Suicide of Nero
Emperor Nero, having fled Rome after being declared a public enemy by the Senate, takes refuge in the Villa of Phaon. Realizing that his capture and execution are imminent, he prepares to take his own
Setting
A secluded chamber in the Villa of Phaon, a modest country estate located approximately four miles outside Rome. The room is sparsely furnished with marble floors and walls adorned with simple frescoes depicting pastoral scenes. A narrow window allows a view of the surrounding countryside.
Characters
Nero
primary
A man in his early 30s, with a once-handsome face now marred by exhaustion and fear. His curly reddish-brown hair is unkempt, and his eyes, usually bright with arrogance, are now wide with panic. His body, once pampered and soft from imperial luxury, appears gaunt and tense.
Epaphroditus
secondary
A middle-aged freedman of Greek descent, Epaphroditus has a wiry build and sharp features, with deep-set eyes that betray both intelligence and weariness. His olive skin is marked by the lines of a life spent in service, and his dark hair is streaked with gray, pulled back in a simple Roman style.
Phaon
secondary
A middle-aged freedman of sturdy build, with short-cropped grey hair and a weathered face that bears the marks of a hard life. His dark eyes are alert but weary, and his posture suggests a man accustomed to both physical labor and the subtleties of navigating Roman society.
Slave Boy
background
A thin adolescent boy of approximately 14 years, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his wide, fearful eyes. His olive skin is marked with faint whip scars across his shoulders. Short, curly black hair clings to his damp forehead.
Dialog
Nero
Qualis artifex pereo! What an artist dies with me!
Epaphroditus
Dominus, the horsemen approach from the Nomentana road. If it pleases you...the moment demands resolution.
Nero
Resolution? You want the sun of Rome to plunge himself into darkness? Does the world deserve such barbarity?
Epaphroditus
The Senate has spoken, Caesar. There is...there is no theater left in which to perform.
Nero
Eheu! Then let them hear my final ode!
Epaphroditus
Ad vitam aeternam, Dominus. I will guide your hand, as I have guided your words.
Nero
Sic...sic transit gloria mundi.