Nero, emperor of Rome: “A man's acts can be cruel, without the man himself being cruel”

Throughout the history of Spain there have been figures who have changed the destiny of a nation or the history of a city. Such is the case of Nero. Historically, his reign has endured for its tyranny. This Roman emperor even went so far as to execute his mother and his stepbrother, which led him to be very popular among the people.

It should be borne in mind that in his early years in power, Nero made use of the help of figures such as Seneca and Burrus, which improved governance. Measures were also carried out to control certain tax abuses and limit some unfair practices by tax collectors.

On the other hand, Nero promoted music, theater, and other artistic expressions, as well as organizing games and public celebrations. But if he has gone down in history for anything, it is also for the endless quotes he left behind, which have been passed down from generation to generation until reaching our times.

Nero, emperor of Rome, separates obligation and intention: terrible deeds are not done for pleasure, but out of duty

In fact, in this article we focus on one of them. “A man's acts can be cruel, without the man being cruel”, Nero declared. What he meant is that anyone can commit terrible, destructive, or painful actions. And they do not do so for pleasure, but because circumstances may force them to.

Now, if this phrase comes from a ruler of Nero's stature, many historians have also identified it as a way of exonerating himself from acts that, in the eyes of the rest of society, could be atrocious. What the Roman emperor does with this reflection is separate intention and obligation, two very different concepts when you are the one making the decisions.