The historical work of A. V. Amfitheatrov (1862-1938) “The Beast from the Abyss” traces the life path of Nero, the last Roman emperor from the Caesar dynasty. A detailed reproduction of Nero's genealogy, a naturalistic description of palace orgies, a large-scale depiction of great historical events and personalities, the use of unexpected historical parallels and, finally, a wonderful style make the book interesting both for lovers of pleasant reading and for subtle connoisseurs of intellectual literature. After reading this book, perhaps you will agree with us: “Nowadays no one will write like that.” Contents: 1. The dynasty is dying2. Golden Five Years3. Caesar is an artist4. Faded legends