The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-16
evening State 5lnsrnaL.
MONDAY EVENING. OCT. 1G, 1871.
The Burning of Rome.

As everything connected with great fires
has peculiar interest at the present time, |
we reproduce the narrative of the historian
Tacitus, concerning the conflagration which |
occurred at Rome, A. ID. 81;
There followed q dreadful disaster ; |
whether fortutously, or by the wicked con-
trivance of the Prince (Nero), is not deter
mined, for both are asserted by historians ;
but, of all the calamities which ever beiell |
a city from the rage of fire, this was the
most terrible and severe. 1t broke out in
that part of the Circus which is contiguous
to Mounts Palatine and Coelius, where, by
reason of shops in which were kept sucn
goods as minister aliment to fire, the mo-
ment it commenced it acquired strength,
and being accelerated by the wind tspread
at once through the whole extent Of the
Circus; for neither were the houses secured
by Enclosures, nor the temples envroned
with walls nor was there any other
obstacle to intercept its progress but the
flames spread every way impetuously, in
vaded first the lower regions of the city,
then mounted to the higher; then again
ravaglng the lower, it baifled every effortto
extinglish it by the rapidity of its destruc-
tive course, and from the liability of the
city to conflagration in consequence OF the
narrow and intricate alleys, and the irregu-
larty of the streets in ancient Rome. Add
to this the wailing of terrified women, the
inlirm condition of the aged, and the help
lessness of childhood; such as stroye to
provide for themselves, and those who la
bored to assist others these dragging the
feeble those waiting for them; some hur-
rying and others lingering; altogether cret-
ted scene of universal confusion and en-
barrassment; and while they looked back
upon the danger in their rear, they often
found themselves beset before and on their
sides; or if they had escaped into the
quarters adjoining, these, too, were
already seized by the deyouring
flames; even the parts which they
believed remote and exempt were found to
be in the same distress. AT last, not
knowing what to shun or where to seek
sanctuary, they crowded the streets and
Law along the open fields. Some from
the loss Of their whole substance, even the
means of their daily sustenance others
from afiliction for their relatives whom they
had not been able to snatch from the flames,
suffered themselves to perish in them,
though they had opportunity for escape.
Neither dared any man attempt to check
the fire, so repeated were the menaces of
many who forbade TO extinguish it, and be-
cause others openly threw fire-brands, with
loud declarations THAT they had one who
authorized them;" whether they did it
that they might plumber with the less re-
straint. or in consequence OF orders gwen.
Nero, who was at the juncture sojourn-
ing at Antium, did not return to the city
till the fire approached that quarter of his
house which connected the palace with the
gardens of Mecenas nor could it, how
ever, be prevented from deyouring the
house and palace, and everything around.
But for the relief of the people thus dcsti-
tute and driven from their dwellings, he
opened the field of Mars and the monument
tai edifices erected by Agrppa, and even
his own gardens. He likewise reared tenn
porary houses for the reception of the ior-
Torn multitude, and from Ostia and the
neighboring cities were brought up the
river household necessaries, and the price
of grain was reduced to three sesterces the
measure. All of which proceedings,
though of popular character, were thrown
away, because run1or had become univer-
sally current that at the very time when
the city was in flames, Nero, going on the
stage of his private theatre, sang the "De-
struction of Troy assimiating the present
disaster to that catastrophe of ancient
times.
AT length, on the sixth day, the conila-
grafton was stayed at the foot OF Esquile,
by pulling down an immense quantity OF
buildings, so that an open space, and, as it
were, void air, might check the raging ele-
Inent by breaking the continuity. But ere
the CONSERVATION had subsidized, the fire
broke out afrcsh, with no little violence,
but in regions more spacious, and therefore
with less destruction of human life, but
more extensive havoc was made of the tenn
pies and porticos dedicated to amusement.
Nero seemed to aim at the glory
of building new city, and calling it by his
own name; for of the fourteen sections
into which Rome is divided, four were
standing entire, three were leveled with
the ground, and in the seven others there
remained only here and there a few rem
nants of houses, shattered and half con-
sumed.
1t were no very easy task to recount the
numberof tenements and temples which
were lost, but the following, most venerable
for antiquity and sancity, were consumed
that dedicated by Servius Julius to the
moon; the temple and great altar conse-
Grated by Evander, the Arcadian, to Her.
cues while present the chapel vowed by
Romulous to Jupiter Stator; the palace of
Numa, with the temple of Vesta, and in it
the tutelar gods of Rome, moreover the
treasures accumulated by SO many victo-
ries, the beautiful productions of Greek ar
lists, ancient writings of authors celebrated
for genius, and till then preserved entire,
were consumed, and though great was the
beauty of the city in its renovated form, the
older inhabitants remembered many decor
atoms of the ancient which could not be re-
placed in the modern.