Allusions - Nero and Caligula

"'Wicked and cruel boy!' I said. 'You are like a murderer- you are like a slave driver-driver- you are like the Roman Emperors!'" (10)

Jane goes on to say, "I had read Goldsmiths History of Rome, and had formed my opinion of Nero, Caligula, ect. Also I had drawn parallels in silence, which I never thought thus to have declared aloud" (10). The "parallels" Jane discovers, give the reader a good incite of her cousin, John Reed's character. According to Goldsmiths History of Rome, Caligula was arrogant, greedy and rude. He had many people below him and hurt everyone around him. Similar to Caligula, Nero was described as extravagant and inhuman. Goldsmith clearly describes the emperors in a terrible way. Since Jane is not very found of her cousin, she sees John in a terrible light too. John is pompous, which the two Roman emperors were too. The Roman emperors and John both have money and status over the people they torture, which is the "parallel" Jane had imagined.

The comparison of John Reed to the Roman Emperors continues as John grows. The last time we hear of John Reed in the novel is when Jane hears of his death from the Reed's coachmen. Jane asked the coachman about his death and he described, "He could not do worse: he ruined his health and his estate amongst the worst men and the worst women. He got into debt and into jail: his mother helped him twice, but as soon as he was free he returned to his old companions and habits." (225). John had turned his life into a complete mess, with being cruel to others, and frivolously spending money, just because could. Both the roman rulers had also harmed many people and spent a lot of their money. The death of all three of these men was inevitable and also a blessing.