Nero was a Roman emperor who lived from 37 to 68 AD. He came to power as a young man and died at thirty.

Nero尼祿 was a Roman emperor who lived from 37 to 68 AD是一位羅馬皇帝,活在西元37年到68年之間。 He他 came to power as a young man年輕時就掌權 and died at thirty三十歲就過世了。

History remembers him as cruel: stories say he had his mother killed, and more than one wife, and many other people. After a great fire tore through Rome in the year 64, he blamed the Christians, and many were put to death.

History歷史 remembers him as cruel記得他很殘忍: stories say he had his mother killed故事說他殺了自己的母親, and more than one wife還有不只一位妻子, and many other people以及許多其他人。 After a great fire tore through Rome in the year 64西元64年一場大火燒過羅馬之後, he他 blamed the Christians把責任怪到基督徒身上, and many were put to death許多人因此被處死。

There is a famous picture of him “fiddling while Rome burned” — playing music while the city was on fire, as if he did not care.

There is有 a famous picture of him一個很有名的畫面,說他 'fiddling while Rome burned'「在羅馬燃燒時拉小提琴」 — playing music while the city was on fire城市著火時他還在演奏音樂, as if he did not care好像根本不在乎。

Though actually that picture is later storytelling. The violin (the fiddle) had not been invented yet. If he played anything, it would have been a kind of small harp, and even that may not be true.

Though actually不過其實 that picture is later storytelling那個畫面是後來編出來的故事。 The violin (the fiddle)小提琴(fiddle) had not been invented yet當時根本還沒被發明。 If he played anything如果他真的有演奏什麼, it would have been a kind of small harp那應該是一種小型的豎琴, and even that may not be true而且就連這一點也不一定是真的。

The saying is still useful in English: when someone “fiddled while Rome burned,” they played with small things while something big and bad was happening, and they should have been helping.

The saying is still useful in English這句話在英文裡還是很好用: when someone 'fiddled while Rome burned'當有人「在羅馬燃燒時拉小提琴」, they played with small things while something big and bad was happening意思是有大事、壞事正在發生,他卻在忙一些小事, and they should have been helping而他本來應該去幫忙。

He also liked to perform as an actor and a musician, which many Romans thought was not a proper thing for an emperor to do. So the stories mix real cruelty, a real love of the stage, and later legend.

He also liked to perform as an actor and a musician他也喜歡上台表演,當演員、當樂手, which many Romans thought was not a proper thing for an emperor to do而許多羅馬人認為這不是一個皇帝該做的事。 So the stories mix real cruelty, a real love of the stage, and later legend所以這些故事混雜了真正的殘忍、真正對舞台的熱愛,以及後來的傳說。