, 1868-01-10
me Last Momepts Of Nero.

w ueu N6FO ledIu6Q tudb NC udu u haoeOa
in Galba, he upset the table at which be 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 Servilian garden, to
think upon what he should do next. There,
or within bis sleeping room, he passed 4 most
miserable night; but 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 headloug to the
Tiber, where be stopped shorten the bank,
and slowly walked back again. 1twas then
barefooted and half-dressed as he was, that
he was encountered by the faithful Phaon,
who flung cloak over his shoulders, tied an
old handkerchief about his head, hoisted the
bewildered wretch upon a horse, and rode
away towards a country house four miles
off. In danger Of discovery, the fugitive
party abandoned their horses, scrambled
through thickets, brakes, by-paths and
brambles; and at length reached the neigh.
borhood of the desired asylum. The tender
feet of the Emperor were mangled 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 a while in a
gravel pit; but Nero declared that it looked
too much like a grave, and he was detcrmin
ed not to be buried alive. He sat down un>
der wall, picked the burrs and brambles
from his dress, drank from the hollow of his
hand few drops of water, and sighed over
the thought of the draughts he used to inn
bibe of boiled water made cold again in snow.
He was at length got into the house, where
he turned away in disgust from the piece
of bread that was offered him-his last bans
que'; drank again little luke warm water,
flung himself on an old flock bed, and cursed
his destiny. They who surrounded him
counselled him to make an end quickly; and
thereupon he had grave made before him
his exact measure. He ordered sundry prep
arations to be made for his funeral comman-
ded water for the washing of bis body, wood
for the pile, expressed hope that they who
survived him would allow bis head to remain
on his body, and he then burst into an ago
ny of tears at the thought, as he said, of
what a clever fellow the world was about to
lose: SQUADS drtiter pereO!" was his excla-
nation. 1t was not his only one. lie cited
lines from various Greek and Latin authors
as applicable to his situation; and when re-
preached for dallying so long before putting
himself to death, very appcsitely and natu>
rally inquired if any one present was willing
to show him the way by setting him the ex-
ample He then made few more pedantic
quotations, and finally, with trembling hands
placed the dagger to his throat. He would
have held it there long enough had it not
been for EpaphrOditus, who grasped his
hands and forced it into his throat. The ter
ror of the ex.monarch was fixed on his fea>
lures after death. But even he had friends;
i've thousands crowns were expended on his
funeral pile, on which his old nurses collected
his ashes and an Imperial Congress accom>
panied them in the piOus task of solemnly
deposting the body in the tomb of the Dom
It'll For years after loving hands hung gar
lands on his tomb; and surely Nero could
not have won this tribute of sympathy, spon.
taneously made, had he not had some touch
of virtue in him, which saved him from rank
ing beneath humanity