A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1162 NERO.- NERO.
services in Caesar's cause by being made a pontifex no inclination for laborious studies. His character,
in the place of P. Cornelius Scipio, and was employed which was naturally weak, was made worse by his
in establishing colonies in Gallia north of the education; and when he was in the possession of
Alps, among which Narbo (Narbonne) and Arelate power he showed what a man may become who has
(Arles) are mentioned; but the colony to Narbo not been subjected to a severe discipline, and who
was a supplementum, for it was settled A. D. 116. in a private station might be no worse than others
On the assassination of Caesar he went so far as to who are rich and idle.
propose that the assassins should be rewarded. He On the death of Claudius, A. D. 54, Agrippina,
was praetor probably in B. c. 42. On the quarrels who had always designed her son to succeed to the
breaking out among the triumviri he fled to Pe- power of the Caesars, kept the emperor's death
rusia and joined the consul L. Antonius, who was secret for a while. All at once the gates of the
besieged there B.c. 41. In this year his eldest son palace were opened, and Nero was presented to the
Tiberius, the future emperor, was born: his mother guards by Afranius Burrhus, praefectus praetorio,
was Livia Drusilla, the daughter of Livius Drusus. who announced Nero to them as their master.
When Perusia surrendered in the following year, Some of them, it is said, asked where was BritanNero effected his escape to Praeneste and thence nicus; but there was no effort made to proclaim
to Naples, and after having made an unsuccessful Britannicus, and Nero being carried to the praeattempt to arm the slaves by promising them their torian camp, was saluted as imperator by the
freedom, he passed over to Sext. Pompeius in Sicily soldiers, and promised them the usual donation.
(comp. Suet. Claud. 4, and Dion Cass. xlviii. 15). His The senate confirmed the decision of the soldiers,
wife and child, scarcely two years old, accompanied and the provinces quietly received Nero as the new
Nero in his flight. At Naples, whilethey were emperor. (Tacit. Ann. xii. 69; Dion Cass. lxi.
secretly trying to get a ship, they were nearly be- 1, &c.)
trayed by the cries of the child. Nero, not liking Nero showed at the commencement that he had
the reception that he met with from Pompeius, not all the acquirements which the Romans had
passed over to M. Antonius in Achaea, and, on a been accustomed to see in their emperors. His
reconciliation being effected between M. Antonius public addresses were written by Seneca, for Nero
and Octavianus at the close of the year (B. C. 40), he was deficient in one of the great accomplishments
returned with his wife to Rome. Livia, who pos- of a Roman, oratory. The beginning of his reign
sessed great beauty, excited the passion of Oc- was no worse than might he expected in an illtavianus, to whom she was surrendered by her educated youth of seventeen; and the senate were
husband, being then six months gone with child of allowed to make some regulations which were supher second son Drusus. Nero gave Livia awayas posed to be useful (Tac. Ann. xiii. 4). The affairs
a father would his daughter (B. C. 38), but he must of the East required attention. The Less Armenia
have formally divorced her first. The old and the was given to Aristobulus, a Jew, and son of Herodes,
new husband and the wife sat down together to king of Chalcis. Sophene was given to Sohemus.
the marriage entertainment. When Drusus was The follies and crimes of Nero were owing to
born, Caesar sent the boy to his father, for, being his own feeble character and the temper of his
begotten during Nero's marriage with Livia, Nero mother. This ambitious woman wished to govern
was his lawful father. Caesar, who was a man of in the name of her son, and she received all the
great method, made an entry in his memorandum- external marks of respect which were due to one
book, to the effect " that Caesar sent to Nero his who possessed sovereign power. Seneca and Burfather the child that was born of Livia his wife." rhus exerted their influence with Nero to oppose
(Dion Cass. xlviii. 44; Tacit. Annal. i. 10, v. 1.) her designs, and thus a contest commenced which
Nero died shortly after, and left Caesar the tutor of must end in the destruction of Agrippina or her
his two sons. If Tiberius was born in B. c. 42 (see opponents. Nero began to indulge his licentious
Clinton, Fasti, B. C. 42), Nero died in B. c. 34 or inclinations without restraint, and one of his boon
33, for Tiberius, his son, pronounced his funeral companions was an accomplished debauchee, Otho,
oration in front of the Rostra, when he was nine who afterwards held the imperial power for a few
years old. [G. L.] months. Nero assumed the consulship A. D. 55,
NERO, Roman emperor, A. D. 54-68. The with L. Antistius Vetus for his colleague. The
emperor Nero was the son of Cn. Domitius Aheno- jealousy between him and his mother soon broke
barbus, and of Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus out into a quarrel, and Agrippina threatened to
Caesar,and sister of Caligula. Nero's original name join Britannicus and raise him to his father's
was L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after the mar- place. Nero's fears drove him to commit a crime
riage of his mother with her uncle, the emperor which at once stamped his character and took away
Claudius, he was adopted by Claudius A. D. 50, and all hopes of his future life. Britannicus, who was
was called Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Ger- just going to complete his fourteenth year, was
nanicus. Claudius had a son, Britannicus, who poisoned by the emperor's order, at an entertain.
was three or four years younger than Nero. ment where Agrippina and Octavia were present.
Nero was born at Antium, a favourite residence Nero showed his temper towards his mother by
of many of the Roman families, on the coast of depriving her of her Roman and German guard;
Latium on the 15th of December A. D. 37 (comp. but an appearance of reconciliation was brought
Suet. N'.% c. 6, ed. Burmann; Tacit. Ann. xii. 25, about by the bold demeanour of Agrippina against
ed. Oberlin, and the notes in both). Shortly after some of her accusers, whom Nero punished. (Tacit.
his adoption by Claudius, Nero being then sixteen Ann. xiii. 19-22.)
years of age, married Octavia, the daughter of In A. D. 57 Nero was consul for the second time
Claudius and Messallina. Among his early in- with L. Calpurnius Piso as his colleague, and in
structors was Seneca. Nero had some talent and A. D. 58, for the third time with Valerius Messalla.
taste. He was fond of the arts, and made verses; Nero, who had always shown an aversion to his
but he was indolent and given to pleasure, and had wife Octavia, was now captivated with the beauty