conflagra¬ 
tion, he mounted his domestic stage, and sung the destruction 
of Troy, comparing the present desolation to the celebrated 
calamities of antiquity; and a second conflagration breaking 
out in certain buildings belonging to Tigellinus, they were 
both ascribed to Nero ; and it was conjectured, that, by 
destroying the old city, he aimed at the glory of building a 
new one, and calling it by his name. Of file fourteen quarters 
into which Rome was divided, four remained entire, three 
were laid in ashes, and, in the seven others, there remained 
here and there a few houses, miserably shattered, and half 
consumed. Among the many ancient and stately edifices 
which the rage of the flames utterly consumed, Tacitus 
reckons the temple dedicated by Servius Tullius; the temple 
and great altar consecrated by Evander to Hercules; the 
3 Z chapel 
