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The Discovery of New Worlds, 05. The Great Fire in Rome

05. The Great Fire in Rome

"Darkening the golden roof of Nero's world, From smouldering Rome the smoke of ruin curled. " —WM. WATSON.

It has been said, and perhaps it is true, that the emperor was mad at times and not responsible for all he did. Be this as it may, the year 64 was marked by a terrible fire in Rome, which lasted nearly a week and left a great part of Rome in ashes.

The summer had been hot and dry. One warm night in July a fire broke out in some wooden sheds where were stored quantities of spices, oil, and other materials likely to feed the flames. It has been said that the emperor himself set the city on fire in his mad rage; and that, posted on one of the highest points of Rome, dressed in one of his dramatic costumes, he took his lyre, and chanted the verses of Homer on the burning and destruction of Troy.

Here is the account from one of the old historians, Tacitus:—

"All was in the wildest confusion. Men ran hither and thither: some sought to extinguish the conflagration, some never heard that their houses were on fire till they lay in ashes. All shrieked and cried—men, women, children, old folks—in one vast confusion of sound, so that nothing could be distinguished for the noise, as nothing could be seen clearly for the smoke. Some stood silent and in despair, many were engaged in rescuing their possessions, whilst others were hard at work plundering. Men quarrelled over what was taken out of the burning houses, while the crush swayed this way and that way.

"Whilst this was going on at different points, a wind arose and spread the flames over the whole city. No one any longer thought of saving goods and houses, none now lamented their individual losses: all wailed over the general ruin and lamented the fate of the commonwealth. " The treasures gained in the East, the beautiful works of the Greek artists—statues, pictures, temples,—all were gone. A few shattered ruins stood up from among the ashes, and that was all.

Whispers that Nero had lit this fire grew loud. The emperor trembled. The guilt must be laid on some one. Why not on the Christians, who refused to take part in the emperor's riots and plays, his feasts and banquets. They were regarded with suspicion: they would be better away. As they had burned the city, argued the emperor, they themselves should be burned.

At the head of the Christians in Rome Paul was now working with his fellow-apostle Peter. He had toiled hard during his two years' residence in the great city, where the people had lost their ideals, lost their old love of freedom for their state, and lapsed into that condition of ease and luxury which, sooner or later, brings every nation to its fall. Paul was an old man now. His appeal to Nero had been successful, and he had been set at liberty. Here he had written his letters to the men of Ephesus (or the Ephesians),—beautiful letters, sad yet full of hope.

Again and again he repeated his charge to the brethren; they must carry on the work. His own end was near, his fight was nearly fought, his course was nearly finished. The end was now come.

One night a great show was announced by Nero to be held in the circus, within the gardens of the Imperial palace, at the foot of the Vatican Hill. It was summer time, and the Roman people crowded to take their places in the circus, now lit up by the flaming torches. The arena was full of stakes to which were tied human beings—Christians—wrapped in cloths of tow steeped in pitch. While these living torches flared and the shrieks of the martyrs rose above the noise of the music, Nero appeared dressed in green, in an ivory chariot, and drove on the gold sand round the circus.

But this was more than the Romans could endure, and, moved to pity, they begged that the dreadful spectacle should cease.

In this first persecution of the Christians it is said that both Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom in some form or other. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was beheaded; Peter was crucified, as his Master had been before him.

A great revulsion of feeling now set in against Nero. Such tyranny must end in disgrace. As time went on, one by one deserted him: courtiers, slaves, freedmen, all forsook him. At last the very guards at his palace left their post, and he made up his mind to flee from Rome. He could find no one to fly with him.

"Is it so hard to die?" said one man, quoting the poet Virgil.

"I have neither friend nor foe left," wailed Nero, when the gladiator he had ordered to kill him failed to do it. It was night, a hot summer night, when the wretched emperor disguised himself and rode forth to seek a hiding-place, where at any rate his life might be safe. Summer lightning was flashing over the Alban Hills: it lit up the road before the flying emperor. He shivered with fear. As the morning dawned he was persuaded to creep into a villa owned by a freedman, Phaon. Through a hole at the back he crawled on all-fours, and threw himself on a miserable pallet inside.

A messenger rushed in with a letter. Nero snatched it from his hand and tore it open. He had been declared an enemy of the state, and was sentenced to die a traitor's death. He must die now. Again and again he strove to nerve himself for the last effort, but it was not till the sound of the horses' hoofs was heard that he put the dagger to his throat. So died Nero, the last of the Cæsars!

