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- To take little to no productive action during a crisis. The phrase refers to the legend of the Roman Emperor Nero playing the lyre as Rome burned down.
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What's the origin of the phrase 'Fiddling while Rome burns'? The source of this phrase is the supposed story that Nero played the fiddle (violin) while Rome burned, during the great fire in AD 64. There are two major flaws with the story.
The idiom fiddle while Rome burns means to focus on trivial matters while ignoring serious, often disastrous, situations around you. It implies a lack of concern for pressing issues, suggesting that the person is either irresponsible, indifferent, or both.
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Nov 19, 2020 · “Rome Is Burning” is therefore an analysis of the causes and broad course of the Great Fire and its political, economic and architectural consequences,...
- Diana Preston
- Overview
- HISTORY Vault: Colosseum
Nero had many enemies and is remembered as one of history’s most sadistic and cruelest leaders. But there are a couple of problems with the story.
In July of 64 A.D., a great fire ravaged Rome for six days, destroying 70 percent of the city and leaving half its population homeless. According to a well-known expression, Rome’s emperor at the time, the decadent and unpopular Nero, “fiddled while Rome burned.” The expression has a double meaning: Not only did Nero play music while his people suffered, but he was an ineffectual leader in a time of crisis.
It’s been pretty easy to cast blame on Nero, who had many enemies and is remembered as one of history’s most sadistic and cruelest leaders—but there are a couple of problems with this story.
Nero
For one thing, the fiddle didn’t exist in ancient Rome. Music historians believe the viol class of instruments (to which the fiddle belongs) was not developed until the 11th century. If Nero played anything, it would probably have been the cithara, a heavy wooden instrument with four to seven strings—but there is still no solid evidence that he played one during the Great Fire.
The Roman historian Tacitus wrote that Nero was rumored to have sung about the destruction of Rome while watching the city burn; however, he stated clearly that this was unconfirmed by eyewitness accounts.
The Roman Empire is vividly brought to life through the lens of the Colosseum.
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In 1649 the playwright George Daniel committed this line to print: “Let Nero fiddle out Rome’s obsequies.” And ever after, through Samuel Pepys and Samuel Johnson to our own time, Nero has been fiddling as Rome burned. So did Nero fiddle while Rome burned? No. Sort of. Maybe.
F. fiddle while Rome burns. Meaning. to perform an inconsequential task or act irresponsibly in the midst of a disastrous event. to concern yourself with frivolous matters during an emergency. to act as though nothing important is going on when you should be addressing a dangerous ongoing problem.
fiddle while Rome burns meaning: 1. to enjoy yourself or continue working as normal and not give any attention to something…. Learn more.
