“The hand holding the scepter is not made for plucking the strings,” this was the opinion of Nero’s mother, who tried to control the future emperor in everything. But the young man did not listen. He loved to sing and write poetry, and he liked to forgive criminals more than to execute them. What changed the soul of the philosopher, artist and poet so much, pushing him to commit crimes? Why did everyone who meant anything to Nero suddenly turn out to be his opponents and sworn enemies? This book is about the contradictory nature of the emperor, who remained in the memory of posterity as a sentimental tyrant and arsonist of Rome.