e scene of convivial
pleasure. Piso, however, objected to this plan. He conceived, he
said, that it would be dishonorable in him to commit an act of
violence upon a guest whom he had invited under his roof, as his
friend. He was willing to take his full share of the responsibility
of destroying the tyrant in any fair and manly way, but he would not
violate the sacred rites of hospitality to accomplish the end.

So this plan was abandoned. It was supposed, however, that Piso had
another and a deeper reason for his unwillingness that Nero should
be assassinated at Baiae than his regard for his honor as a host. He
thought, it was said, that it would not be safe for him to be away
from Rome when the death of Nero should be proclaimed in the
capitol, lest some other Roman nobleman or great officer of state
should suddenly arise in the emergency and assume the empire. There
were, in fact, one or two men in Rome of great power and influence,
of whom Piso was specially jealous and he was naturally very much
disposed to be on his guard against opening any door of opportunity
for them to rise to power. To commit a great crime in order to
secure his own aggrandizement, and yet to manage the commission of
it in such a way as not only to shut himself off from the expected
benefit, but to secure that benefit to a hated rival, would have
been a very fatal misstep. So the plan of destroying Nero at Baiae
was overruled.

At length one more, and as it proved a final scheme, was formed for
accomplishing the purpose of the conspiracy. It was determined to
execute Nero in Rome, at a great public celebration which was then
about to take place. It seems that it was sometimes customary in
ancient times for persons who had any request or petition to make to
an emperor or king, to avail themselves of the occasion of such
celebrations to present them. Accordingly it was determined that
Lateranus should approach Nero at a certain time during the
celebration of the games, as if to offer a petition,--the other
conspirators being close at hand, and ready to act at a moment's
warning. Lateranus, as soon as he was near enough, was to kneel down
and suddenly draw the emperor's robes about his feet, and then
clasp the feet thus enveloped, in his arms, so as to render Nero
helpless. The other conspirators were then to rush forward and kill
their victim with their daggers. In the mean time while Lateranus
and his associates were perpetrating this deed i