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he was bound with chains; for it was not fitting for a Roman emperor to be bound with iron ones. But a certain soldier, seeing him bound, became indignant and running up, loosed him. And another, when someone asked what the emperor was doing, answered that "he is giving birth;" for he was acting out some such thing at the time. He also began to dig through the Isthmus of the Peloponnese, although the people were hesitant. So taking a mattock himself, and digging up a little, he persuaded the others also by necessity to imitate him. But it is said that blood gushed forth for the first ones who touched the earth and that wails and bellowings were heard and an apparition of many phantoms occurred. This man also first began the persecution against the Christians, and killed Peter and Paul, the chief of the apostles, at the same time, as Eusebius relates, bringing forward testimonies from older writers.3.41 But others say that both apostles were perfected on the same day, but in a different year and another. And after Peter, Linus became the first high priest of Rome. While Nero was still in Greece, the Jews openly revolted; and he sent Vespasian against them. And those in Britain and the Gauls, being burdened by the taxes, were greatly vexed and inflamed. And Gaius Julius Vindex, a man who was a Roman senator through his father, seeing his fellow Gauls eager for revolt, incited them through his public speeches, and made them swear to do everything for the senate and people of Rome, and to kill himself if he did anything contrary to this. And he proclaimed as emperor Servius Sulpicius Galba, who was of patrician stock, and at that time governor of Iberia. And he accepted the leadership, but was unwilling to assume the titles of supreme power at that time. But as the revolt was prolonged, Vindex slew himself, being exceedingly grieved that the soldiers with him were endangered, and being indignant with his fate that having striven for such a thing, to depose Nero and free the Romans, he did not accomplish it. For he applied himself to this with such zeal that when Nero offered a reward of two hundred and fifty myriads to the one who brought him the head of Vindex, that man said, "He who kills Nero and brings his head to me, shall receive mine in return." 3.42 But Nero, learning that Petronius too, whom he had sent ahead with the greater part of the army against the rebels, had sided with Galba, no longer had any hope in arms, but planned to kill the senators and burn the city and sail to Alexandria, suggesting that "even if we fall from power, our little art will at least support us there." But as he was about to do these things, the senate, having recalled the guard from around Nero, entered the camp, and declared him an enemy, and chose Galba as emperor. And Nero, when he perceived that he had been deserted by his guards, put on shabby clothing and mounted a horse no better, and with his head covered, so that he might escape notice, he fled by night with Epaphroditus and Sporus. But being recognized, so that he was even hailed as emperor by one of those who met him, he turned from the road and hid himself in a certain place full of reeds. But the people in Rome, when it became day, were overjoyed and filled the city with garlands, and some even wore freedman's caps as if they had been liberated, the senate decreed to Galba the things pertaining to the rule. The mob both jeered at Nero and killed and dragged away many of those who had been powerful under him. And the soldiers and others had made a search for him, and learning where he was, they sent horsemen after him. But he, perceiving them approaching, ordered those present to kill both himself and them. And when they did not obey, he groaned loudly. Then, wishing to kill Sporus and not being able, he said, "I alone have neither friend nor foe." And as the horsemen were already drawing near, he struck himself, 3.43 saying, "O Zeus,

