consisted of harps, fiddles, masks,
buskins, and such other stage property as was in use in those
times,--while the company itself was formed almost entirely of
comedians, singers, dancers, and wrestlers, with an immense retinue
of gay and dissipated men and women, who exemplified every possible
stage of moral debasement and degradation. With this company Nero
crossed to the eastern shore of Italy, and there, embarking on board
the vessels which had been prepared for the voyage, he sailed over
the Adriatic sea to the shores of Greece.

He landed at Cassiope, a town in the northern part of the island of
Corcyra. Here there was a temple to Jupiter, and the first of Nero's
exploits was to go there and sing, being impatient, it would seem,
to give the people of Greece a specimen of his powers immediately on
landing. After this he passed over to the continent, and thence
advanced into the heart of Greece, playing, singing, and acting in
all the cities through which he passed. As there were yet some
months to elapse before the period for celebrating the Olympic
games, Nero had ample time for making this tour. He was of course
everywhere received with the most unbounded applause, for of course
those only, in general, who were most pleased with such amusements,
and were most inclined to approve of Nero's exhibiting himself as a
performer, came together in the assemblies which convened to hear
him. Thus it happened that the virtuous, the cultivated, and the
refined, remained at their homes; while all the idle, reckless,
and dissolute spirits of the land flocked in crowds to the
entertainments which their imperial visitor offered them. These men,
of course, considered it quite a triumph for them that so
distinguished a potentate should take an active part in ministering
to their pleasures; and thus wherever Nero went he was sure to be
attended by crowds, and his performances, whether skillful or not,
could not fail of being extravagantly extolled in conversation, and
of eliciting in the theaters thunders of applause. The consequence
was that Nero was delighted with the enthusiasm which his
performances seemed everywhere to awaken. To be thus received and
thus applauded in the cities of Greece, seemed to satisfy his
highest ambition.

It has always been considered a very extraordinary proof of mental
and moral degradation on the part of Nero, that he could thus
descend from the exalted sphere of responsibility and duty to whic