05. The Great Fire in Rome 05. Der große Brand in Rom 05. El gran incendio de Roma 05. Le grand incendie de Rome 05. Il grande incendio di Roma 05.ローマの大火 05. Didysis gaisras Romoje 05. O Grande Incêndio em Roma 05. Великий пожар в Риме 05. Велика пожежа в Римі 05.罗马大火

"Darkening the golden roof of Nero's world, From smouldering Rome the smoke of ruin curled. "Oscurando il tetto dorato del mondo di Nerone, da Roma fumante si arricciava il fumo della rovina. "네로의 세계의 황금빛 지붕을 어둡게 하고, 연기가 자욱한 로마에서 폐허의 연기가 피어올랐다. " —WM. WATSON.

It has been said, and perhaps it is true, that the emperor was mad at times and not responsible for all he did. Já foi dito, e talvez seja verdade, que o imperador às vezes era louco e não era responsável por tudo o que fazia. Be this as it may, the year 64 was marked by a terrible fire in Rome, which lasted nearly a week and left a great part of Rome in ashes. 64년은 로마에서 발생한 끔찍한 화재로 표시되었으며, 거의 일주일 동안 지속되어 로마의 대부분을 잿더미로 만들었습니다.

The summer had been hot and dry. One warm night in July a fire broke out in some wooden sheds where were stored quantities of spices, oil, and other materials likely to feed the flames. Em uma noite quente de julho, ocorreu um incêndio em alguns galpões de madeira onde eram armazenadas quantidades de especiarias, óleo e outros materiais que poderiam alimentar as chamas. It has been said that the emperor himself set the city on fire in his mad rage; and that, posted on one of the highest points of Rome, dressed in one of his dramatic costumes, he took his lyre, and chanted the verses of Homer on the burning and destruction of Troy. 황제 자신이 광적인 분노로 도시를 불태웠다고 합니다. 그는 화려한 의상을 입고 로마의 가장 높은 지점 중 하나에 배치되어 거문고를 들고 트로이의 불타고 멸망에 관한 호메로스의 시를 읊었습니다. Foi dito que o próprio imperador incendiou a cidade em sua fúria louca; e que, postado em um dos pontos mais altos de Roma, vestido com um de seus trajes dramáticos, ele pegou sua lira e cantou os versos de Homero sobre o incêndio e destruição de Tróia.

Here is the account from one of the old historians, Tacitus:— Ecco il resoconto di uno degli storici più antichi, Tacito:-

"All was in the wildest confusion. «Все було в дикому замішанні. Men ran hither and thither: some sought to extinguish the conflagration, some never heard that their houses were on fire till they lay in ashes. Gli uomini correvano di qua e di là: alcuni cercavano di spegnere la conflagrazione, altri non hanno mai sentito che le loro case erano in fiamme finché non sono rimaste in cenere. Os homens corriam de um lado para o outro: alguns procuravam extinguir o incêndio, outros nunca souberam que suas casas estavam pegando fogo até virarem cinzas. All shrieked and cried—men, women, children, old folks—in one vast confusion of sound, so that nothing could be distinguished for the noise, as nothing could be seen clearly for the smoke. Todos gritavam e choravam - homens, mulheres, crianças, velhos - em uma vasta confusão de sons, de modo que nada podia ser distinguido pelo barulho, como nada podia ser visto claramente pela fumaça. Some stood silent and in despair, many were engaged in rescuing their possessions, whilst others were hard at work plundering. Alguns ficaram em silêncio e em desespero, muitos estavam empenhados em resgatar suas posses, enquanto outros trabalhavam arduamente na pilhagem. Men quarrelled over what was taken out of the burning houses, while the crush swayed this way and that way. Gli uomini litigavano per ciò che veniva portato via dalle case in fiamme, mentre la calca ondeggiava di qua e di là. Mężczyźni kłócili się o to, co zostało wyjęte z płonących domów, podczas gdy tłok kołysał się w tę i w tę stronę. Os homens discutiam sobre o que era tirado das casas em chamas, enquanto a multidão balançava para um lado e para o outro.

"Whilst this was going on at different points, a wind arose and spread the flames over the whole city. „Podczas gdy działo się to w różnych punktach, zerwał się wiatr i rozprzestrzenił płomienie na całe miasto. "Enquanto isso acontecia em diferentes pontos, um vento se levantou e espalhou as chamas por toda a cidade. No one any longer thought of saving goods and houses, none now lamented their individual losses: all wailed over the general ruin and lamented the fate of the commonwealth. " Ninguém mais pensava em salvar bens e casas, ninguém agora lamentava suas perdas individuais: todos lamentavam a ruína geral e lamentavam o destino da comunidade. " Ніхто більше не думав про порятунок добра й будинків, ніхто тепер не журився про свої окремі втрати: всі ридали над загальними руїнами і нарікали на долю посполитої. " The treasures gained in the East, the beautiful works of the Greek artists—statues, pictures, temples,—all were gone. Скарби, здобуті на Сході, прекрасні роботи грецьких художників — статуї, картини, храми — все зникло. A few shattered ruins stood up from among the ashes, and that was all. Algumas ruínas estilhaçadas se ergueram entre as cinzas, e isso foi tudo.

