ome were covered with the skins of
wild beasts, and, in that disguise, devoured by the dogs; some were
crucified, and others burnt alive. "When the day was not sufficient
for their tortures, the flames in which, they perished," says
Ta'citus, "served to illuminate the night:" while Nero, dressed in the
habit of a charioteer, regaled himself with a view of their tortures
from his gardens, and entertained the people at one time with their
sufferings, at another with the games of the circus. 8. In this
persecution St. Paul was beheaded, and St. Peter crucified, with his
head downwards; a mode of death he chose, as being more dishonourable
than that of his divine master. Upon the ruins of the demolished
city, Nero founded a palace, which he called his Golden House. It
contained within its inclosure, artificial lakes, large wildernesses,
spacious parks, gardens, orchards, vineyards, &c. &c. The entrance of
the stately edifice was sufficiently lofty to admit a colossal statue
of Nero, 120 feet high. The galleries, erected on three rows of tall
pillars, were each a mile in length. The palace itself was tiled with
gold (probably gilding), the walls covered with the same metal, and
richly adorned with precious stones and mother-of-pearl: and the
ceiling of one of the banqueting rooms represented the firmament beset
with, stars, turning about incessantly night and day, and showering
sweet waters on the guests.

9. A conspiracy formed against Nero, by Piso, a man of great power and
integrity, which was prematurely discovered, opened a train of
suspicions that destroyed many of the principal families in Rome. 10.
The two most remarkable personages who fell on this occasion, were
Sen'eca[24], the philosopher, and Lucan the poet, his nephew.

Epicha'ris, a woman of infamous character, who by some means was
implicated in the conspiracy, deserves to be mentioned as an instance
of female fortitude. She was condemned to the torture, but the united
force of racks, stripes and fire, could not extort a word from her.
The next day she was conducted in a chair to be tortured afresh, (for
her limbs were so mangled and disjointed, that she could not stand,)
she hung herself with her girdle to the top of the chair, voluntarily
suspending the whole weight of her body to the noose: thus a woman
once a slave, cheerfully endured the most exquisite torture, and even
death, to save persons she scarcely knew, and from whom she had never
received any