Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-08-19
THE WORLDS
GREAT EVENTS
ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE
Nero

a more tudn a cniIQ In years, nan0
e some and gorgeously dressed, stood re
ceiving the humble salutations OF IN.
Roman senate one day In 81 A. d
Nearby. forgotten and unnoticed, stooe
a plainly aftired lad The redsheadef
youth was Nero, newly adopted son Of
his great-uncle. Claudius. emperor OF
Rome. The other boy was Britanni
Gus. only son OF Caudius and rlghtful
heir to the throne. The strange mud.
ding Of the two lads true positions
was due 10 Nero's mother. Agrippina.
Nero was granddaughter Of ClaudIus.
He was brought up as a child in pow
erty and neglect But when weak.
Vaci1lating old Claudius mounted the
throne. Agrippina won the emperor's
half-imbecile affections and persuaded
him TO divorce HIS first wife and marry
her. She then promptly poisoned the
deposed wife and concentrated all her
wiles into caJollng Claudius to declare
Nero his heir instead Of Brltannicus.
Having Induced the emperor 70 make
such public pledge and TO compel the
senate to accept Nero as future EN-
peror. AgrippIna poisoned Gaudius
and declared the sixteen=yearAOid
Nero emperor. Later BritannIcus was
also killed to make the new rulers
claims more secure.
The first five years OF the young
monarch's reign were ideal. Guided
by his mother, he made kind and
righteous laws, conclllating the people
and the army, and giving promise OF
golden era for Rome. Nero, coached
cleverly by his crafty old tutor. Seneca,
showed forth only the lOvable, kindly
side OF his nature his violent temper.
selhshness and evil propensitles being
wisely curbed. He was looked on as
a model sovereign. But as time passed,
he grew impatient at his mothers
stern rule and longed to be absolute
master Her guidance irritated him
The two FLASHED repeatedly, and at
last Nero proved himself Agrippinas
true son as we'll as an instrument OF
poetic Justice by having his mother
assassinated.
Now, freed from all restraint the
mans true character asserted itself.
He plunged into wild excuses. per
forming In the arena as common
charioteer, declaring himself the fore
most singer and poet OF the world, and
treating the populace to original songs
and plays. When any sought 10 check
his mad whims he wasted little time
or scruple in arranging for the Offend
er's death His wife. Octavia, was thus
put out OF the way, as in time were
Seneca and other famQug RpmaRs He
hadfmarrled an INSCRIPTIONS patrician
woman. POppea by name, divorcing
her from Ohio, her first husband, who
later amply avenged himself for the
outrage. Poppea urged Nero on to
fresh crimes and designations, until Mt
last he had so fur exhausted every
pleasure as to yearn for some absO-
lutely new sensation. II was then that
the idea occurred to him to set fire 10
Rome and to compose a grand epic
song upon Its destruction.
He followed out this barbarOus plan
with such success that three-fourths
" the city was soon In ashes. The
people, who had patiently borne his
former caprlces, were furious at this
xanton cruelty Rebellion was threat
ned To appease them the frightened
yrant hit on a scheme that has made .
Ifs name a term OF Ioathlng through
III ages,
He declared that the Christians had !
ct fire to the city. and, by way Of :
murdered them by hun :
reds. hoping thus to SHIFT the blame !,
+ the confiagratIon from his own
uIlty shoulders. It had always been =
tones policy to respect the religions !,
Z her conquered provinces. thereby :,
acifying the people OF such lands and =
verting religious uprisings. But Nero n
aw no need for following out this r,
Ian as regarded the Christians. They q
'ere a sect of poor, uninfluential folk. Is
no land. and thus pre- p
emitting no dangers of a possible IN G,
direction. They had no mortal ruler ir
or kingdom; no opportunity 10 retail Of
te for wrongs done them. Their et
-eed also commanded forgiveness Of n,
ijurles and forbade vengeance. pl
Thus they were safe victims for the n
nperlal despot. n
But, by the very fortunes and on.
-essions to which he subjected its
.lievers the new faith endured and or
lined strength. The blood Of its nj
artyrs. the sufferlngs Of Its follow W
8 served only to fan It's early, feeble tn
ark into a light that was destined al
lIlumine the whole world until the az
ice despised and crushed religion er
holly superseded the Roman heathen- 30
m that had sought to destroy It, and M
AIDE It's center Of government. by sc
range irony OF fate. in the very city a
here lts-arst terrible prosecutions m
ID been enacted. RI
Nero's course was well-nigh run. In ra
ite OF his pretext that the Christians re
d set Rome aflre. the people grew to Gu
tie him. He murdered Poppea. and "a
a Mt Of remorse plunged Into newer M
rs