University of Arkansas. Fall, 2006.
Latin 2003: Petronius
Suetonius LIFE OF NERO Study Guide
These are the type of (if not exact) questions likely
to be on the English Quiz.
Please Read Suetonius’ Life of Nero, either
from the linked edition from Project Gutenberg, or from the Penguin
edition. Section numbers of the text and the Penguin edition of the Life
of Nero are given below.
1. What was Nero’s family name? How distinguished were they? (Sections
I-III, Penguin page.213)
2. What kind of man was Nero’s father? Describe some of the things
he did that give evidence of this character. (Section V, Penguin page 215)
3. How did baby Nero escape Messalina’s assassins? (Section VI, Penguin
page 216)
4. How old was Nero when he was proclaimed emperor? With what celebrations
did he begin his reign? List a couple of his earliest imperial actions.
(Sections VIII-X, Penguin pages 217-8)
5. What kinds of gifts did he give to the people at his celebrations?
(Sections X-XII, Penguin pages 218-9)
6. Describe some of the attributes of Nero’s new architecture. (Section
XVI, Penguin page 221)
7. What kinds of musical exercises did Nero undertake to strengthen
himself? How did people generally react to his performances? (Section
XX, Penguin page 222)
8. Since they were not allowed to leave, to what lengths were some of
Nero’s audience forced to go? (Section XXIII, Penguin page 225)
9. How was he treated by the judges in singing competitions? In chariot
races? (Sections XXIII-XXIV, Penguin pages 225-6)
10. What kind of fun did Nero like to have after dark? List several
of his crimes and escapades. (Section XXVI, Penguin page 227)
11. Who were some of his sexual victims, and what did he do to them?
(Section XXVII, Penguin page 228)
12. “After defiling almost every part of his body,” describe
the new game Nero invented. (Section XXIX, Penguin page 228)
13. Describe some of the features and rooms of Nero’s new palace, “The
Golden House.” (Section XXXI, Penguin page 229)
14. When Nero’s lavish spending finally began to bankrupt the empire,
what means did he employ to gain more money? (Section XXXII, Penguin page
230)
15. Who was Nero’s expert poisoner? Describe his several efforts to
poison Britannicus. (Section XXXIII, Penguin page 231)
16. What were Nero’s feelings toward his mother Agrippina at first?
How did he treat her later? What methods did he employ to kill her, and
how did she evade each? (Section XXXIV Penguin pages 231-2)
17. How did he finally kill his mother? How did he treat the corpse?
(Section XXXIV, Penguin page232)
18. How did Nero treat his first and second wives, Octavia and Poppaea
Sabina? (Section XXXV; Penguin page 233)
19. How did the fire in Rome start? Why? How did Nero react? (Section
XXXVIII, Penguin pages 335-6)
20. How did Nero take the news of Galba’s revolt? What were his first
schemes for dealing with the situation? (Sections XLII-XLIII, Penguin pages
239-40)
21. What terrifying dreams portending his demise did Nero have? (Section
XLVI, Penguin p. 241)
22. How was Nero generally treated in his last days by the public, his
guards and finally his friends? (Sections XLVIII-XLIX, Penguin pages 240-2)
23. How did Nero react to his impending death? How did he finally die?
(Sections XLVIII-XLIX, Penguin p. 243)
24. What were some of the overall characteristics of Nero and Nero’s
reign? (Sections L-LVII Penguin 244-6)
25. What do you think Suetonius’ attitude towards Nero was?
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