. History of Nero . of malicious gratification at anytiling that would terrify and torment the mis-erable subjects of his power. When he cameto Kome from Antium at the time that theconflagration was at its height, he found thewhole city a scene of indescribable terrorand distress. Thousands of the people hadbeen burned to death or crushed beneath theruins of tlie fallen houses. The streets werefilled with piles of goods and furniture burntand broken. Multitudes of men, though near-ly exhausted with fatigue, were desperatelytoiling on, in hopeless endeavors to extinguislithe flames, or to save
. History of Nero . of malicious gratification at anytiling that would terrify and torment the mis-erable subjects of his power. When he cameto Kome from Antium at the time that theconflagration was at its height, he found thewhole city a scene of indescribable terrorand distress. Thousands of the people hadbeen burned to death or crushed beneath theruins of tlie fallen houses. The streets werefilled with piles of goods and furniture burntand broken. Multitudes of men, though near-ly exhausted with fatigue, were desperatelytoiling on, in hopeless endeavors to extinguislithe flames, or to save some small remnant oftheir property,—and distracted mothers, wildand haggard from terror and despair, wereroaming to and fro, seeking their children,—Bome moaning in anguish, and some piercingthe air with loud and frantic outcries. [Nerowas entertained by the scene as if it had beena great dramatic spectacle. He went to oneof the theaters, and taking h*.s place upon thestage he amused himself there with singing. i?:y:::Ji|||;iliiP5 64.] ExTKEME Depravity. 227 He celebrates the occasion by a aong. and playing a celebrated composition on thesubject of the burning of Troy. At least itwas said and generally believed in tlie citythat he did so, and the minds of tho peoplewere excited against the inhuman monsterto the highest pitch of indignation. In fact,INero seems to have thought at last that hehad gone too far, and he began to make effortsin earnest to relieve the people from someportion of their distress. He caused greatnumbers of tents to be erected in the parade-ground for temporary shelter, and broughtfresh supplies of corn into the city to save thepeople from famine. These measures ofmercy, however, came too late to retrieve hischaracter. The people attributed the miseriesof this dreadful calamity to his desperate ma-liciousness, and he became the object of universal execration. 228 Keko. [ 65. Origin and nature of Pisos conspiracy. Chaptek X. PiSOS Coi^TSP
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