Qualis artifex pereo

According to Suétone ( Life of the twelve Césars ), Qualis artifex pereo! is the last words of the emperor Néron, who would have pronounced it at the time to stab itself. More attached to its value of artist than to imperial dignity, it commits suicide while saying: Quel artist perishes with me! (the literal translation is: Quel artist I die! )

For Suétone, it is an ultimate proof of little moral value of Néron, which devotes its last thoughts to an activity unworthy of its row, and in which he triumphed only near his flattering.

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