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Nero
The one 'fact' that everyone knows about Emperor Nero is that he fiddled while Rome burned. But what elements of nature and nuture combined to make this notorious character? An entertaining view is presented by Titus Petronius, Nero's pleasure-loving Advisor on Taste, through whose eyes we see the tumultuous, and ultimately tragic, life of the emperor.But is it a view we can trust? As their relationship develops, Petronius finds to his dismay that his personal sympathies lie more with the mad emperor than with the forces that seek to keep him in check. Caught between his own beliefs and the political realities of his time, he finds himself walking a path which will lead him and others inevitably to disaster.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
25 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
David Wishart
57 books95 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 5, 2022
Read this book in 2008, and its a standalone book about the life of Emperor Nero and all its eccentricities.
Seen through the eyes of Nero's pleasure-loving Advisor on Taste, Titus Petronius, this biography of Nero's life as Emperor will be combined with fact and fiction, and all that produced in a most wonderful fashion by the author.
Is it a view we can trust, we can only surmise, because this Petronius will choose the side of his mad master, in all its dangers, instead of keeping him in check with the other forces.
But this decision by Petronius will turn into disaster when his mad Emperor Nero will become such a tragic figure, that the end is predictable in its outcome.
What is to follow is an astonishing view on the life and rule of Emperor Nero with all its dangers, eccentricities, tragic and ultimate death of a man possessed and obsessed with art and the thought that life is a stage performance, and that will bring him down in a most theatrical way.
Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful retelling as a kind of biography of Nero's life and rule as Emperor, and that's why I like to call this book: "A Fascinating Nero"!
Seen through the eyes of Nero's pleasure-loving Advisor on Taste, Titus Petronius, this biography of Nero's life as Emperor will be combined with fact and fiction, and all that produced in a most wonderful fashion by the author.
Is it a view we can trust, we can only surmise, because this Petronius will choose the side of his mad master, in all its dangers, instead of keeping him in check with the other forces.
But this decision by Petronius will turn into disaster when his mad Emperor Nero will become such a tragic figure, that the end is predictable in its outcome.
What is to follow is an astonishing view on the life and rule of Emperor Nero with all its dangers, eccentricities, tragic and ultimate death of a man possessed and obsessed with art and the thought that life is a stage performance, and that will bring him down in a most theatrical way.
Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful retelling as a kind of biography of Nero's life and rule as Emperor, and that's why I like to call this book: "A Fascinating Nero"!
September 25, 2024
pretty good for what it is... some excellent dialogue, character moments and sensory detail (for which wishart seems to have a special eye).
something about petronius didn't quite connect with me. not because i dislike the character—though i do—but... i'm not certain why, tbh. the voice itself is consistently excellent and petronius reveals himself a layered, believable character... nero himself is a study in character writing... a sumptuous banquet of imperial mommy issues... all the ingredients are there. maybe for a book so full of sex it's lacking in any sort of eros? that is true, but is it the reason? i can't tell.
come back to me in a few days.
something about petronius didn't quite connect with me. not because i dislike the character—though i do—but... i'm not certain why, tbh. the voice itself is consistently excellent and petronius reveals himself a layered, believable character... nero himself is a study in character writing... a sumptuous banquet of imperial mommy issues... all the ingredients are there. maybe for a book so full of sex it's lacking in any sort of eros? that is true, but is it the reason? i can't tell.
come back to me in a few days.
March 14, 2017
Petronius, Nero's "Arbiter of Taste" has been condemned to death for treason. He has opened his veins, and while having them bound up temporarily, then opened, then closed, tells his friends his contact with Nero [called herein Lucius, his birth name] through the years. Wishart gives us a more sympathetic view of the mad emperor than we usually get. Petronius doesn't gloss over his cruelty, but admits there is some good in there deep down. The bad is egged on by such folks as Tigellinus, er, "Tiggy".
I loved the sardonic, dry, sometimes humorous tone put into Petronius's mouth. Recommended. 3.5/5.
I loved the sardonic, dry, sometimes humorous tone put into Petronius's mouth. Recommended. 3.5/5.
November 25, 2018
I have read many good books this year, but I do say Nero might be the best and David Wishart a new favorite author! This was an incredibly entertaining tale and I could hardly put it down. The writing was unique and Wishart is clearly an expert on Roman history. Both the historical and fictional characters were brought to life, this conversations and scandals so intriguing. I've already downloaded another of Wishart's novels and am looking forward to another tantalizing story about one of history's most delicious time periods.
