g the numerous forced levies of money, and were still
suffering at Nero's hands. And ascending a tribunal he delivered a long
and detailed speech against Nero, saying that they ought to revolt from
the emperor and join him in an attack [upon him],--"because," said he, "he
has despoiled the whole Roman world, because he has destroyed all the
flower of their senate, because he debauched and likewise killed his
mother, and does not preserve even the semblance of sovereignty. Murders,
seizures and outrages have often been committed and by many other persons:
but how may one find words to describe the remainder of his conduct as it
deserves? I have seen, my friends and allies,--believe me,--I have seen
that man (if he is a man, who married Sporus and was given in marriage to
Pythagoras) in the arena of the theatre and in the orchestra, sometimes
with the zither, the loose tunic, the cothurnus, [Footnote: The two kinds
of footwear mentioned here appear in the Greek as _chothornos_ and
_embates_ respectively. These words are often synonymous, and both
may refer, as a rule, to _high_ boots. In the present passage,
however, some kind of contrast is evidently intended, and the most
acceptable solution of the question is that given by Sturz, in his
edition, who says that the _chothornos_ seems to have been used by
Nero only in singing, whereas he wore the _embates_ (as also the
mask) while acting.] sometimes with wooden shoes [Footnote: see previous
footnote] and mask. I have often heard him sing, I have heard him make
proclamations, I have heard him perform tragedy. I have seen him in
chains, I have seen him dragged about, pregnant, bearing children, going
through all the situations of mythology, by speech, by being addressed, by
being acted upon, by acting. Who, then, will call such a person Caesar and
emperor and Augustus? Let no one for any consideration so abuse those
sacred titles. They were held by Augustus and by Claudius. This fellow
might most properly be termed Thyestes and Oedipus, Alcmeon and Orestes.
These are the persons he represents on the stage and it is these titles
that he has assumed rather than the others. Therefore now at length rise
against him: come to the succor of yourselves and of the Romans; liberate
the entire world!"

[Sidenote:--23--] Such words falling from the lips of Vindex met with
entire approval from all. Vindex was not working to get the imperial
office for himself but chose Servius Sulpicius