1About the same time Achaia and Asia were falsely terrified, as if Nero were coming, since the rumours about his death varied and therefore more people pretended and believed that he was alive. 1The fortunes and attempts of the others we shall relate in the course of the work: at this time a slave from Pontus or, as others have recorded, a freedman from Italy, skilled at the lyre and at singing, which, besides the likeness of his face, made his deceit more credible, put to sea, having gathered deserters whom, wandering in poverty, he had corrupted with huge promises; 1and driven by the force of storms onto the island of Cythnus, he enlisted some soldiers who were travelling from the East, or ordered those who refused to be killed, and after robbing some merchants he armed all the strongest of their slaves.
1And he tried by various arts to win over the centurion Sisenna, who was carrying clasped right hands, the emblems of concord, to the praetorians in the name of the Syrian army, until Sisenna secretly left the island and fled, alarmed and fearing violence. 1From there terror spread widely: many were roused by the famous name, through desire for revolution and hatred of the present state of things. 1The rumour, growing day by day, was dispelled by chance.