Al-though that Nero were as vicious [T. 14381.
As any feend that lyth ful lowe adoun,
Yet he, as telleth us Swetonius, 3655
This wyde world hadde in subieccioun,
Both Est and West, South and Septemtrioun;
Of rubies, saphires, and of perles whyte
Were alle his clothes brouded up and doun;
For he in gemmes greetly gan delyte. 3660
3653. E. Hn. Cm. _omit_ as. 3654. E. in helle; _rest_ full lowe.
3657. E. Hn. Cm. North (_but read_ South); Cp. Pt. Ln. Hl _omit_!
More delicat, more pompous of array, (481)
More proud was never emperour than he;
That ilke cloth, that he had wered o day,
After that tyme he nolde it never see.
Nettes of gold-thred hadde he gret plentee 3665
To fisshe in Tybre, whan him liste pleye.
His lustes were al lawe in his decree,
For fortune as his freend him wolde obeye.
He Rome brende for his delicacye;
The senatours he slow up-on a day. 3670
To here how men wolde wepe and crye; (491)
And slow his brother, and by his sister lay.
His moder made he in pitous array;
For he hir wombe slitte, to biholde
Wher he conceyved was; so weilawey! 3675
That he so litel of his moder tolde!
3673, 6. E. mooder.
No tere out of his yën for that sighte
Ne cam, but seyde, ‘a fair womman was she.’
Gret wonder is, how that he coude or mighte
Be domesman of hir dede beautee. 3680
The wyn to bringen him comaunded he, (501)
And drank anon; non other wo he made.
Whan might is Ioyned un-to crueltee,
Allas! to depe wol the venim wade!
3682. E. noon oother.
[260: T. 14413-14444.]
In youthe a maister hadde this emperour, 3685
To teche him letterure and curteisye,
For of moralitee he was the flour,
As in his tyme, but-if bokes lye;
And whyl this maister hadde of him maistrye,
He maked him so conning and so souple 3690
That longe tyme it was er tirannye (511)
Or any vyce dorste on him uncouple.
This Seneca, of which that I devyse,
By-cause Nero hadde of him swich drede,
For he fro vyces wolde him ay chastyse 3695
Discreetly as by worde and nat by dede;—
‘Sir,’ wolde he seyn, ‘an emperour moot nede
Be vertuous, and hate tirannye’—
For which he in a bath made him to blede
On bothe his armes, til he moste dye. 3700
3694. Cm. Bycause that. 3695. Hn. Cm. ay; _rest omit._ [3699.
_Misnumbered_ 520 _in the_ Aldine Edition; _but corrected further on._]
This Nero hadde eek of acustumaunce (521)
In youthe ageyn his maister for to ryse,
Which afterward him thoughte a greet grevaunce;
Therfor he made him deyen in this wyse.
But natheles this Seneca the wyse 3705
Chees in a bath to deye in this manere
Rather than han another tormentyse;
And thus hath Nero slayn his maister dere.
3703. E. (_only_) _omits_ a. 3707. E. any oother.
Now fil it so that fortune list no lenger
The hye pryde of Nero to cheryce; 3710
For though that he were strong, yet was she strenger; (531)
She thoughte thus, ‘by god, I am to nyce
To sette a man that is fulfild of vyce
In heigh degree, and emperour him calle.
By god, out of his sete I wol him tryce; 3715
When he leest weneth, sonest shal he falle.’
3711. E. Hn. was; _the rest_ were.
[261: T. 14445-14476.]
The peple roos up-on him on a night
For his defaute, and whan he it espyed,
Out of his dores anon he hath him dight
Alone, and, ther he wende han ben allyed, 3720
He knokked faste, and ay, the more he cryed, (541)
The faster shette they the dores alle;
Tho wiste he wel he hadde him-self misgyed,
And wente his wey, no lenger dorste he calle.