45 The hatred that had attracted even speculating on the high price of wheat
grew even more when the chance would have it announced, in the midst of a famine
public, the arrival of a ship from Alexandria
loaded with sand for the wrestlers of the court. So, rise up against him
resentment general, there was no insult that had to suffer.
behind the head of a statue is attacked with a fringe written in greek
"that now was the moment of struggle and finally you would
deposed." Another's neck hung a lot with these words: 'What could I do more
I? But you've earned a lot. "On
columns also wrote that" with his singing had excited even
Galli. " Finally, during the night, you could hear the voice of many that
pretending to scold the slaves, called for urgently
a "redeemer." 46 Furthermore
Nero was frightened by the warnings were accurate
dreams, the hopes and predictions, not only of ancient date, but also recent
. In the past she had never dreamed of, but after
kill his mother, he saw in a dream that he tore the rudder of a ship that was
government, which was dragged by his wife Ottavia
in the darkest hours and that was covered with dense by a swarm of winged ants
, now that the statues of the nations, opened at the Theatre of Pompey
around him and blocked the passage, and finally his horse
of Asturias, where was particularly attached, seemed
with the back of the body transformed into a monkey, only the head was intact and emitted sound
nitrites. The Mausoleum
whose doors opened by themselves, they heard a voice calling him by name. The day
the Kalends of January, of the Lares, decorated with flowers, tumbled amid
apparatus of sacrifice, as he took the auspices, Spore
offered him a ring on the stone which was depicted the abduction of Persephone.
At the time of prayers for the emperor, when already the citizens of the various orders
had gathered in the crowd, found themselves in difficult keys
Capitol. When he read in the Senate passage of his speech contro
Vindice, in cui diceva che i criminali sarebbero stati puniti e ben presto
avrebbero fatto una fine degna di loro, tutti quanti gridarono insieme:
«Sarai tu a farla, Augusto.» Si osservò anche che quando cantò per
l'ultima volta in pubblico, interpretò l'Edipo in esilio e terminò con
queste parole:
«Mia moglie, mia madre, mio padre mi ordinano di morire.»
47 Nel frattempo gli fu consegnata, mentre pranzava, una lettera che gli
comunicava anche la rivolta di tutte le altre armate; egli la lacerò,
rovesciò la tavola, scaraventò in terra due coppe di cui si serviva
volentieri e che chiamava «omeriche» perché vi erano cesellate alcune
scene di Omero, poi si fece dare da Locusta un veleno che richiuse in una
cassetta d'oro e si trasferì nei giardini di Servilio. Qui diede ordine ai
più devoti dei suoi liberti di recarsi a Ostia per preparare una flotta,
poi chiese ai tribuni e ai centurioni del pretorio se erano disposti ad
accompagnarlo nella sua fuga, ma alcuni tergiversarono, altri rifiutarono
categoricamente e uno arrivò perfino a gridargli: «È una così grande
disgrazia farsi processare?» Allora, considerando varie soluzioni, pensò di portarsi
in atteggiamento supplice, presso i Parti o presso Galba o di presentarsi
in pubblico vestito di nero, to implore from the Rostra, in the form
supplicant possible the forgiveness of the past, and to pray,
if he failed to touch the hearts, that he had been granted at least
the prefecture of Egypt. It was found later in his archive
a speech made in this respect, but is believed to have abandoned the idea
for fear of being torn to pieces before you even get to
hole. Sent so every decision the next day, but woke up to the
midnight and learned that the guard posts had been withdrawn,
jumped from bed and sent for his friends, and then, since he did not answer
by anyone, person, with few companions, went to seek accommodations in
each of them. Finding all the doors closed and not getting any response
, he returned to his room, where the guards, in turn, it
had already fled, taking away his blankets, and even cassette
poison, then sent for immediately mirmillone Spicules
or anyone else was willing to kill him, but because it had not found anyone,
said: "Well, I do not have neither a friend nor an enemy," and ran
as if to throw himself into the Tiber .
