Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-11-12
The Last Moments of Nero.

When Nero learned that he had master
in Galba, he upset the table at which he was
seated, feasting, dashed to pieces his two most
favorite crystal glasses called for box OF
poison, which he was afraid to use, and then
rushed into the Servlan garden, to think up
on what he should do next There or within
his sleeping room, he passed a most miserable
night ; and when, at daybreak, he found that
his guards had not only deserted him, but had
carried off the little gold box containing the
poison, and even the very covering of his bed,
he ran headlong down to the Fiber, where he
stopped short on the bank, and slowly walked
back again. 1t was then, barefooted and half
dressed as he was, that he was encountered by
the faithful Phaon. who flung a cloak over his
shoulders, tied an old handkerchief about his
head hoisted the bewildered wretch on to a
horse, and rode away towards country honse
four miles off In danger of discovery, the fu-
gitive party abandoned their horses. scrambled
through tbckets, brakes, bye paths and bram-
bles, and at length reached the neighborhood
of the desired asylum. The tender feet of the
Emperor were manglcd and bloody. despite
the care which had been shown by his friend
to spread his cloak on the ground for the eX-
Emperor to tread upon. Phaon asked him to
conceal himself for while in a graveIpit {;
but Nero declared that it looked too much
like grave and he was determined not to be
buried alive. lie sat down under wall, pick
ed the burrs and brambles from his dress, drank
from the hollow of his hand a few drops of
water, and sighed over the thought of the
draughts he used TO imbibe of boiled water
made cool again in snow. lie was at length
got into the house, where he turned away in
disgust from the piece Of brown bread which
was offered him-his last banquet drank
again little lukcwarm water, flung himself
on an old flock bed, and cursed his destiny
They who surrounded him counseled him to
make an end quickly and thereupon he had
a grave made before him to his exact measure.
He ordered sundry preparations to be made
for his funeral, commanded water for the wash
ing of his body, wood for the pile, expressed a
hope that they who survived him would allow
his head to remain on his body, and he then
burst into an agony of tears at the thought, as
he said of what clever fellow the world was
about to lose "Quaiis artifer pcrco p was
his exclamation. 1t was not his only one He
cited lines from various Greek and Latin au-
thorS as applicable to his situation and when
reproached for dallying SO long before he put
himself to death, very appostely and natural
ly inquired if any one present was willing to
show him the way by setting him the example.
He then made few more pedantic quotations,
and finally. with trembling hands, put the dag
ger to his throat He would have held it there
long enough had it not been for Epaphroditns,
who graSped his hands and forced it into his
throat. The terror Of the ex-nonarch was fix
ed on his features after death. But even he
had friends five thousand crowns were ex-
pended on his funeral pile, on which his body
was laid in a splendid silk coveriet. A couple
of his old nurses collected his ashes and an I'M
perial concubine accompanied them in the pi-
GUS task of solemnly deposting the remains in
the tomb of the Domiti. For years after low
ing hands hung garlands on his tomb and
surely Nero could not have won this tribute
of sympathy, spontaneously y made, had he not
had some touch Of virtue in him, which saved
him from ranking beneath humanity.