It would be very easy to dismiss Nero
as simply an evil person with a soul blacker than night. While he did horrible things it is unlikely
that he started out as a truly evil person.
His soul was twisted with time and power. He let the vast amount of power he commanded
go to his head, which led him to do horrible, reckless, and thoughtless
things. After all his reign did not
begin with terror and persecution, it began with peace, art, and a moderate
emperor. It was only as the years passed
that Nero began to do such horrible things.
Also, even after his entire reign of terror as many describe it (the
senate) the people remembered him as moderate and a good leader. The liked him enough to decorate his tomb
that is not an honor that would be bestowed on someone hated by everyone. And generally rulers proclaimed as evil are
proclaimed thus by the people. If the
people likes a ruler then that ruler cannot be entirely evil can they?
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