Suetonius, Nero, ed. J. Eugene Reed, Alexander Thomson (Translator), 28

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Besides the debauch of married women, he comnmitted rape upon Rubria, a Vestal Virgin. He was upon the point of marrying Acte, ¹ his freedwoman, having suborned some men of consular rank to swear that she was of royal descent. ² That he entertained an incestuous passion for his mother,³ but was deterred by her enemies, for fear that this haughty and overbearing woman should, by her compliance, get him entirely into her power, and govern in every thing, was universally believed; especially after he had introduced amongst his concubines a strumpet, who was reported to have a strong resemblance to Agrippina.⁴

Nero. Suetonius. ed. J. Eugene Reed, Alexander Thomson (Translator). Philadelphia. 1883.

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Current edition Perseus

Nero (English) (Suetonius: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. Thomson, Alexander, M.D, translator; Reed, J.E., editor. Philadelphia: Gebbie and Company, 1889.)

Editions (1)

Nero Perseus (Suetonius. De Vita Caesarum Libri VIII. Ihm, Max, editor; Leipzig: Teubner, 1908.) — 28.1 focus

[1] Super ingenuorum paedagogia et nuptarum concubinatus Vestali uirgini Rubriae uim intulit. Acten libertam paulum afuit quin iusto sibi matrimonio coniungeret, summissis consularibus uiris qui regio genere ortam peierarent. puerum Sporum exectis testibus etiam in muliebrem naturam transfigurare conatus cum dote et flammeo per sollemnia nuptiarum celeberrimo officio deductum ad se pro uxore habuit; extatque cuiusdam non inscitus iocus

bene agi potuisse cum rebus humanis, si Domitius pater talem habuisset uxorem.

[2] hunc Sporum, Augustarum ornamentis excultum lecticaque uectum, et circa conuentus mercatusque Graeciae ac mox Romae circa Sigillaria comitatus est identidem exosculans. nam matris concubitum appetisse et ab obtrectatoribus eius, ne ferox atque impotens mulier et hoc genere gratiae praeualeret, deterritum nemo dubitauit, utique postquam meretricem, quam fama erat Agrippinae simillimam, inter concubinas recepit. olim etiam quotiens lectica cum matre ueheretur, libidinatum inceste ac maculis uestis proditum affirmant.

Translations (2)

Nero — English (Holland, 1899; selective 1606 variants) (OCR draft) Experimental (Reviewed existing structured XML; conservative source comparison and unresolved-note inventory, September 2026. English (Holland, 1899; selective 1606 variants))

No corresponding passage available

Nero — English (Rolfe, 1914; reviewed XML) (OCR draft) Experimental (Reviewed existing structured XML; conservative source comparison and unresolved-note inventory, September 2026. English (Rolfe, 1914; reviewed XML))

No corresponding passage available

Notes on the current edition

Nero

1. Acte was a slave who had been bought in Asia , whose beauty so captivated Nero that he redeemed her, and became greatly attached to her. She is supposed to be the concubine of Nero mentioned by St. Chrysostom, as having been converted by St. Paul during his residence at Rome . The Apostle speaks of the "Saints in Caesar's household." Phl. iv..22.

2. * * * Thomson omits some material here * * *

3. It is said that the advances were made by Agrippina, with flagrant indecency, to secure her power over him. See Tacitus, Annal. xiv. 2, 3.

Olim etiam, quoties lectica cum matre veheretur, libidinatum inceste, ac maculis vestis proditum, affirmant.

Suetonius Nero 28

ed. J. Eugene Reed, Alexander Thomson (Translator)

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