The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-02-07
NERO AT THE BURNING OF ROME.


The following is picture of Nero's
enjoyment of the scene of the burning
of Rome:
For three days the fires had ragged,
and already large portion of the city
had failed. Temples, towers, monu-
mcnts, the relics of the past, the records
of old triumphs, had been destroyed,
along with the houses of the common
people. Far over the city. from its re-
motest bounds, up to that building
which lay between the Imperial Palace
and these gardens, the work of destruc-l
ton had extended. Nero had come
there after dark, either because he could
not come before, or, as is more proba-
BILE, because he wished TO see the fine
scenic effect. He had what he wished
to his hearts content. The flames shone
brightly amid the gloom, and shot up
erto untouched, finding new material
at every stage of progress and feeding
itself on this. The lofty houses, which
in Rome arose to a hight unknown in
other cities, made fire in this city a
grander spectacle than it could be else
where. Added to this, there was the
outline of the city itself, which descend
ed into valleys and ro:e up into hills.
From where Nero stood he could see it
all to the best advantage. 1t seemed
like sea of fire, where pillows of flame
mingled with smoke rolled necessarily
onward, and dashed against those lofti-
er eminences that rose like islands in the
midst. Yet those eminences themselves
did not escape, for the fires clambered
upward, and passing from house to
house, from palace to palace, and from
| temple to temple, covered all, till all
glowed with equal intensity. The sky
was all a-blaze and as the wind still
blew with undiminished violence it
bore onward to the north vast stream
of glowing embers, some of which were
so large that they seemed like charred
timbers-all these swept past incessant-
", and showers of sparks kept falling,
and the great tide of cinders and ashes
floatcd on for many and many a mile,
till the streets of Etrurian villages re-
ceived the falling dust of Rome.
Nero stood enrapt in deep admiration.
A few friends were with him, chief OF
whom were Tigellinus and Petronius.
cit was worth coming miles to see," he
exclaimed. cit is,a sight that can never
be seen again-a sight that man may
see, and then die" With such exclam.
atoms as these be broke the silence from
time to time, and stood motionless fol
many hours. AT last he burst into
tears. "What GRANDEUR" he cried. 90
am overcome. 1 feel thrills of the tru,
sublime. You are surprised at my tears
my friends. Iweep because think tina
I can never again see anything equal t.
this" His friends fastened to comfor
him. Tigcllinus assured him that h
could have fire in every city in TIN
world, if he wished. 'Ah!" said Nero
, piteously, ''you forget that there is onl,
= one Rome" 'Well, Rome can be burn
, again." It would hardly do to have
too often," said Nero, with suddel
: CLEAN of good sense. ''You are tn
master of the world" said Tigellinus
! "you have only to speak, and it is done.
.'True," said Nero and he fell into fl
! of musing. At last he turned away
'Come," said he, E.let US go to my gar
= dens, to the theater, and there will sin
to you my ode on the burning of Troy
! You will marvel to see how appropriat
: it is to this" #
They descended, and, mounting thei
. horses, rode away. The Vatican gar
! dens Law on the other side of the Tibel
and the way there led through severs
! streets that belonged to the burnt distri6
= Nero was in the highest spirits. ii
. looked intently at the smoking ruins
: and laughingly wondered how man
y Inhabitants remained there. ''That. is
4 foolish saying" said he, of that poet VIII
~ says aae @
@ '."When am dead, let fire devour the world
i For my part, would change the lin
&c and make it,
e. "'While Pm alive, let fire devour the world
Y Isn't my improvement a good one
d ''The poet would certainly have write
% it as you suggest, said Tigellinus, '.if b
t, Arriving at the gardens, Nero wel
IS TO the the theater, put on his scenic dres
'r went on the stage, tuned his harp, an
K sang the ode which he had writer
&c Hearers gave him the applause whic
ID true courtiers are always ready to b.
n stow now listening apparently in RAJ
oil attention, how assuming an appearant
le of deep awe, and again, at the end OF
" strophe, bursting forth into irrcpress
IN bic applause. The walls of the theata
IA were low, and from the stage, whiC
d. Hooked toward the direction of the cit
d. the fire could easily be seen through Il
ne roofiless top. Nero affected the ma
ID ner of one who was inspired and a
g. most frenzied by the scene befo
EN- him. Carried away by his own sci
complacency and the applause of b
hearers, he sang the ode over and oy
n again, each time growing extravaga
ng in his gesticulations, and only ceas'
IS when fatigue compelled him. He wou
he have continued till morning, had n
ne Tigellinus artfuliy suggested that /
rs voice might be injured by singing in t
es night air, and urged him to reserve /
Is, powers, SO as to sing 70 them again
hit some other day. So while Rome "
Int burning, the master and ruler OF RoI
looked upon its agony, seeing in 1t on
a thing for the qualification OF taste,
I'd ~ al a calan;fx- that needed helD n