ile they looked back upon the danger in their rear, they often found
themselves beset before and on their sides; or, if they had escaped into
the quarters adjoining, these, too, were already seized by the devouring
flames; even the parts which they believed remote and exempt were found
to be in the same distress. At last, not knowing what to shun or where
to seek sanctuary, they crowded the streets and lay along in the open
fields. Some, from the loss of their whole substance, even the means of
their daily sustenance, others, from affection for their relations whom
they had not been able to snatch from the flames, suffered themselves to
perish in them, though they had opportunity to escape. Neither dared any
man offer to check the fire, so repeated were the menaces of many who
forbade to extinguish it; and because others openly threw firebrands,
with loud declarations "that they had one who authorized them"; whether
they did it that they might plunder with the less restraint or in
consequence of orders given.

Nero, who was at that juncture sojourning at Antium, did not return to
the city till the fire approached that quarter of his house which
connected the palace with the gardens of Maecenas; nor could it, however,
be prevented from devouring the house and palace and everything around.
But for the relief of the people, thus destitute and driven from their
dwellings, he opened the field of Mars and the monumental edifices
erected by Agrippa, and even his own gardens. He likewise reared
temporary houses for the reception of the forlorn multitude, and from
Ostia and the neighboring cities were brought, up the river, household
necessaries, and the price of grain was reduced to three sesterces the
measure. All which proceedings, though of a popular character, were
thrown away, because a rumor had become universally current "that at the
very time when the city was in flames, Nero, going on the stage of his
private theatre, sang _The Destruction of Troy_, assimilating the
present disaster to that catastrophe of ancient times."

At length, on the sixth day, the conflagration was stayed at the foot of
Esquiliae, by pulling down an immense quantity of buildings, so that an
open space, and, as it were, void air, might check the raging element by
breaking the continuity. But ere the consternation had subsided the fire
broke out afresh, with no little violence, but in regions more spacious,
and therefore with less destruction of h