Phaon offered him a couple of poniards.
Nero put the point of one to his breast, shrunk and threw it away.
“It is too blunt, it will not enter,” he said.
He tried the other and dropped it.
“It is over sharp. It cuts,” he said.
At that moment the door opened and Lamia and Epaphroditus entered.
Nero cried out and covered his face:
“Sporus! Phaon! one or both! kill yourselves and show me how to do it.”
“To do it!” said Lamia sternly. “That is not difficult. Do you need a sword? Here is one—the sword of Corbulo.”
He extended the weapon to the prince, who accepted it with tremulous hand, looking at Lamia with glassy eyes.