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Nero answers the Senate's thanks, in Suetonius

c. 54–56 CE, Rome (the Senate). As Suetonius tells it, over a century later.

Where and when

c. 54–56 CERome (the Senate)

about 1,971 years ago

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Nero

, Rome (the Senate)As Suetonius tells it, over a century later

In plain words, ours

When the Senate thanked him for ruling well, he said: thank me when I have earned it.

When the senate returned him their thanks for his good government, he replied to them, “It will be time enough to do so when I shall have deserved it.”

Suetonius, Life of Nero 10Translated by Alexander Thomson, revised by T. Forester (1889)Read the full passage (Suetonius, Life of Nero 10, opens gutenberg.org)

What was going on, our summary

As Suetonius tells it, over a century later, Nero declared he would govern on the model of Augustus. He cut heavy taxes, gave money to the people and to poor senators, and greeted people by name.

Checked claim by claim against: the passage around the quote.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. c. 54–56 CEThis momentNero answers the Senate's thanks, in Suetonius
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  8. set in 64 CEabout 9 years later Tacitus on the Great Fire of Rome Also in Rome

Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

To establish still further his character, he declared, “that he designed to govern according to the model of Augustus;” and omitted no opportunity of showing his generosity, clemency, and complaisance. The more burthensome taxes he either entirely took off, or diminished. The rewards appointed for informers by the Papian law, he reduced to a fourth part, and distributed to the people four hundred sesterces a man. To the noblest of the senators who were much reduced in their circumstances, he granted annual allowances, in some cases as much as five hundred thousand sesterces; and to the pretorian cohorts a monthly allowance of corn gratis. When called upon to subscribe the sentence, according to custom, of a criminal condemned to die, “I wish,” said he, “I had never learnt to read and write.” He continually saluted people of the several orders by name, without a prompter.

The quote: When the senate returned him their thanks for his good government, he replied to them, “It will be time enough to do so when I shall have deserved it.”

He admitted the common people to see him perform his exercises in the Campus Martius. He frequently declaimed in public, and recited verses of his own composing, not only at home, but in the theatre; so much to the joy of all the people, that public prayers were appointed to be put up to the gods upon that account; and the verses which had been publicly read, were, after being written in gold letters, consecrated to Jupiter Capitolinus. XI. He presented the people with a great number and variety of spectacles, as the Juvenal and Circensian games, stage-plays, and an exhibition of gladiators.

Suetonius, Life of Nero 10Translated by Alexander Thomson, revised by T. Forester (1889)Read the full passage (opens gutenberg.org)

When, and whose words

Date
c. 54–56 CE. Suetonius places it at the start of his reign (Nero came to power in 54 CE) without a year. Suetonius wrote c. 120 CE.
Whose words
As Suetonius tells it, over a century later.
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

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