§20Inter ceteras disciplinas pueritiae tempore imbutus et musica, statim ut imperium adeptus est, Terpnum citharoedum uigentem tunc praeter alios arcessiit diebusque continuis post cenam canenti in multam noctem assidens paulatim et ipse meditari exercerique coepit neque eorum quicquam omittere, quae generis eius artifices uel conseruandae uocis causa uel augendae factitarent;
Having been imbued during his childhood with other disciplines, and among them with music, immediately after he obtained the empire, he sent for Terpnus, the citharode, who was then preeminent above others. Sitting by him as he sang after dinner for continuous days far into the night, he gradually began to practice and exercise himself, and to omit none of those things which artists of that kind were accustomed to do, either for the sake of preserving or of strengthening the voice.
sed et plumbeam chartam supinus pectore sustinere et clystere uomituque purgari et abstinere pomis cibisque officientibus; donec blandiente profectu, quamquam exiguae uocis et fuscae, prodire in scaenam concupiit, subinde inter familiares Graecum prouerbium iactans occultae musicae
"nullum esse respectum. "
et prodit Neapoli primum ac ne concusso quidem repente motu terrae theatro ante cantare destitit, quam incohatum absolueret nomon.
Nay, he would even lie on his back and sustain a leaden plate on his chest, purge himself by clysters and vomiting, and abstain from fruits and foods injurious to the voice; until, encouraged by his progress, although his voice was thin and husky, he longed to appear upon the stage, frequently throwing out a Greek proverb among his friends, that "there is no regard for hidden music." And he appeared first at Neapolis, and not even when the theater was suddenly shaken by an earthquake did he cease singing until he had finished the nomos he had begun.
ibidem saepius et per complures cantauit dies; sumpto etiam ad reficiendam uocem breui tempore, impatiens secreti a balineis in theatrum transiit mediaque in orchestra frequente populo epulatus,
"si paulum subbibisset, aliquid se sufferi tinniturum"
Graeco sermone promisit. captus autem modulatis Alexandrinorum laudationibus, qui de nouo commeatu Neapolim confluxerant, plures Alexandria euocauit.
He sang in the same place quite often and for several days; even taking a short time to restore his voice, impatient of privacy, he went from the baths into the theater, and having dined in the middle of the orchestra before a crowded audience, he promised in the Greek tongue that, "if he drank a little, he would make some resonant sound." Moreover, captivated by the rhythmic applauses of the Alexandrians, who had flocked to Neapolis from a new cargo, he summoned more from Alexandria.
neque eo segnius adulescentulos equestris ordinis et quinque amplius milia e plebe robustissimae iuuentutis undique elegit, qui diuisi in factiones plausuum genera condiscerent — bombos et imbrices et testas uocabant — operamque nauarent cantanti sibi, insignes pinguissima coma et excellentissimo cultu, puris ac sine anulo laeuis, quorum duces quadringena milia sestertia merebant.
Nor was he any slower in choosing from all quarters young men of the equestrian order, and more than five thousand of the most robust youth from the common people, who, divided into factions, were to learn the different kinds of applause — which they called "buzzes," "tiles," and "pots" — and to bestow their efforts on him when he sang. They were conspicuous for their very thick hair and excellent dress, and for their left hands being clean and without rings, whose leaders earned four hundred thousand sesterces each.
§21Cum magni aestimaret cantare etiam Romae, Neroneum agona ante praestitutam diem reuocauit flagitantibusque cunctis caelestem uocem respondit quidem
"in hortis se copiam uolentibus facturum,"
sed adiuuante uulgi preces etiam statione militum, quae tunc excubabat,
"repraesentaturum"
se pollicitus est libens; ac sine mora nomen suum in albo profitentium citharoedorum iussit ascribi sorticulaque in urnam cum ceteris demissa intrauit ordine suo, simul praefecti praetorii citharam sustinentes, post tribuni militum iuxtaque amicorum intimi.
As he set a high value on singing even in Rome, he recalled the Neronia before the appointed day; and when all demanded his heavenly voice, he replied indeed that "he would satisfy those who wished it in his gardens," but as the guard of soldiers then on duty seconded the prayers of the crowd, he willingly promised that "he would present himself immediately." And without delay, he ordered his name to be written on the white board of the competing citharodes, and having cast his lot into the urn with the rest, he entered in his turn, with the praetorian prefects carrying his cithara, followed by the military tribunes, and the closest of his friends next to them.
utque constitit, peracto principio,
"Niobam se cantaturum"
per Cluuium Rufum consularem pronuntiauit et in horam fere decimam perseuerauit coronamque eam et reliquam certaminis partem in annum sequentem distulit, ut saepius canendi occasio esset.