48 But, again slowed the momentum, he began to desire a secluded retreat
, to gather strength. The suo liberto Faone gli propose
allora la sua casa di periferia, situata tra la via Salaria e la via
Nomentana, a quattro miglia circa da Roma. Restando com'era, a piedi nudi
e in tunica si gettò addosso un piccolo mantello di colore stinto, si
coprì la testa, stese un fazzoletto davanti alla faccia e montò a cavallo,
accompagnato soltanto da quattro persone, tra le quali vi era anche Sporo.
Nello stesso istante, spaventato da un tremito della terra e da un lampo
che saettò davanti a lui, udì provenire dagli accampamenti vicini le grida
dei soldati che formulavano imprecazioni contro di lui e acclamazioni a
favore di Galba. Uno dei passanti che incontrarono disse perfino: «Ecco
people chasing Nero "and another asked them:" There is something new to
Rome, about Nero? "When his horse had a surge
to the smell of a corpse left on the street, it was discovered
the face and was recognized by a praetorian who greeted him on leave. How
came to a side road, left the horses, and passing through the midst
spots and shrubs along a path lined with reeds, Nero came to
effort, not without clothes were lying under his feet, back of the wall
home. Here, since Phaon urged him to rest a moment
on a pile of sand, he said he did not want to be buried alive
and made a brief stop while I was preparing the input
illegal in the house, drew his hand to drink a little '
water from a puddle that he was at his feet, exclaiming: "Here is the rest of Nero
. 'Then, making rip the mantle from thistles
opened a passage through the bushes, and entered, dragging on his hands through the passageway
a cave that had been dug in the next room, where
lay on a bed with a small mattress and covered with
an old cloak again tormented by hunger and thirst,
despise the black bread that was offered, but it took a long time '
lukewarm water.
49 Then, since each of his companions, in turn, invited him to escape
without delay to the outrage that awaited him, ordered
dig a pit in front of him the size of his body, to lay out a few pieces of marble around
If it was, and to bring some '
of water and a bit' of wood to make after the last honors to his
corpse. To each of these preparations
constantly crying and repeating, "What an artist dies with me," While he lingered
in this way, a courier brought a ticket to Phaon: Nero, tearing
hand, he read that the Senate had declared public enemy and who was
cercare per punirlo secondo l'uso antico ; chiese allora quale fosse
questo tipo di supplizio e quando seppe che il condannato veniva
spogliato, che si infilava la sua testa in una forca e che lo si bastonava
fino alla morte, inorridito, afferrò i due pugnali che aveva portato con
sé, ne saggiò le punte, poi li rimise nel loro fodero, protestando che a
l'ora segnata dal destino non era ancora venuta». Intanto ora invitava
Sporo a cominciare i lamenti e i pianti, ora supplicava che qualcuno lo
incoraggiasse a darsi la morte con il suo esempio; qualche volta
rimproverava la propria neghittosità con queste parole: «la mia vita è
ignobile, disonorante.-Non è degna di Nerone, non è proprio degna.-Bisogna
aver coraggio, in questi frangenti.-Su, svegliati.» Ormai si stavano
avvicinando i cavalieri ai quali era stato raccomandato di ricondurlo
vivo. Quando li sentì, esclamò tremando:
«Il galoppo dei cavalli dai piedi rapidi ferisce i miei orecchi.»
Poi si affondò la spada nella gola con l'aiuto di Epafrodito, suo
segretario. Respirava ancora quando un centurione arrivò precipitosamente
e, fingendo di essere venuto in suo aiuto, applicò il suo mantello alla
ferita; Nerone gli disse soltanto: «È troppo tardi» e aggiunse: «Questa sì
è fedeltà.» Con queste parole spirò and his eyes, protruding from his head, took a
fixity that inspired this horror and fear in those who saw them
. The first and foremost demand which had called for his comrades
was that no one could have his head, but it was full blown
at any cost. Permission was granted by Icel,
freedman of Galba, recently released from prison where he had been thrown
beginning of the revolt.
