Νέρων
Nero
Translated by Cindy Whitcomb9 Dec 2002Vetting: high14 revisions
Translation
Nero, while still young, studied with philosophers and was examining closely the things concerning Christ; for he supposed that he was still living among men. And when he understood that [Christ] had been crucified by the Jews, he felt irritation and commanded that the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas and Pilate himself, who had been ruling then, come [to him] in chains. And having presided over the Senate, he learned the things that happened concerning him. Therefore those around Annas and Caiaphas were saying about him that "we handed him over to the laws and we did not err in our loyalty;2 for the ruler who had authority, did what he wished." Therefore, Nero, irritated, threw Pilate into prison and released those with Annas and Caiaphas. Simon the Magus was then at his prime. And when Peter and Simon were arguing in the presence of Nero, Pilate was brought from the prison. And when the three were standing before Nero, he asked Simon, "Are you the Christ?" and he said, "Yes". Next he asked Peter, "Are you the Christ?" and he said, "No; for while I was standing beside him, he was taken up into heaven". And [Nero] also asked Pilate, "Which out of these men is the one called Christ?". And he said, "Neither one; for on the one hand, Peter became his disciple and was brought into my presence as his disciple and he denied him, saying, 'I do not know the man.'3 And I let him go. On the other hand, this Simon was in no way known to me, and he had nothing in resemblance to that one; for this one is both Egyptian and quite filled out and with long hair and dark, entirely different from the form of that man". Therefore, the emperor, irritated, on the one hand against Simon, having falsely called himself the Christ, on the other hand against Peter, having denied his teacher, threw them out from the council. He cut off Pilate's head, as one daring to kill such a great man without royal command.
And Nero acquired the name "clay mixed with blood".
[sc. This material] is in the [entry on] Alexander Aigaios.4
Greek original · Adler’s text
Νέρων, βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίων. οὗτος κραταιουμένης αὐτῷ τῆς βασιλείας ἐς ἀνοσίους πράξεις ἐξώκειλε καὶ ἀλλότρια τῆς βασιλείας ἐπετήδευσε πράγματα, κιθαρίζων καὶ τραγῳδῶν καὶ ὀρχούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν θεάτρων. καὶ πρὸς πάσαις αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀθεμιτουργίαις καὶ τὸ τῆς θεομαχίας μύσος προσέθηκε, διώκτης πρῶτος γενόμενος τοῦ θείου λόγου. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀνεῖλε καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ ἑαυτόν. ὅτι Νέρων ἔτι νέος ὢν ἐσχόλαζε φιλοσόφοις καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατεμάνθανεν· ἔτι γὰρ ἐνόμιζεν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συναναστρέφεσθαι. καὶ μαθών, ὅτι ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐσταυρώθη, ἠγανάκτησε καὶ προσέταξεν ἐλθεῖν τοὺς ἱερεῖς Ἄνναν καὶ Καϊάφαν καὶ αὐτὸν Πιλάτον τὸν ἄρχοντα τότε γενόμενον σιδηροδεσμίους. καὶ καθίσας ἐπὶ τῆς συγκλήτου τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ πεπραγμένα κατεμάνθανεν. οἱ οὖν περὶ τὸν Ἄνναν καὶ Καϊάφαν ἔλεγον, ὅτι ἡμεῖς τοῖς νόμοις αὐτὸν παρεδώκαμεν καὶ εἰς καθοσίωσιν οὐχ ἡμάρτομεν· ὁ γὰρ ἄρχων ἐξουσίαν ἔχων ὅσα ἠβουλήθη ἔπραξεν. ἀγανακτήσας οὖν ὁ Νέρων Πιλάτον ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ ἐνέβαλε, τοὺς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἄνναν καὶ Καϊάφαν ἀπέλυσεν. ἤκμαζε δὲ τότε καὶ Σίμων ὁ μάγος. καὶ διαλεγομένων Πέτρου