The Shasta courier., 1867-11-16
NERO, EMPEROR OF ROME.
HIS LAST DAYS AND DEATH, A. d. 6S,

Nero, Emperor of Rome, by his vices had
forfeited all claim to respect. He had mur-
dered his mother and his brother, and caused
the death of the philosopher Seneca, his
guardian and tutor He had appeared as a
singer on the stage, and contended as a
herald or crier at Olympia. He set fire to
Rome, which was nearly destroyed, and
during the confagration mounted a lofty
tower, and with the music of the harp sang
his own poem on the fall of Troy. To free
himself from the charge of burning the city,
| he accused the Christians of the act. who
were prosecuted in the most cruel and inhu,
man manner This was the first persecution
of the Christians. The Senate had con-
demned him to suffer death according to the
rigor of ancient laws of the old Republic,
and being despised and detested by the pop
ulace. and deserted by the army, death or
an ignOmnious flight were the only alterna-
tive. The last and closing scene of his
prohigate life we copy from the ancient his
torian, "acitus, as follows:
Nero saw the sad reverse of his affairs
From his armies he could expect no support.
The troops on their march toward the Cas-
plan sea had been recalled, but long repose
was necessary to revive the spirits of men
The legions from Ilyricum returned with
alienated minds. Scorning to disguise their
sentiments they sent deputation to Vir-
ginius on the Upper Rhine, expressing
their ardent desire that he would Weld to
the request of the legions under his command,
and accept the imperial dignity. Eight
Batavian cohorts had shown a spirit of dis.
satisfaction, and the pr@toran guards were
tho ia, q T..
this desperate situation. Nero looked round
for assistance, but he looked in vain He
wandered through the apartments of his
palace, and all was solitude. He, who but
few days ago was the God of the Senate
and the people, was now in dread of being
their victim Conscience began to exercise
her rights. Her voice was heard Nero re.
viewed his crimes, and shuddered with hor.
ror and remorse. He repeated in despair
and anguish of heart line. which. when
personating Edipus, he had often declaimed
on the public stage: " My wife, my father
and nv mother doom me dead" OF all
his courtier fry. and all his instruments of
guilt, not one adhered to him in the hour of
distress, except Sporus, the ennuch Phaon,
an enfranchised slave and Epaphrodtus,
his secretary. lie gave orders to the soldiers
Oh duty to proceed with all expedition to
Ostia, and prepare ship that he might
embark for Egypt. The men were not
willing to obey. One of them asked him in
line from Virgil, 9 Is it then 50 wretched
thing to die ?' He went to the Sergiian
gardens, carrying with him a vial of swift
speeding poison, which had been prepared
by the well known Locusta; but his reso.
luton failed. lie returned to his chamber,
and threw himself on his bed. The agita.
tions Of his mind allowed no rest. lie start
ed up and called for some friendly hand to
end his wre.ched being. That office, no one
was willing to perform. and he himself want
ed fortitude. Driven to the last despair.
and frantic with rem0rse and fear. he cried
out in doleful accents. " Nv friends desert
me, and | cannot find an enemv.' He
rushed forth from his palace, as if with in
tent to throw himself into the Tiber. lie
changed his mind, and thought of flying into
the Tber. He changed his mind, and
thought of flying into Spain, there to sur
render at discretion to the mercy of Galba.
But no ship was ready at Osta. Various
projects presented themselves to his mind.
in quick succession, increasing the tumult of
his passions. and serving only to distract
him more. TO try his powers Of elnquence,
was another expedient that occurred him
For that purpose he proposed to 90 forth in
a mourning earb to the forum, and there,
by a pathetic speech, obtain his pardon from
the people Should their obdurate hearts
remain impenetrable to the soft influence of
persuasive oratory, and refuse to reinstate
the Emperor in the full enjoyment of his
prerogative, he bad no doubt but he could.
at the worst, wiring from them the Govern
ment of Egypt, where, in the character of
prefect, he might give free scope to his in.
ordinate passions. This project seemed to
promise success but ray of reflection
struck him with sudden horror. The popu-
lace without waiting to hear the divine
accents Of that harmonious voice, might
break out into open sedition, and in their
fury tear their prince limb from limb
What course could he pursue? Where
could he hide himself? He looked round in
wild despair, and asked his remaining COM
panions, g Is there no lurking place. no safe
recess, where | may have time to consider
what is to be done ?' Phaon, his freedman,
proposed to conduct him to an obscure villa
which he held in his possession, at a distance
Of about four miles from Rome.
Nero embraced the offer. There was no
time to be lost. He went forth in all his
wretchedness, without a shoe to his feet,
nothing on him but his close tunic, no out
side garment. and no imperial robe. In
order to disguise himself, he snatched an
old rusty cloak, and, throwing it over his
shoulders, covered his head, and held
handkerchief before his face. In that con.
diton be mounted his horse, submitting
with bastard spirit to an ignomnious flight.
without any attendance, except Phaon, the
Freeman, Epaphroditus, the secretary, and
Sporus. the eunuch, with another, whose
name Aurelius Victor says was Neophvtus.
In this manner Nero passed the last of his
nights. At the dawn of the day, the pra-
tor;an guards deserted their station at the
palace, and joined their comrades in the
camp. where, by the influence and direction
of Nymphidius, Galba was proclaimed
Emperor. The Senate met, and after a
shoot debate, confirmed the nomination of
the praetorian guards. The time was at
length arrived, when that assembly could
act with authority. They resolved 70 mark
the day by decree worthy of a Roman
Senate. With one voice they declared the
tyrant, who had trampled on all laws hu-
man and divine, a public enemy. and by
their sentence, condemned him to suffer
death, according to the rigor of ancient laws,
and the practice Of the old Republic
Nero, in the meantime, made the best Of
his way toward the frecdman's villa. He