Whispers that Nero had lit this fire grew loud. Szepty, że Nero rozpalił ten ogień, stały się głośne. Sussurros de que Nero havia acendido o fogo aumentaram. Пошепки, що Нерон запалив цей вогонь, ставали гучними. The emperor trembled. O imperador tremeu. Імператор затремтів. The guilt must be laid on some one. Ktoś musi zrzucić winę. A culpa deve ser colocada em alguém. Why not on the Christians, who refused to take part in the emperor's riots and plays, his feasts and banquets. Dlaczego nie na chrześcijan, którzy odmówili udziału w rozruchach i przedstawieniach cesarza, jego ucztach i bankietach. Por que não nos cristãos, que se recusavam a participar dos tumultos e jogos do imperador, de suas festas e banquetes? Чому б не на християн, які відмовилися брати участь у заворушеннях і виставах імператора, його бенкетах і бенкетах. They were regarded with suspicion: they would be better away. Traktowano ich z podejrzliwością: byłoby im lepiej. Eles foram vistos com desconfiança: seria melhor irem embora. As they had burned the city, argued the emperor, they themselves should be burned. Tak jak spalili miasto, przekonywał cesarz, oni sami powinni zostać spaleni. Como eles haviam queimado a cidade, argumentou o imperador, eles próprios deveriam ser queimados.

At the head of the Christians in Rome Paul was now working with his fellow-apostle Peter. Na czele chrześcijan w Rzymie Paweł pracował teraz ze swoim współapostołem Piotrem. À frente dos cristãos em Roma, Paulo estava agora trabalhando com seu companheiro apóstolo Pedro. He had toiled hard during his two years' residence in the great city, where the people had lost their ideals, lost their old love of freedom for their state, and lapsed into that condition of ease and luxury which, sooner or later, brings every nation to its fall. Ele trabalhou arduamente durante seus dois anos de residência na grande cidade, onde as pessoas perderam seus ideais, perderam seu antigo amor pela liberdade de seu estado e caíram naquela condição de conforto e luxo que, mais cedo ou mais tarde, traz todos os nação à sua queda. Paul was an old man now. Paul era um homem velho agora. His appeal to Nero had been successful, and he had been set at liberty. Jego apel do Nerona odniósł sukces i został wypuszczony na wolność. Seu apelo a Nero foi bem-sucedido e ele foi posto em liberdade. Його звернення до Нерона було успішним, і він був звільнений. Here he had written his letters to the men of Ephesus (or the Ephesians),—beautiful letters, sad yet full of hope.

Again and again he repeated his charge to the brethren; they must carry on the work. Він знову й знову повторював своє доручення до братів; вони повинні продовжувати роботу. His own end was near, his fight was nearly fought, his course was nearly finished. Jego własny koniec był bliski, jego walka była prawie stoczona, jego bieg był prawie skończony. Seu próprio fim estava próximo, sua luta estava quase travada, seu curso estava quase terminado. Його власний кінець був близький, його бій майже закінчився, його курс майже закінчився. The end was now come. Nadszedł koniec.

One night a great show was announced by Nero to be held in the circus, within the gardens of the Imperial palace, at the foot of the Vatican Hill. Certa noite, foi anunciado por Nero um grande espetáculo a ser realizado no circo, nos jardins do palácio imperial, aos pés da colina do Vaticano. It was summer time, and the Roman people crowded to take their places in the circus, now lit up by the flaming torches. Було літо, і римський народ юрмився, щоб зайняти свої місця в цирку, тепер освітленому палаючими смолоскипами. The arena was full of stakes to which were tied human beings—Christians—wrapped in cloths of tow steeped in pitch. L'arena era piena di pali a cui erano legati esseri umani - cristiani - avvolti in panni di stoppa imbevuti di pece. Arena była pełna kołków, do których przywiązani byli ludzie — chrześcijanie — owinięci w płótna z pakuły przesiąknięte smołą. A arena estava cheia de estacas às quais estavam amarrados seres humanos - cristãos - envoltos em panos de estopa embebidos em piche. Арена була повна кілків, до яких були прив’язані людські істоти — християни, — загорнуті в клоччя, просочені смолою. While these living torches flared and the shrieks of the martyrs rose above the noise of the music, Nero appeared dressed in green, in an ivory chariot, and drove on the gold sand round the circus. Enquanto essas tochas vivas brilhavam e os gritos dos mártires se elevavam acima do barulho da música, Nero apareceu vestido de verde, em uma carruagem de marfim, e dirigiu na areia dourada ao redor do circo. Поки ці живі смолоскипи спалахували, а крики мучеників здіймалися над шумом музики, Нерон з’явився, одягнений у зелене, у колісниці зі слонової кістки й поїхав по золотому піску навколо цирку.