καὶ Σίμωνος παρουσίᾳ Νέρωνος, ἤχθη Πιλάτος ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου· καὶ παρισταμένων τῶν τριῶν τῷ Νέρωνι, ἐρωτᾷ τὸν Σίμωνα, σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; ὁ δὲ λέγει, ναί. εἶτα ἐρωτᾷ τὸν Πέτρον, σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; ὁ δὲ λέγει, οὔ· ἐμοῦ γὰρ παρισταμένου εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνελήφθη. ἠρώτησε δὲ καὶ τὸν Πιλάτον, ποῖός ἐστιν ἐκ τούτων ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός; καὶ εἶπεν, οὐδὲ εἷς· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πέτρος μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ γέγονε καὶ εἰσηνέχθη παρ' ἐμοὶ ὡς μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἠρνήσατο αὐτὸν λέγων, οὐκ οἶδα τὸν ἄνθρωπον· καὶ ἀπέλυσα αὐτόν. οὗτος δὲ ὁ Σίμων οὐδαμῶς ἔγνωσταί μοι, οὐδεμίαν δὲ ἔχει ὁμοιότητα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον· ἔστι γὰρ οὗτος καὶ Αἰγύπτιος καὶ ἐμπληθὴς καὶ κατάκομος καὶ μέλας, παντελῶς τῆς ἐκείνου μορφῆς ἀλλότριος. ἀγανακτήσας οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ μὲν τοῦ Σίμωνος ὡς ψευσαμένου καὶ εἰπόντος ἑαυτὸν Χριστόν, κατὰ δὲ τοῦ Πέτρου ὡς ἀρνησαμένου τὸν διδάσκαλον ἐξέβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ συνεδρίου. τὸν δὲ Πιλάτον τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀπέτεμεν ὡς τηλικοῦτον ἄνθρωπον ἀνελεῖν τολμήσαντα δίχα βασιλικῆς προστάξεως. ὡς δὲ ἐκλήθη ὁ Νέρων πηλὸς αἵματι πεφυρμένος. κεῖται ἐν τῷ Ἀλέξανδρος Αἰγαῖος.
Betacode
*ne/rwn, basileu\s *(rwmai/wn. ou(=tos krataioume/nhs au)tw=| th=s basilei/as e)s a)nosi/ous pra/ceis e)cw/keile kai\ a)llo/tria th=s basilei/as e)peth/deuse pra/gmata, kiqari/zwn kai\ tragw|dw=n kai\ o)rxou/menos e)pi\ tw=n qea/trwn. kai\ pro\s pa/sais au)tou= tai=s a)qemitourgi/ais kai\ to\ th=s qeomaxi/as mu/sos prose/qhke, diw/kths prw=tos geno/menos tou= qei/ou lo/gou. meta\ de\ tau=ta a)nei=le kai\ th\n mhte/ra kai\ e(auto/n. o(/ti *ne/rwn e)/ti ne/os w)\n e)sxo/laze filoso/fois kai\ ta\ peri\ tou= *xristou= katema/nqanen: e)/ti ga\r e)no/mizen au)to\n toi=s a)nqrw/pois sunanastre/fesqai. kai\ maqw/n, o(/ti u(po\ tw=n *)ioudai/wn e)staurw/qh, h)gana/kthse kai\ prose/tacen e)lqei=n tou\s i(erei=s *)/annan kai\ *kai+a/fan kai\ au)to\n *pila/ton to\n a)/rxonta to/te geno/menon sidhrodesmi/ous. kai\ kaqi/sas e)pi\ th=s sugklh/tou ta\ peri\ au)tou= pepragme/na katema/nqanen. oi( ou)=n peri\ to\n *)/annan kai\ *kai+a/fan e)/legon, o(/ti h(mei=s toi=s no/mois au)to\n paredw/kamen kai\ ei)s kaqosi/wsin ou)x h(ma/rtomen: o( ga\r a)/rxwn e)cousi/an e)/xwn o(/sa h)boulh/qh e)/pracen. a)ganakth/sas ou)=n o( *ne/rwn *pila/ton e)n tw=| desmwthri/w| e)ne/bale, tou\s de\ peri\ to\n *)/annan kai\ *kai+a/fan a)pe/lusen. h)/kmaze de\ to/te kai\ *si/mwn o( ma/gos. kai\ dialegome/nwn *pe/trou kai\ *si/mwnos parousi/a| *ne/rwnos, h)/xqh *pila/tos a)po\ tou= desmwthri/ou: kai\ paristame/nwn tw=n triw=n tw=| *ne/rwni, e)rwta=| to\n *si/mwna, su\ ei)= o( *xristo/s; o( de\ le/gei, nai/. ei)=ta e)rwta=| to\n *pe/tron, su\ ei)= o( *xristo/s; o( de\ le/gei, ou)/: e)mou= ga\r paristame/nou ei)s to\n ou)rano\n a)nelh/fqh. h)rw/thse de\ kai\ to\n *pila/ton, poi=o/s e)stin e)k tou/twn o( lego/menos *xristo/s; kai\ ei)=pen, ou)de\ ei(=s: o( me\n ga\r *pe/tros maqhth\s au)tou= ge/gone kai\ ei)shne/xqh par' e)moi\ w(s maqhth\s au)tou= kai\ h)rnh/sato au)to\n le/gwn, ou)k oi)=da to\n a)/nqrwpon: kai\ a)pe/lusa au)to/n. ou(=tos de\ o( *si/mwn ou)damw=s e)/gnwstai/ moi, ou)demi/an de\ e)/xei o(moio/thta pro\s e)kei=non: e)/sti ga\r ou(=tos kai\ *ai)gu/ptios kai\ e)mplhqh\s kai\ kata/komos kai\ me/las, pantelw=s th=s e)kei/nou morfh=s a)llo/trios. a)ganakth/sas ou)=n o( basileu\s kata\ me\n tou= *si/mwnos w(s yeusame/nou kai\ ei)po/ntos e(auto\n *xristo/n, kata\ de\ tou= *pe/trou w(s a)rnhsame/nou to\n dida/skalon e)ce/balen au)tou\s a)po\ tou= sunedri/ou. to\n de\ *pila/ton th=s kefalh=s a)pe/temen w(s thlikou=ton a)/nqrwpon a)nelei=n tolmh/santa di/xa basilikh=s prosta/cews. w(s de\ e)klh/qh o( *ne/rwn phlo\s ai(/mati pefurme/nos. kei=tai e)n tw=| *)ale/candros *ai)gai=os.