The story of Nero is told from the prospective of his Minister of Taste, Titus. Titus has been condemned to death by suicide and as he slowly bleeds to death, he dictates his life at the emperor's side to his slave, Dion. As Titus retells his story, he frequently comments on Dion's facial expressions which made the story so different! I absolutely loved this style of story telling, it was as if I myself were sitting in the room as Titus shares his interesting life in his final moments. All true as well.
Titus begins his life of knowing Nero when the emperor is fresh to the thrown. Titus' lover, Silia, is conspiring to break Nero away from his evil mother, Agrippina, by seducing him with a friend who shares his taste of the arts. Thus Titus becomes privy to the mental instability the Claudian emperors are famous for. David Wishart's description of Nero's moods was enthralling and horrifying. Nero is unable to distinguish reality from fantasy as his love for theater and music becomes his sole focus.
Titus tries desperately to support the emperor by focusing on his redeeming qualities and till the end (by Wishart's interpretation) insists that Nero is manipulated by those around him seeking power. When the most famous story of Nero, playing the lyre as Rome burns, Titus remarks that he only understands the theatrical drama of the situation, not the human suffering. Nero is responsible for so many insane and horrific incidents, he is mentally unstable but the most powerful man in the world.
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this novel. The story telling, the dialogue, the drama was so relatable that I felt afraid when Titus interacted with Nero, run Titus, RUN! I would recommend this novel to anyone, you don't have to be a historical fiction fan to appreciate this story, although a background basic understanding of Ancient Rome would be helpful. Great novel.
The story of Nero is told from the prospective of his Minister of Taste, Titus. Titus has been condemned to death by suicide and as he slowly bleeds to death, he dictates his life at the emperor's side to his slave, Dion. As Titus retells his story, he frequently comments on Dion's facial expressions which made the story so different! I absolutely loved this style of story telling, it was as if I myself were sitting in the room as Titus shares his interesting life in his final moments. All true as well.
Titus begins his life of knowing Nero when the emperor is fresh to the thrown. Titus' lover, Silia, is conspiring to break Nero away from his evil mother, Agrippina, by seducing him with a friend who shares his taste of the arts. Thus Titus becomes privy to the mental instability the Claudian emperors are famous for. David Wishart's description of Nero's moods was enthralling and horrifying. Nero is unable to distinguish reality from fantasy as his love for theater and music becomes his sole focus.
Titus tries desperately to support the emperor by focusing on his redeeming qualities and till the end (by Wishart's interpretation) insists that Nero is manipulated by those around him seeking power. When the most famous story of Nero, playing the lyre as Rome burns, Titus remarks that he only understands the theatrical drama of the situation, not the human suffering. Nero is responsible for so many insane and horrific incidents, he is mentally unstable but the most powerful man in the world.
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this novel. The story telling, the dialogue, the drama was so relatable that I felt afraid when Titus interacted with Nero, run Titus, RUN! I would recommend this novel to anyone, you don't have to be a historical fiction fan to appreciate this story, although a background basic understanding of Ancient Rome would be helpful. Great novel.
September 3, 2018
The story of Nero told from the perspective of the famous 'Arbiter of Elegance'. In short, not so exciting. Bland in fact. Capably written, but no zest.
September 25, 2019
Odpočinková četba (i autor možná u psaní odpočíval), pokud si člověk moc nepřipouští k tělu hrůzy incestu a pedofilie a nespravedlnosti a využívání druhých. Lucius byl vykreslen celkem sympaticky.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2019
THE MAN AL MOST HAD IT ALL AT THE END HE HAD NOTHING AT ALL. I THINK IT WAS GREED???
August 27, 2018
Originally published on my blog here in April 2002.
The first few Roman emperors have a real enduring fascination, having among them some of the most over-the-top characters in history. Writers from Suetonius and Tacitus onwards (and most famously in the last few decades Robert Graves) have recounted the scandals which surround their extravagances. Nero is of course one of the most notorious, scandals associated with him including murder, incest and arson (if he is indeed to blame for the burning of Rome), while on the other hand being artistic, passionate about music and the theatre.
One of the best known figures of Nero's reign was his advisor on taste, Petronius. When his favourites fell from grace, Nero had a tendency to suggest that they kill themselves, and this happened to Petronius two years before Nero's own death. The method he used (as described by Tacitus) was to gradually drain his blood by slitting his wrists and having slaves tighten and loosen tourniquets, while entertaining his friends and dictating an account of Nero's crimes, to be sent to the Emperor. The conceit of this historical novel is that it is that account, a no holds barred, behind the scenes description of the life of one of history's monsters, by a member of his intimate circle.
