cruelty and
oppression, in his attempts to overawe and subject those who were
under his power, that a universal feeling of hostility and hatred
was awakened against him. Things at last assumed so alarming an
attitude, that Helius was terrified in his turn, and at length he
began to send for Nero to come home. Nero at first paid no attention
to these requests. The danger, however, increased; the crisis became
extremely imminent, so that a general insurrection was anticipated.
Helius sent messengers after messengers to Nero, imploring him to
return, if he wished to save himself from ruin;--but all the answer
that he could obtain from Nero was, that, if Helius truly loved him,
he would not envy him the glory that he was acquiring in Greece;
but, instead of hastening his return, would rather wish that he
should come back worthy of himself, after having fully accomplished
his victories. At last Helius, growing desperate in view of the
impending danger, left Rome, and, traveling with all possible
dispatch, night and day, came to Nero in Greece, and there made such
statements and disclosures in respect to the condition of things at
Rome, that Nero at length reluctantly concluded to return.

He accordingly set out in grand state on his journey westward,
escorted by his body-guard, and with his motley and innumerable
horde of singers, dancers, poets, actors, and mountebanks in his
train. He brought with him the prizes which he had won in the
various cities of Greece. The number of these prizes, it was said,
was more than eighteen hundred. On his way through Greece, when
about to return to Rome, he went to Delphi, to consult the sacred
oracle there, in respect to his future fortunes. The reply of the
Pythoness was, "_Beware of seventy-three._" This answer gave Nero
great satisfaction and pleasure. It meant, he had no doubt, that he
had no danger to fear until he should have attained to the age of
seventy-three; and as he was yet not quite thirty, the response of
the oracle seemed to put so far away the evil day, that he thought
he might dismiss it from his mind altogether. So he repaid the
oracle for the flattering prediction with most magnificent presents,
and pursued his journey toward Rome with a mind quite at ease.

The ships in which he embarked to cross the Adriatic on his return
to Italy encountered a terrible storm, by which they were dispersed,
and many of them were destroyed. Nero himself had a very narrow
escape, as