Notes (4)
- Ruled AD 54-68. See generally Miriam Griffin in OCD(4) s.v.; and De Imperatoribus Romanis entry by Herbert Benario at web address 1. The present entry begins with George the Monk, Chronicon 381.19-382.1, before turning (at greater length) to John of Antioch fr.90 FHG (4.574), now 172 Roberto.
- 1Agrippina. ↩
- 2cf. kappa 122. ↩
- 3Matthew 26.70, 72, 74 (web address 2); Mark 14.71 (web address 3); Luke 22.57 (web address 4). ↩
- 4alpha 1128. ↩
External resources
- Web address 1 roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu
- Web address 2 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 3 perseus.tufts.edu
- Web address 4 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from8 entries
- α1128Ἀλέξανδρος ΑἰγαῖοςAlexandros Aigaios, Alexandrus Aegaeus, Alexander of AegaePeripatetic philosopher; teacher of the emperor Nero, along with the philosopher Chaeremon. He had a son called Caelinus. This man used to call Nero 'clay mixed with blood'. In my view, bad pupils have worse teachers;…
- δ1351ΔομετιανόςDomitianos, Domitianus, DomitianEmperor of [the] Romans, younger brother of Titus, similar in manner to Nero and Caligula and Tiberius, who all ruled in a very shameful and base fashion, rather than to his father and brother. For when he had managed…
- ε3612ΕὔοδοςEuodos, EuodusOf Rhodes, epic poet, lived under Nero, remarkable for poetry in Latin. His books are lost.
- κ122Καθοσίωσιςtreason; holiness[A term deriving] from being against the holy, that is [against] the emperor. "In the time when Theodosius was emperor of the Romans, Symmachus, of consular rank, issued a speech for the imperial despot Maximus and,…
- κ1032Κατειλημμένονovertaken[Meaning] constrained, encircled. "When he saw himself overtaken by the dangers, he wrote songs."
- κ1708ΚλαύδιοςKlaudios, Claudius[Claudius] became emperor after having been a private citizen; though in his soul he was not base but indeed trained himself through education so that he even made some compositions, in his body he was sickly so that he…
- κ2098ΚορνοῦτοςCornutusThere were two Roman writers, Titus Livius, whose name spread in greatness and fame, and Cornutus. I hear that the latter was rich and childless, but not at all worthy. So great was the difference of disciples between…
- μ474Μελεδωνόςcaretaker[Meaning a] mentor, overseer. Aelian [writes]: "he designated his own brother the guardian of his son and caretaker of the money [which he left to his son]. But he [sc. the brother], being impious, was striving to usurp…
Neighbouring entries
Revision history14 revisions · last 29 Oct 2020
- modified translation — Catharine Roth
- tweaked translation — Catharine Roth
- tweaked note — Catharine Roth
- updated a ref — David Whitehead
- coding — Catharine Roth
- sorted links — Catharine Roth
- coding — Catharine Roth
- updated a ref — David Whitehead
- more keywords; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- augmented primary note; more keywords; tweaks — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- modified translation; augmented notes; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- modified links — Catharine Roth
- Translated — Cindy Whitcomb