The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-10-15
y iLlfO.

NERO.
Although the saying may be true
that such characters as Nero can never
die, yet tlcrc must be times during
which they are forgotten until some
circumstance calls them again to their
proper eminencc. SO Nero, once more,
has been brought to mems memories
by Il presentation of him on the stage
of Il London theatre; though it should
not be thought that the real emperor
was such Il burlesIue of Il creature,
such music hall Irving, as he who
there staggered before our eyes. He
has been described by no friendly critic
as of fair stature, handsome in face,
though with H pitasin; expression,
with fair hair (likened 10y some to AE-
pollo's), which he kept carefully crimp-
ed in regular rows about his head, like
those delightful persons in Seneca, who
would rather have seen the State ruin
ed than their locks disturbed. His
eyes were grey blue, dulled by his ex-
cesses, and his figure was heavy and
bloated, and supported by over thin
legs. Yet he had only three illnesses
in the fourteen years Of his reign, and
never had to abstain from wine and
rich food His dress was in keeping
with the elaboration of his hair, and
might we'll call forth wonder and de-
spair even in an ag2 that, knowing full
" how man dared to dress. had all the
opulcnce of the world at the bidding
of its tailors and its milliners. But
the secrets of the wardrobe pcrished,
almost to whisper, with the lcfd d.
urno-Rome's Daily Neus and .Norniny
Post-which surely must have chroni-
cled each Eastern contcction graced by
the imperial form. Thus passes the
glory of the world of clothes!
Without douh: there is curious
| fascination in this man who has leel
made out to be the greatest villain that
| ever lived, and TO whose name no writ
er has ever attempted to give 4 lustre.
No one can deny his criminality, prov
ed to the full by the universal agree
ment of all classes of chroniclers, even
though one admits in them all strong
personal bias against him. His father
said that nothing could spring from
himself and his wife, Agrippina. that
was not hateful and fatal He was
born amid many dreadful Omens, and
throughout his existence many great
prodigies continued to appear. All
his life, short as it was. alike before
and after the attainment ofempre, was
rare and uncommon Domitius, his
father, died when N,ro was but three,
and his early boyhood was spent in
poverty in an aunt's house. with Il
dancer and barber for his tutors--an
unparalleled training for the cares and
joys of empire. 1t was a curious fatal
ity that made SO original Il mind re-
ceive so original an education. The
| Emperor Claudius, fool and statesman,
made 4 more usual curriculum possible
| for his destined heir when he raised
| Neros family to its former estate, al
though nothing but the childs guard
ian snake (attested by his own words }
saved him from the knives of the bra
vos hired 10y Messalina, jealous for her
Britannicus. Nero, however, lived to
learn philosophy from Seneca, and sup,
plant Brilannic,Is completely; to see
his mother succeed Messalina's place
rs royal consort, and to we'd Oc.
tavia, the emperors own daughter.
At the age Of seventeen Nero began
that reign which has come to be looked
on rs the darkest spot in all history
with pancgyric on his deceased step
father, and like most bad princes he
commenced his rule with faircst prom
Use and bright hope; but he soon ceased
to he content with such conventional
proceedings. The passion for every
thing on 4 grand scale was governing
Rome ut this time, and Nero was its
most devoted victim. j; His home
coming from his successful tour in
Greece was in carriage drawn hy
white horses; the walls of Naples and
other towns on the route, nay, even
those of Rome. being thrown down tt
admit one whose victories made him
too great to enter by a gate. He rode
through Rome in the triumphal car OF
Augustus, in purple robes and Il cloak
bcspangleu with golden stars, with tho
: Olympic crown on his head, the Pyth
ian in his right hand In such guis(
he visited the temples over road:
strewn with saffron. preceded by mel
bearing placards inscribed with the list
of his victories. lie had, too, Il fancy
to be drawn by a team of hermaphro
ditc mares, fit monsters, it is said, t(
be driven 10y such monster. Archi
lecture was the most ruinously eXpen
/ ! sive of all his pursuits. TO have fl