Illustration: M de Lipman
Image: Nero Playing his Lyre while Rome burns (here)
3WW with words:
massive ruins strains
Which version was the correct story
Nero motivated by an insane whim
Sent out men to set fire to the city
Massive breakout brought Rome to ruins
Nero watched amid strains from his lyre
Safe from his palace atop the Palatine Hills
He could watch the consequence of his ire
Nonchalantly playing with such thrills
The other version had Nero in Antium
The fire was an accident and quickly spread
He organized rescue work and rehabilitation
Hard to say, all what you wish to believe like any story
ReplyDeleteHe went crazy I'd say. power hungry they were and still are
ReplyDeletehistory is written by those that win...until someone else wins and it is changed...and then we end up not knowing....
ReplyDeleteHmm the three aspects, all of em' could be true , who knows!
ReplyDeleteThe victor always writes the story they say
ReplyDeleteEither version would make for a great story.
ReplyDeleteWhich should we believe?
ReplyDeleteFeels as the second, simple and real...maybe :) ~ Good take, Hank!
ReplyDeleteEven if the second version is far more likely to be true, wouldn't it take something away from our fantasies of what ancient Rome and the mad dictators who controlled her was like? Very thought provoking piece!
ReplyDelete