Now about 30 years after Christ's death on the cross, that is, around 60 years after his birth – in AD 60, a cruel emperor was ruling over the Roman empire.

在耶稣钉死于十字架之后的大约30年，也就是说在他出生后60年——公元60年左右，一位残暴的皇帝尼禄统治着罗马帝国。

He was called Nero. People still shudder when they hear the name of this monster.

今天，人们还像谈论最可怕的恶棍那样毛骨悚然地谈论他。

But what is truly repellent about him is that he didn't start out as a monster – ruthless and wicked through and through.

他的可恶之处其实就在于，他不是一个了不起的，完全毫无顾忌的，极坏极坏的人，

He was simply weak, vain, suspicious and lazy. Nero fancied himself as a poet and composed songs which he performed himself.

而是简简单单的一个懦弱、爱好虚荣、多疑、懒惰的人，他自己写诗文和唱歌，

He ate – or, rather, gorged himself on – the rarest delicacies and was utterly devoid of decency or dignity.

几乎是狼吞虎咽地吃着珍馐美味，是一个毫无诚信或坚定意志的人。

He was not unattractive, but there was something cruel and self-satisfied about his smile.

他有着一张松弛的、并非不漂亮的脸，嘴角挂着一丝知足、残忍的笑意。

He had his own mother murdered, and his wife and his tutor, along with a number of other relations and friends.

他杀害了自己的母亲、妻子和他的老师，还杀害了许多亲朋好友。

He lived in constant fear of assassination, for he was a coward too.

他经常感到害怕，怕人家总有一天也会杀死他，因为他也胆小。