citizens of Rome during the fire. He walked around the city, as the fire continually played havoc, aiding and encouraging everyone he encountered. Several times the Emperor risked his life in those narrow, winding lanes, his face blackened, his hair singed, his tunic shriveled. During the sixth day of the fire, a member of his court suggested that he write a poem commemorating the great fire. The bitter Emperor mockingly grabbed his lyre and walked out onto his terrace and began to play and sing. A few seconds later, he stopped. A few people below recognized the Emperor and what he was doing. The rumor of him singing, playing his lyre, and praising the flames that destroyed Rome spread like wild fire. Thus Nero’s lament, that had remained unsung, gained immortal fame. After the great fire, rumors floated around Rome that a small religious group known as Christians ignited the fire. Christians were mostly slaves or lower class Romans. Many Romans detested Christians. Nero and his court felt these Christians were probably responsible for the fire and so they deserved to be put on trial. Many self-proclaiming Christians were rounded up and placed in the dungeons of the Circus. The Christians were found guilty of being enemies of Rome and sentenced to death. Three thousand Christians were executed in the new Palace after the trial. They were tied to stakes and covered with tar and oil, then set on fire. Franzero describes the horrible sounds of the screaming victims as they prayed for Nero’s soul. These acts earned Nero a reputation as a merciless persecutor of the Christians. A plot by Gaius Calpurnius Piso was secretly created to assassinate Nero. Several of Nero’s closest confidants were implicated in the plot, including his childhood tutor, Seneca. After his capture, Nero gave Seneca the option of committing suicide. Nero began to grow more detached from his duties as Emperor. He viewed himself ...