And when he stood up, having completed his opening piece, he announced through Cluvius Rufus, a man of consular rank, that "he would sing Niobe," and continued until almost the tenth hour, and postponed that crown and the remaining part of the contest to the following year, so that there might be more frequent opportunities for singing.
quod cum tardum uideretur, non cessauit identidem se publicare.
Since this seemed too slow, he did not cease to exhibit himself publicly again and again.
dubitauit etiam an priuatis spectaculis operam inter scaenicos daret quodam praetorum sestertium decies offerente.
He even hesitated whether he should take part in private spectacles among the stage actors, when one of the praetors offered ten hundred thousand sesterces.
tragoedias quoque cantauit personatus heroum deorumque, item heroidum ac dearum, personis effectis ad similitudinem oris sui et feminae, prout quamque diligeret.
He also sang tragedies, wearing the masks of heroes and gods, and likewise of heroines and goddesses, with masks fashioned to the likeness of his own face or that of a woman, according as he loved each one.
inter cetera cantauit Canacen parturientem, Oresten matricidam, Oedipodem excaecatum, Herculem insanum.
Among other things, he sang Canace in labor, Orestes the matricide, Oedipus blinded, and Hercules mad.
in qua fabula fama est tirunculum militem positum ad custodiam aditus, cum eum ornari ac uinciri catenis, sicut argumentum postulabat, uideret, accurrisse ferendae opis gratia.
In which play, the story goes that a young recruit stationed to guard the entrance, when he saw him adorned and bound with chains, as the plot required, rushed forward to bring assistance.
§22Equorum studio uel praecipue ab ineunte aetate flagrauit plurimusque illi sermo, quanquam uetaretur, de circensibus erat;
He burned with a passion for horses, especially from his earliest youth, and most of his conversation, although it was forbidden, was about the circus games.
et quondam tractum prasini agitatorem inter condiscipulos querens, obiurgante paedagogo, de Hectore se loqui ementitus est.
And once, complaining among his schoolfellows about a driver of the green faction who had been dragged, when reproved by his tutor, he lied that he was speaking of Hector.
sed cum inter initia imperii eburneis quadrigis cotidie in abaco luderet, ad omnis etiam minimos circenses e secessu commeabat, primo clam, deinde propalam, ut nemini dubium esset eo die utique affuturum.
But although at the beginning of his reign he played daily with ivory chariots upon a board, he used to travel from his retirement to all, even the smallest circus games, at first secretly, then openly, so that no one had any doubt that on that day he would certainly be present.
neque dissimulabat uelle se palmarum numerum ampliari; quare spectaculum multiplicatis missibus in serum protrahebatur, ne dominis quidem iam factionum dignantibus nisi ad totius diei cursum greges ducere.
Nor did he conceal his wish that the number of palms should be increased; wherefore the spectacle was prolonged into the evening by multiplying the races, since even the masters of the factions no longer deigned to bring out their teams except for a whole day's racing.
mox et ipse aurigare atque etiam spectari saepius uoluit positoque in hortis inter seruitia et sordidam plebem rudimento uniuersorum se oculis in circo maximo praebuit, aliquo liberto mittente mappam unde magistratus solent.
Soon he also wished to drive chariots himself, and even to be seen more frequently; and having practiced in his gardens among slaves and the dirty plebeians, he presented himself to the eyes of all in the Circus Maximus, with a certain freedman dropping the napkin from the place where magistrates usually do.
nec contentus harum artium experimenta Romae dedisse, Achaiam, ut diximus, petit hinc maxime motus.
Not content with having given trials of these arts in Rome, he went, as we have said, to Achaia, moved chiefly by this reason.
instituerant ciuitates, apud quas musici agones edi solent, omnes citharoedorum coronas ad ipsum mittere.
The cities where musical contests are usually held had established the custom of sending all the crowns of the citharodes to him.
eas adeo grate recipiebat, ut legatos, qui pertulissent, non modo primos admitteret, sed etiam familiaribus epulis interponeret.
These he received so gratefully that he not only admitted first the ambassadors who brought them, but also placed them among his familiar guests at dinner.
a quibusdam ex his rogatus ut cantaret super cenam, exceptusque effusius,
"solos scire audire Graecos solosque se et studiis suis dignos"
ait. nec profectione dilata, ut primum Cassiopen traiecit, statim ad aram Iouis Cassii cantare auspicatus certamina deinceps obiit omnia.
Being asked by some of them to sing during dinner, and received with excessive applause, he said that "only the Greeks knew how to listen, and they alone were worthy of him and his pursuits." And without delaying his departure, as soon as he crossed to Cassiope, he immediately began singing at the altar of Jupiter Cassius, and thereafter went through all the contests.