Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

THE CONSPIRACY OF PISO 159been broken by the very sightof torture.of instrumentsThe friends of Piso urged him at this junctureto repair to the camp and appealto soldiers andpopulace. As things were, they said, nothingworse could happen to him if he failed than ifhe submitted, while Nero with his degeneratefollowing were easily to be overcome. But theindolent and indifferent Piso was destitute ofthe imagination that might have brought suchan attempt to a successful issue. Without awaitingthe band of soldiers sent by the emperorto arrest him— a band chosen from among themost recent recruits, since the fidelity of the—veterans in such an employment was suspecthe opened his veins and died, havingup a will wherein in terms of fulsome adulationhe made a large legacy to the emperor, in thehope of thereby securing a peaceful successionto the rest of his estate for the beautiful wifewhom he had stolen from a friend. There followeda great proscription of conspirators realfirst drawnor alleged, conducted with great cruelty byTigellinus, actively assisted b}/ his colleague,Fenius Rufus, who hoped by the zeal with whichhe prosecuted his late accomplicesto clear himselffrom all suspicion of a share in their guilt.Whether or how far Seneca was cognisant ofthis conspiracy must remain uncertain, nor doesTacitus express an opinion on the subject. Thatthe friend of Piso, the uncle of Lucan, wouldhave rejoiced at its success we cannot doubt,just as Cicero rejoiced at the Ides of March.But, Uke Cicero, he was probably not consulted