Nero
had seen Julia, the daughter of a senator, walking about with her slave. She
was wearing an elongated toga with the calceī and a palla. The palla wrapped around the girl’s body, defining her
shape. In addition to her toga, she was wearing a necklace with a crescent moon
pendant given by her father to ‘protect’ her. Julia walked around the horrea
looking for different garments and jewelry to add to her collection. Nero had
seen Julia several times before at his house when his father, a senator, had
other politicians over for a dinner party. However, he had never spoken to her
before but had always wanted to converse with her. As he tried to gain courage
to speak to her, he clenched his fists together so hard that he bruised his
middle finger where Nero’s iron ring was worn. Nero had been given this ring from
his father the day he reached manhood and Nero always tried to remember that
the ring symbolized his courage to overcome any obstacle.
Nero then decided he would go talk to Julia. Nero,
along with his slave Avitus, walked up to the jewelry stand in the horrea right
next to Julia. He noticed that she was reaching for a precious gold necklace
and decided to reach for it as well. Their hands met on the necklace and Julia
looked up to see who else wanted the necklace. Julia looked into Nero’s eyes
and asked, “excuse sir, I reached for this first and I would appreciate it if
you would let me have it.” Nero simply replied, “why of course, a beautiful
woman such as yourself should have this necklace in order to only magnify your
beauty.” Nero then introduced himself and told her that he had seen her several
times before at the horrea shopping around for goods. Julia was surprised that
she had not seen him before and apologized for not introducing herself earlier.
After Julia bought the necklace from the vender, she walked with Nero around
the marketplace and back to the Forum Romanum with their slaves following behind
them.
