what did nero play while rome burned
Did Nero really play the fiddle while Rome burned? A bust of Emperor Nero, circa 65 A.D. The story that Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned conjures up images of the emperor, dramatically backlit by the flames from the burning city, alone, calmly playing his fiddle while his people cried out in suffering. To the contrary, Nero actually did take immediate and expansive measures to provide relief for his citizens.
fiddle while Rome burns. Fig. to do nothing or something trivial while knowing that something disastrous is happening. (From a legend that the Roman emperor Nero played the lyre while Rome was burning.) The lobbyists don't seem to be doing anything to stop this tax bill. They're fiddling while Rome burns. See also: burn, fiddle, Rome.