But this was more than the Romans could endure, and, moved to pity, they begged that the dreadful spectacle should cease. Ale to było więcej, niż Rzymianie mogli znieść, i wzruszeni litością, błagali, aby straszny spektakl się skończył. Але це було більше, ніж римляни могли витримати, і, розчулені, вони благали, щоб жахливе видовище припинилося.

In this first persecution of the Christians it is said that both Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom in some form or other. W tym pierwszym prześladowaniu chrześcijan mówi się, że zarówno Paweł, jak i Piotr ponieśli męczeństwo w takiej czy innej formie. У цьому першому переслідуванні християн говориться, що і Павло, і Петро в тій чи іншій формі зазнали мученицької смерті. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was beheaded; Peter was crucified, as his Master had been before him.

A great revulsion of feeling now set in against Nero. Зараз проти Нерона виникла велика відраза почуттів. Such tyranny must end in disgrace. Taka tyrania musi skończyć się hańbą. As time went on, one by one deserted him: courtiers, slaves, freedmen, all forsook him. W miarę upływu czasu jeden po drugim go opuszczali: dworzanie, niewolnicy, wyzwoleńcy, wszyscy go opuścili. Минав час, один за одним покидали його: придворні, раби, вільновідпущенники — усі покинули його. At last the very guards at his palace left their post, and he made up his mind to flee from Rome. W końcu strażnicy w jego pałacu opuścili swoje posterunki i postanowił uciec z Rzymu. He could find no one to fly with him. Nie mógł znaleźć nikogo, kto by z nim latał.

"Is it so hard to die?" „Czy tak trudno jest umrzeć?” said one man, quoting the poet Virgil. — сказав один чоловік, цитуючи поета Вергілія.

"I have neither friend nor foe left," wailed Nero, when the gladiator he had ordered to kill him failed to do it. „Nie mam już ani przyjaciela, ani wroga”, zawodził Nero, gdy gladiator, któremu kazał go zabić, nie zdołał tego zrobić. It was night, a hot summer night, when the wretched emperor disguised himself and rode forth to seek a hiding-place, where at any rate his life might be safe. Była noc, gorąca letnia noc, kiedy nieszczęsny cesarz przebrał się i wyruszył w poszukiwaniu kryjówki, gdzie w każdym razie jego życie mogłoby być bezpieczne. Summer lightning was flashing over the Alban Hills: it lit up the road before the flying emperor. Letnie błyskawice rozbłysły nad Wzgórzami Albańskimi: oświetliły drogę przed latającym cesarzem. He shivered with fear. Zadrżał ze strachu. Він здригнувся від страху. As the morning dawned he was persuaded to creep into a villa owned by a freedman, Phaon. O świcie został przekonany, by wślizgnąć się do willi należącej do wyzwoleńca, Phaona. На рассвете его уговорили пробраться на виллу, принадлежащую вольноотпущеннику Фаону. Through a hole at the back he crawled on all-fours, and threw himself on a miserable pallet inside. Wczołgał się na czworakach przez dziurę z tyłu i rzucił się na nędzny siennik do środka. Через дыру в задней стенке он пролез на четвереньках и бросился на жалкий поддон внутри.

A messenger rushed in with a letter. Posłaniec wpadł z listem. Вбежал гонец с письмом. Nero snatched it from his hand and tore it open. Nero gliela strappò di mano e la aprì. Nero wyrwał mu go z ręki i rozerwał. Нерон выхватил его из рук и разорвал. He had been declared an enemy of the state, and was sentenced to die a traitor's death. He must die now. Again and again he strove to nerve himself for the last effort, but it was not till the sound of the horses' hoofs was heard that he put the dagger to his throat. Più e più volte si sforzò di prendere i nervi per l'ultimo sforzo, ma solo quando si sentì il rumore degli zoccoli dei cavalli si puntò il pugnale alla gola. Raz za razem usiłował się zmobilizować do ostatniego wysiłku, ale dopiero gdy dał się słyszeć stukot końskich kopyt, przyłożył sztylet do gardła. So died Nero, the last of the Cæsars! Così morì Nerone, l'ultimo dei Cesari! Tak umarł Neron, ostatni z cezarów!