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A misplaced king
Recently when I am reading history of rome, I came across a man who is very impressive. He is one of the greatest kings in ancient rome according to bbc, his is name is Nero. Maybe he just is remembered by his cruelty, his executions of his own mother, wife and many others. But when it comes to me, I describe him as misplaced king, he is rather an artist than king.
Do you know it is whose idea to build the gymnasiums and theatres made of marble and brick? It’s nero. He is an archaeologist. In neor’s time, there was a big fire accidentally caused and destroyed half of rome because all buildings of low class were made of wood. Nero according to tacitus, a historian at that time, spared no efforts to put out the fire. And after that he passionately put forward a marvelous plan of rebuilding the rome in marble and brick which would never catch fire again. However the senate denied it due to the shortage of money. Anyway he carried it out . As the senate had ever predicted the project was postponed because of the money. But to nero there shouldn’t be any delay of his creation and designing, he ordered his general to steal money from the temples to complete the project, which obviously angry the senate, and partly led to the future overthrown. Nero, he is quite mad in the eye of the senate’s. in the terms of king, he is much too passionate, too emotional, he is a idealist. These are the characteristics totally against king’s.
He loved drama, poem, music and he was encouraged to sing and perform in public to the Senate and people. He is such a perfectionist that he kick her dearest wife to death because of her mention of his little mistake made during the play which he brilliantly performed. he is a crazy artist and is too hard on himself maybe because of the pressure as a king. After his beloved wife’s death, he abandoned himself in all kinds of parties and finally exiled by the senate by force, then killed.
It is the king’s position, the power, the right gradually leads nero to his tragedy. I have noticed that he used to be very careful and a kind of coward, but he was encouraged by his most trusted advisor that to rule the world as a king. The unstable fear, the flooded sensitivity, the ambitious dream, the godlike power, they push nero step by step to his final destruction. What if he is simply an artist, Colosseums will be still there, gladiators fighting against the beasts without him in the throne, his wife would company him till death, appreciating, admiring his poem, his play, his music with wearing crown. What an artist the world will lose in me! he said at last. It is strongly commented that nero never regard or place himself as a king.
This misplaced king triggers us to think profoundly what you are, where you belong to. Remember him, simply as an artist. |
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