This intriguing idea is realised as a distinctly camp first person narrative, as Petronius catlogues being unwillingly drawn into the dangerous imperial circle. Most of the scandal is based on the accounts in surviving histories, Wishart's major additions being conferences between those close to Nero seeking ways to curb the world's most powerful man and diminish the unfortunate influences (as they see it) of Agrippina, Poppaea, and Tigellinus. Another addition is contact with Saint Paul.
Even before reading this novel, it had occurred to me to wonder how the Roman Empire survived the excesses of this period and being under an absolute ruler with no interest in government. Wishart doesn't answer this question, any more than Suetonius and Tacitus do. Instead, he gives an entertaining picture of Nero, with excellent writing using rapid changes of mood as a lighthearted humorous scene is given a sudden chill by Nero's unpredictable behaviour. The most chilling moment of all comes with Petronius' attendance at Nero's famous party lit by torches made of the bodies of burning Christians. Nero is perhaps best read in small doses, as the style given to Petronius quickly ceases to be amusing and begins to irritate. Since this is part of Wishart's characterisation of his narrator, it is not a reflection on the quality of the writing.
Wishart also makes a kind of psychological diagnosis of Nero through the observations of Petronius, seeing him as someone whose problem was an inability to separate life and drama. This is seen to manifest itself in a taste for theatrical display (as in the famous story, included by Wishart but, I think, considered likely to be apocryphal, of the fiddling during the burning of Rome), in an inability to understand the human cost of his actions particularly when ordering a killing and in a tendency to edit the past in his mind and believe that this version was what had actually happened. He comes across as a larger than life, "luvvy"-ish actor whose tragedy was his relationship with his mother and her ability to elevate him to the Imperial throne to which he was not at all suited. It seems convincing enough when reading the novel, though it is clearly extrapolation; there is definitely not enough detail in the historical records for a psychiatric diagnosis.
The first few Roman emperors have a real enduring fascination, having among them some of the most over-the-top characters in history. Writers from Suetonius and Tacitus onwards (and most famously in the last few decades Robert Graves) have recounted the scandals which surround their extravagances. Nero is of course one of the most notorious, scandals associated with him including murder, incest and arson (if he is indeed to blame for the burning of Rome), while on the other hand being artistic, passionate about music and the theatre.
One of the best known figures of Nero's reign was his advisor on taste, Petronius. When his favourites fell from grace, Nero had a tendency to suggest that they kill themselves, and this happened to Petronius two years before Nero's own death. The method he used (as described by Tacitus) was to gradually drain his blood by slitting his wrists and having slaves tighten and loosen tourniquets, while entertaining his friends and dictating an account of Nero's crimes, to be sent to the Emperor. The conceit of this historical novel is that it is that account, a no holds barred, behind the scenes description of the life of one of history's monsters, by a member of his intimate circle.
This intriguing idea is realised as a distinctly camp first person narrative, as Petronius catlogues being unwillingly drawn into the dangerous imperial circle. Most of the scandal is based on the accounts in surviving histories, Wishart's major additions being conferences between those close to Nero seeking ways to curb the world's most powerful man and diminish the unfortunate influences (as they see it) of Agrippina, Poppaea, and Tigellinus. Another addition is contact with Saint Paul.
Even before reading this novel, it had occurred to me to wonder how the Roman Empire survived the excesses of this period and being under an absolute ruler with no interest in government. Wishart doesn't answer this question, any more than Suetonius and Tacitus do. Instead, he gives an entertaining picture of Nero, with excellent writing using rapid changes of mood as a lighthearted humorous scene is given a sudden chill by Nero's unpredictable behaviour. The most chilling moment of all comes with Petronius' attendance at Nero's famous party lit by torches made of the bodies of burning Christians. Nero is perhaps best read in small doses, as the style given to Petronius quickly ceases to be amusing and begins to irritate. Since this is part of Wishart's characterisation of his narrator, it is not a reflection on the quality of the writing.
