Paul could hope for little justice from the Caesar to whom he had appealed. Nero was more debased in morals, 486 more frivolous in character, and at the same time capable of more atrocious cruelty, than any ruler who had preceded him. The reins of government could not have been entrusted to a more despotic ruler. The first year of his reign had been marked by the poisoning of his young stepbrother, the rightful heir to the throne. From one depth of vice and crime to another, Nero had descended, until he had murdered his own mother, and then his wife. There was no atrocity which he would not perpetrate, no vile act to which he would not stoop. In every noble mind he inspired only abhorrence and contempt.

Paulus kunne kun gøre sig svagt håb om retfærdighed fra den kejser, han havde appelleret til. Nero var mere moralsk fordærvet, mere letfærdig af karakter og samtidig mere tilbøjelig til afskyelig grusomhed end nogen af sine forgængere på tronen. Regeringens tøjler kunne ikke være lagt i hænderne på en mere tyrannisk regent. Hans første regeringsår var bemærkelsesværdigt ved giftmordet på hans unge stedbroder, den retmæssige arving til tronen. Nero nedværdigede sig fra den ene last og forbrydelse til den anden, indtil han myrdede sin egen moder og derpå sin hustru. Der fandtes ikke den afskyelighed, han ikke ville begå, ingen lumpenhed, han ikke ville nedlade sig til. I ethvert retskaffent sind indgød han kun afsky og foragt.