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ἐδεῖτο ἁλύσεσιν· οὐ γὰρ επρεπε ̔Ρωμαίων αὐτοκράτορα σιδηραῖς δεῖσθαι. στρατιώτης δέ τις ἰδὼν αὐτὸν δεδεμένον ἠγανάκτησε καὶ προσδραμὼν ελυσεν. ετερος δέ, ἐρομένου τινὸς τί ποιεῖ ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ, ἀπεκρίνατο οτι "τίκτει·" τοιοῦτον γάρ τι ὑπεκρίνετο τότε. ηρξατο δὲ καὶ τὸν ̓Ισθμὸν τῆς Πελοποννήσου διορύξαι, καίπερ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὀκνούντων. λαβὼν ουν αὐτὸς δίκελλαν, καί τι καὶ ἀνασκάψας, επεισε καὶ τοὺς αλλους ἀνάγκῃ αὐτὸν μιμήσασθαι. αιμα δὲ τοῖς πρώτοις ἁψαμένοις τῆς γῆς λέγεται ἀναβλύσαι καὶ οἰμωγὰς καὶ μυκηθμοὺς ἐξακούεσθαι καὶ εἰδώλων γενέσθαι φαντασίαν πολλῶν. Ουτος πρῶτος καὶ τοῦ κατὰ Χριστιανῶν ηρξατο διωγμοῦ, καὶ Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον τοὺς κορυφαίους τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπέκτεινε κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρόν, ὡς Εὐσέβιος ἱστορεῖ, ἐκ παλαιοτέρων συγγραφέων μαρ3.41 τυρίας παράγων. ετεροι δὲ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν μὲν ἡμέραν φασὶ τελειωθῆναι καὶ αμφω τοὺς ἀποστόλους, ἐν αλλῳ δ' ετει καὶ αλλῳ. μετὰ δὲ Πέτρον πρῶτος ἀρχιερεὺς τῆς ̔Ρώμης ὁ Λίνος ἐγένετο. Ετι δ' ἐν τῇ ̔Ελλάδι οντος τοῦ Νέρωνος ̓Ιουδαῖοι εἰς προῦπτον ἀπέστησαν· καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν επεμψε. καὶ οἱ ἐν τῇ Βρεττανίᾳ δὲ καὶ οἱ Γαλάται βαρυνόμενοι ταῖς εἰσφοραῖς ησχαλλον ἐκ πλείονος καὶ ἐφλέγμαινον. Γάιος δὲ ̓Ιούλιος Οὐίνδιξ, ἀνὴρ κατὰ τὸν πατέρα βουλευτὴς τῶν ̔Ρωμαίων, ὁρῶν τοὺς ὁμοφύλους Γαλάτας ὀργῶντας πρὸς ἀποστασίαν, δι' ων ἐδημηγόρησεν ἠρέθισεν αὐτούς, καὶ ωρκωσε πάντα ὑπὲρ τῆς βουλῆς καὶ τοῦ δήμου τῶν ̔Ρωμαίων ποιήσειν, καὶ ἑαυτόν, αν τι παρὰ ταῦτα πράξῃ, φονεύσειν. αὐτοκράτορα δὲ Γάλβαν τὸν Σερούιον τὸν Σουλπίκιον προεχειρίσατο, γενόμενον ἐξ εὐπατριδῶν, καὶ τότε τῆς ̓Ιβηρίας αρχοντα. καὶ ος τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἐδέξατο, οὐκ ἠθέλησε δὲ τὰς τῆς αὐταρχίας ἐπικλήσεις προσλαβεῖν τότε. τῆς δ' ἀποστασίας παρατεινομένης ὁ Οὐίνδιξ ἑαυτὸν ἀπέσφαξε, τῶν μετ' αὐτοῦ στρατιωτῶν κινδυνευσάντων ὑπεραλγήσας, καὶ πρὸς τὸ δαιμόνιον ἀγανακτήσας οτι τοιούτου πράγματος ὀριγνηθείς, τοῦ τὸν Νέρωνα καταλῦσαι καὶ τοὺς ̔Ρωμαίους ἐλευθερῶσαι, οὐκ ἐξετέλεσεν αὐτό. τοσαύτῃ γὰρ προθυμίᾳ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐχρήσατο ωστε τοῦ Νέρωνος διακοσίας καὶ πεντήκοντα μυριάδας ἐπικηρύξαντος τῷ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Οὐίνδικος κομίσοντι αὐτῷ, ἐκεῖνος εφη οτι "ὁ Νέρωνα ἀποκτείνας καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου κομίσας μοι κεφαλήν, τὴν ἐμὴν ἀντιλήψεται." 3.42 ̔Ο δὲ Νέρων μαθὼν καὶ τὸν Πετρώνιον, ον κατὰ τῶν ἐπαναστάντων μετὰ τοῦ πλείονος προεπεπόμφει στρατεύματος, τὰ τοῦ Γάλβου φρονήσαντα, οὐκέτ' οὐδεμίαν ἐλπίδα τῶν οπλων εσχεν, ἀλλ' ἐβουλεύσατο τούς τε βουλευτὰς ἀποκτεῖναι καὶ τὴν πόλιν καταπρῆσαι καὶ πλεῦσαι εἰς ̓Αλεξάνδρειαν, ὑπειπὼν οτι "αν καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκπέσωμεν, ἀλλὰ τό γε τέχνιον ἡμᾶς διαθρέψει ἐκεῖ." μέλλοντος δὲ ταῦτα δράσειν ἡ βουλὴ τὴν περὶ τὸν Νέρωνα φρουρὰν ἀποκαλέσασα εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον, καὶ τὸν μὲν πολέμιον ἀπέφηνε, τὸν δὲ Γάλβαν ἀνθείλετο αὐτοκράτορα. Νέρων δὲ ὡς ῃσθετο οτι ὑπὸ τῶν φυλάκων ἐγκαταλέλειπται, ἐσθῆτά τε φαύλην ἐνέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ ιππον οὐδὲν βελτίονα ἀνέβη, καὶ κατακεκαλυμμένος, οπως διαλάθῃ, μετὰ ̓Επαφροδίτου καὶ τοῦ Σπόρου νυκτὸς εφυγε. γνωρισθεὶς δὲ ὡς καὶ παρά του τῶν ἀπαντησάντων αὐτοκράτωρ προσαγορευθῆναι, τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀπετράπετο καὶ εἰς καλαμώδη τόπον τινὰ κατεκρύφθη. ̔Ο δὲ δῆμος ἐν τῇ ̔Ρώμῃ, ἐπεὶ ἡμέρα ἐγένετο, ὑπερέχαιρον καὶ τὴν πόλιν στεφανωμάτων ἐπλήρωσαν, καί τινες καὶ πιλία ὡς ἠλευθερωμένοι εφερον, ἡ βουλὴ τῷ Γάλβᾳ τὰ τῇ ἀρχῇ προσήκοντα ἐψηφίσατο. ὁ δὲ ομιλος εις τε τὸν Νέρωνα ἀπέσκωπτον καὶ συχνοὺς τῶν παρ' αὐτῷ δυνηθέντων φονεύοντες ειλκον. ἐκείνου δὲ ζήτησιν οἱ στρατιῶται καὶ αλλοι πεποίηντο, καὶ γνόντες οπῃ ποτὲ ην, επεμψαν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἱππέας. ὁ δὲ προσιόντας αὐτοὺς αἰσθόμενος προσέταξε τοῖς παροῦσι καὶ ἑαυτὸν καὶ σφᾶς ἀποκτεῖναι. ὡς δ' οὐχ ὑπήκουον, μέγα ἐστέναξεν. ειτα τὸν Σπόρον ἀνελεῖν θελήσας καὶ μὴ δυνηθείς, "ἐγὼ μόνος" εφη "ουτε φίλον ουτε ἐχθρὸν εχω." καὶ ηδη πελασάντων τῶν ἱππέων αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπάταξεν, 3.43 εἰπών "ω Ζεῦ,