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Sunday, August 29, 2010 - 11:43 AM
Nero upon this, without sufficiently examining the credibility
of the author of the story, or of the matter itself, or sending persons
through whom he might ascertain whether the intelligence was true, himself
actually encouraged the report and despatched men to bring the spoil, as
if it were already acquired. They had triremes assigned them and crews
specially selected to promote speed. Nothing else at the time was the subject
of the credulous gossip of the people, and of the very different conversation
of thinking persons. It happened, too, that the quinquennial games were
being celebrated for the second time, and the orators took from this same
incident their chief materials for eulogies on the emperor. "Not only,"
they said, "were there the usual harvests, and the gold of the mine with
its alloy, but the earth now teemed with a new abundance, and wealth was
thrust on them by the bounty of the gods." These and other servile flatteries
they invented, with consummate eloquence and equal sycophancy, confidently
counting on the facility of his belief.
Extravagance meanwhile increased, on the strength of a chimerical
hope, and ancient wealth was wasted, as apparently the emperor had lighted
on treasures he might squander for many a year. He even gave away profusely
from this source, and the expectation of riches was one of the causes of
the poverty of the State. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire indeed dug up his land and extensive plains
in the neighbourhood, while he persisted that this or that was the place
of the promised cave, and was followed not only by our soldiers but by
the rustic population who were engaged to execute the work, till at last
he threw off his infatuation, and expressing wonder that his dreams had
never before been false, and that now for the first time he had been deluded,
he escaped disgrace and danger by a voluntary death. Some have said that
he was imprisoned and soon released, his property having been taken from
him as a substitute for the royal treasure.
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