the metropolis, the cargo consisted of _sand_,
intended to form the _arena_ of some of the emperor's amphitheaters,
for the gladiators and wrestlers to stand upon, in contending. This
incident seemed to fill the cup of public indignation to the brim;
and, as news arrived just at this time that the rebellion had
extended into Germany, and that all the legions in the German
provinces had gone over to Galba, Nero's power began to be
considered at an end. Tumults prevailed everywhere throughout the
city, and assemblies were held, threatening open defiance to the
authority of the emperor, and declaring the readiness of the people
to acknowledge Galba so soon as he should arrive.

Nero was now more terrified than ever. He knew not what to do. He
fled from his palace, and sought a retreat in certain gardens
near--acting in this, however, under the influence of a blind and
instinctive fear, rather than from any rational hope of securing his
safety by seeking such a place of refuge.

In fact, he was now perfectly distracted with terror. He procured
some poison before he left his palace, and carried it in a small
golden box with him to the gardens; but he had not strength or
resolution to take it. He then conceived of the plan of flying from
Rome altogether. He would go at once to Ostia, he said, and there
embark on board a ship and sail for Egypt, where, it might be
supposed, he would be out of the reach of his enemies. He asked his
officers and attendants if they would accompany him in this flight.
But they refused to go.

Then he began to talk of another plan. He would go and meet Galba as
a suppliant, and, falling upon his knees before the conqueror, would
implore him to spare his life. Or he would go into the Roman Forum,
and make a humble and supplicatory address to the people there,
imploring their forgiveness for his cruelties and crimes, and
solemnly promising never to be guilty of such excesses again, if
they would pardon and protect him. The by-standers told him that
such a proceeding was wholly out of the question; for if he were to
go forth for such a purpose from his retreat, the people were in
such a frenzy of excitement against him, that they would tear him
to pieces before he could reach the Rostra. In a word, the
distracted thoughts of the wretched criminal turned this way and
that, in the wild agitation with which remorse and terror filled his
mind, vainly seeking some way of escape from the awful dangers