of their wedding.

While Nero had Sporus the eunuch as a wife, one of his associates in Rome,
who had made a specialty of philosophy, on being asked whether the
marriage and cohabitation in question met with his approval replied: "You
do well, Caesar, to seek the company of such wives. If only your father
had had the same ambition and had dwelt with a similar
consort!"--indicating that if this had been the case, Nero would not have
been born, and the government would have been relieved of great evils.

This was, however, later. At the time with which we are immediately
concerned many, as I stated, were put to death and many who purchased
their preservation with Tigillinus with a great price were released.

[Sidenote:--29--] Nero continued to commit many ridiculous acts, among
which may be cited his descending at a kind of popular festival to the
orchestra of the theatre, where he read some Trojan lays of his own: and
in honor of these there were offered numerous sacrifices, as there were
over everything else that he did. He was now making preparations to
compile in verse a narration of all the achievements of the Romans: before
composing any of it, however, he began to consider the proper number of
books, and took as his adviser Annaeus Cornutus, who at this time was
famed for his learning. This man he came very near putting to death and
did deport to an island, because, while some were urging him to write four
hundred books, Cornutus said that was too many and nobody would read them.
And when some one objected: "Yet Chrysippus, whom you praise and imitate,
has composed many more," the savant retorted: "But they are a help to the
conduct of men's lives." So Cornutus was punished with exile for this. And
Lucanus was enjoined from writing poetry because he was securing great
praise for his work.

DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
63

Nero, receiving Tiridates with imposing state, places a crown upon his
head (chapters 1-7).

He journeys to Greece in order to become Periodonikes (chapters 8-10).

With the help of Tigillinus and Crispinilla he lays Greece waste: Helius
and Polycletus perform the same office for Rome and Italy (chapters 11,
12).

Nero's marriages and abominations with Sporus and Pythagoras (chapter 13).

His victories and proclamation: frenzy against Apollo: hatred toward the
senators (chapters 14, 15).

Digging a canal through the Isthmus (chapter 16).

Demise of the Scribonii, of Corbulo, of Paris, of