Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/256

The crimes of Nero Or how the monster ruthlessly
His mother slew, that he might see
The sanctuary where he conceived^{[errata 1]}
Had been^{[errata 2]}, then watched her body reived6550
Of every limb, and, standing there,
Adjudged her members passing fair.
Ah God! what vile and felon judge
Who could to that dread sight begrudge
One single tear, for so ’tis writ,
He calm looked on, nor wept at it,
But gave command to thither bring
Fair cups of wine, and roystering
Therewith, beheld, with fiend’s delight,
Unmoved, the matricidal rite.6560
Moreover did he lay a-waste
The body of his sister chaste,
And gave himself to work all crime
That man hath stained since birth of time.

He martyred Seneca, his guide
And mentor, bidding him decide,
With impious oath, the manner he
Would choose to face his agony,
E’en as a devil brimmed with wrath.
Quoth Seneca: ‘Make warm a bath,6570
Since I must bow me to the pains
Of death, then forthwith ope my veins,
That through the wave my blood may flow
Forth freely, till my spirit go
To that great God from whence it sped:
May he sweet mercy on it shed.’”

1. Correction: he conceived should be amended to conceived: detail
2. Correction: Had been should be amended to He’d been: detail