Wishart also makes a kind of psychological diagnosis of Nero through the observations of Petronius, seeing him as someone whose problem was an inability to separate life and drama. This is seen to manifest itself in a taste for theatrical display (as in the famous story, included by Wishart but, I think, considered likely to be apocryphal, of the fiddling during the burning of Rome), in an inability to understand the human cost of his actions particularly when ordering a killing and in a tendency to edit the past in his mind and believe that this version was what had actually happened. He comes across as a larger than life, "luvvy"-ish actor whose tragedy was his relationship with his mother and her ability to elevate him to the Imperial throne to which he was not at all suited. It seems convincing enough when reading the novel, though it is clearly extrapolation; there is definitely not enough detail in the historical records for a psychiatric diagnosis.
September 26, 2016
I was skeptical going into this book, seeing as I was not exactly kind to Wishart in my review of I, Virgil. I purchased it on a whim because I'll take what I can get when it comes to books featuring Petronius, but I didn't have high hopes. Seeing how Wishart handled the Augustan era, I was unsure that the Neronians would fare any better.
However, I was very pleasantly surprised when I read Nero. The story is told from the perspective of Titus Petronius Niger, Nero's so-called Arbiter of Elegance, telling the tale of his dealings with Nero as he slowly lets his wrists bleed out after being condemned to death by the unhappy emperor. Petronius is a charming narrator- sometimes sarcastic, oftentimes frivolous, and on the whole a raunchy and fun character to follow. And Wishart's Nero- called Lucius in Petronius's narration- is, while sympathetically portrayed at times, still generally handled well. Wishart does not attempt to make him into an anti-hero or completely diminish the terrible things he is said to have done, only to take what is likely a wildly exaggerated ancient portrait of Nero and make it into something a little more believable.
Wishart does take his liberties, both with facts and with general interpretations of ancient figures, but in Nero he does it well, and in fairness he does mention the liberties he takes with the historical facts of Petronius's life for the purpose of better telling the story. This can certainly be forgiven. Portraying Nero in a more sympathetic light is a bit riskier. Yet Wishart does a surprisingly good job with it. It's not a common view of Nero's life, but Wishart creates a good balance between the faults of those who raised Nero and the faults inherent to Nero's character. The result is a book with a charming narrator and a gripping story, one that has you in turn pitying and disgusted by the titular character who so horrified the Roman people. I did not go into this book expecting much, but I must give credit where credit is due- kudos to Wishart for this one.
However, I was very pleasantly surprised when I read Nero. The story is told from the perspective of Titus Petronius Niger, Nero's so-called Arbiter of Elegance, telling the tale of his dealings with Nero as he slowly lets his wrists bleed out after being condemned to death by the unhappy emperor. Petronius is a charming narrator- sometimes sarcastic, oftentimes frivolous, and on the whole a raunchy and fun character to follow. And Wishart's Nero- called Lucius in Petronius's narration- is, while sympathetically portrayed at times, still generally handled well. Wishart does not attempt to make him into an anti-hero or completely diminish the terrible things he is said to have done, only to take what is likely a wildly exaggerated ancient portrait of Nero and make it into something a little more believable.
Wishart does take his liberties, both with facts and with general interpretations of ancient figures, but in Nero he does it well, and in fairness he does mention the liberties he takes with the historical facts of Petronius's life for the purpose of better telling the story. This can certainly be forgiven. Portraying Nero in a more sympathetic light is a bit riskier. Yet Wishart does a surprisingly good job with it. It's not a common view of Nero's life, but Wishart creates a good balance between the faults of those who raised Nero and the faults inherent to Nero's character. The result is a book with a charming narrator and a gripping story, one that has you in turn pitying and disgusted by the titular character who so horrified the Roman people. I did not go into this book expecting much, but I must give credit where credit is due- kudos to Wishart for this one.
February 22, 2013
An interesting take on the life of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus- better know as Nero - by his Advisor of Taste Titus Petronius.
Based on historical sources and a wonderful imagination, author David Wishart presents 16 years in the life of one of Rome's more notorious emperors.
Based on historical sources and a wonderful imagination, author David Wishart presents 16 years in the life of one of Rome's more notorious emperors.
February 7, 2007
I don't remember it too well because I read it so long ago, but I know I enjoyed it at the time.
January 31, 2014
Didn't enjoy. Not what I expected.
January 9, 2014
Trying to find a copy!
July 11, 2013
Zlatá Jarmila Loukotková a její Není římského lidu.
January 26, 2018
Good, but not as good as some of Wishart's other non-Corvinus books. Maybe because the outcome is a foregone conclusion: we're told right at the start that Petronius has opened his veins and is slowly dying while he dictates the story to his scribe… Nevertheless an interesting and largely sympathetic interpretation of Nero's actions and motivations.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews