13. Claudius: Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Caesar Germanicus was the second son of Drusus and Antonia, the brother of Germanicus, the father of Caligula. In early life he had been weak in mind and body, and had been despised or neglected. As emperor he was ruled by his wives and favorites, Narcissus and Pallas. He was poisoned by his last wife, Agrippina, who was anxious that her son Domitius Ahenobarbus by her former husband might succeed to the empire. Suetonius in his ‘Lives of the Caesars’ gives a very dark picture of the reign of Claudius. Creighton, p. 93; The Early Empire, Ch. IV.
22. Britannicī: the son of Claudius and Messalina, his first wife. On the accession of Nero, Britannicus was poisoned.
Page 68.
Ch. 14.
1. Nerō: Claudius Caesar, surnamed Nero, was the son of Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina. His early youth was spent in study under the philosopher Seneca, who remained his counselor for several years. During the first five years of his reign he was mild and just. The later years were filled with all sorts of excesses, and were marked by great cruelty. Creighton, p. 93; The Early Empire, Ch. V.
9. urbem Rōmam incendit: it is very improbable that Nero was guilty of this crime. Rome was almost destroyed in this conflagration. Of the fourteen districts into which the city was divided, only four remained untouched by the flames. The fire raged for six days and seven nights; and, after it was thought to have been extinguished, it burst forth again, and continued for two days longer. On this occasion Nero appears to have acted with great liberality and kindness. He caused provisions to be sold at a very low price and the imperial gardens to be opened to the people, and temporary shelters to be erected for their accommodation. That he might remove suspicion from himself, Nero caused it to be reported that the Christians had set fire to the city, and a number of them was seized and put to death. This was the first persecution of the Christians by the Romans, 64 A.D.
Ch. 15.
22. ā saxō: sc. Tarpēiā.
23. lībertī: his name was Phaon.
Salariam: the Via Salaria ran north from Rome to Ancona on the Adriatic.