In doing this it was
necessary, according to the customs and usages in respect to the
training of musicians that prevailed in those days, that he should
submit to rules and exercises most absurd and degrading to one
holding such a station as his; and as accounts of his mode of life
circulated among the community, he became an object of general
ridicule and contempt. In order to strengthen his lungs and improve
his voice he used to lie on his back with a plate of lead upon his
chest, that the lungs, working under such a burden, might acquire
strength by the effort. He took powerful medicines, such as were
supposed in those days to act upon the system in such a manner as to
produce clearness and resonance in the tones of the voice. He
subjected himself to the most rigid rules of diet,--and gave up the
practice of addressing the senate and the army, which the Roman
emperors often had occasion to do, for fear that speaking so loud
might strain his voice and injure the sweetness of its tones. He had
a special officer in his household, called his _Phonascus_, meaning
his voice-keeper. This officer was to watch him at all times,
caution him against speaking too loud or too fast,--prescribe for
him, and in every way take care that his voice received no
detriment. During all this time Nero was continually performing in
public, and though his performances were protracted and tedious to
the last degree, all the Roman nobility were compelled always to
attend them, under pain of his horrible displeasure.

As Nero went on thus in the career which he had chosen,--neglecting
altogether the affairs of government, and giving himself up more and
more every year to the most expensive dissipation, his finances
became at length greatly involved, and he was compelled to resort to
every possible form of extortion, in order to raise the money that
he required. His pecuniary embarrassments became, at length, very
perplexing, and they were finally very much increased by the
extraordinary folly which he displayed in giving credence to the
dreams and promises of a certain adventurer who came to him from
Africa. The name of this man was Bessus. He was a native of
Carthage. He came, at one time, to Rome, and having contrived, by
means of presents and bribes which he offered to the officers of
Nero's household, to obtain an audience of the emperor, he informed
him that he had intelligence of the highest importance to
communicate, which was, that on