Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26

sometimes seen to set fire deliberately to tha
houses of the wealthy that they might steal
the valuables which they were pretending to
save.
The flames early began to move up the east
ern and southern slopes of the Palatine Hill.
on the summit of which stood that vast con-
glomeration Of buildings Of various ages which
formed the struggling Palace of the Caesars.
and when news brought to Nero that the
confiagfation could not be extinguished and
that the palace with all its treasures and works
of art was in danger he decided Immediately
to 60 back to the city and take command Of
the operations.
The wind being from the south, clouds Of
smoke must have been blowing across the
Palatine Hill from the fires which ragged all
around its southern slopes and which cut on
the approaches to 1t on that side. and Nero,
obliged to enter the city ON the northeast, must
have made his way to the unchanged Forum
which lay just under the northwest end Of the
Palatine-and thence up the steep incline to
the palace, with the smoke beating into his
face and the scorching wind driving the sanuts
and sparks into his eyes.
The place was already doomed, and Nero.
one may suppose, could do no more than give
orders about the removal of some of his works
Of art, and then, coughing and half choking.
he seems to have returned to the Forum and
to have made his way around the Capitoline
Hill and across the T1ber to that part Of the
city which was southwest of the confiagration
and therefore free Of smoke. .tt
He appears to have made his headquarters
there in his pavilion in the gardens where his
private theater was situated.
THERE he had held his Festivals of Youth"
and from its roof during the following days
of terror he watched his palace go up in smoke
and flame. The loss of hundreds of ancient
books and documents of extreme value and
interest, the destruction of paintings and works
of art appalled, and infuriated him.
One by one he saw the famous buildings and
monuments of Roman antiquity of which he
had been so proud devoured by the flames. It
was not until July % that the fire was finally
extinguished, and by that time about two.
thirds of the city had been reduced to ruins
and ashes, and the losses in human lives I'm
property and in works Of art and learning were
incalculable.
The measures which Nero took for the relief
Of the distress during the height of the blaze
and afterward were regarded by his con-
temporarieS as very praiSeworthy. He gathered
the refugees together in that part of the
Campus Martius which was free from danger,
housing them in the Pantheon, the Baths Of
Agrippa and. other large buildings there Situ-
ated, and erecting temporary shelters for them
in his own private gardens across the riveE. in
what is now the Vatican neighborhood.
AS soon as the hre had passed from any area
he placed guards there to protect the ruins on
behalf of the owners of the property and he
instituted search for the dead at his own
expense.
He brought up stores from Ostia and other
towns to feed the homeless and he reduced the
price of corn to bring it within reach of those
who though impoverished did not need to be
fed by the state.
During all these days of horror he worked
with interchangeable energy directing these onar
atoms and attempting to calm the terrified
people, and although he had heard that those
who had conspired against him on previous
occasions were now taking advantage of the
catastrophe to arouse hatred of him and to
bring about his death by assassination, he went
feariessly about his business, appearing AMONGST
...g, - 5gsf-