When at length they were brought to the rack, the sight of the horrid machinery unmanned them. They begged to be spared, and promised to reveal the whole. They acknowledged that a conspiracy had been formed, and gave the names of all who had participated in it. They explained fully, too, the plans which had been devised, and as in this case, though they were examined separately, their statements agreed, Nero and his friends were convinced of the truth of their declarations, and thus at last the plot was fully brought to light. Nero himself was struck with consternation and terror at discovering the formidable danger to which he had been exposed. CHAPTER XI. THE FATE OF THE CONSPIRATORS. A.D. 65 Epicharis denies all knowledge of the conspiracy.--Seizures and executions.--General panic.--Death of Piso.--The conspirators discouraged.--Epicharis at the torture.--Her death.--The conspirators tried before Nero.--Flavius.--Demeanor of Rufus in the garden.--He is accused.--Rufus begs for his life.--His execution.--Flavius is accused.--His desperation.--The execution of Flavius.--The executioner's fears.--Seneca.--His character and public position.--Evidence against Seneca.--His journey to Rome.--Seneca arrested.--His defence.--The officer's report.--Nero decides that Seneca must die.--The death of Seneca.--Grief and despair of Paulina.--They save Paulina's life.--The consul Vestinus.--Large force sent to arrest Vestinus.--Vestinus arrested.--His extraordinary fate.--Nero is pleased.--The guests at Vestinus's supper.--Appearances of public rejoicing.--Nero grants gifts to the army.--Nature of despotic government.--Secret of their power.--Doubt in respect to Piso's conspiracy. As soon as Nero had obtained all the information which he and his officers could draw from Scevinus and Natalis, and had sent to all parts of the city to arrest those whom the forced disclosures of these witnesses accused, he thought of Epicharis, who, it will be recollected, had been sent to prison, and who was still in confinement there. He ordered Epicharis to be told that concealment was no longer possible,--that Scevinus and Natalis had divulged the plot in full, and that her only hope lay in amply confessing all that she knew. This announcement had no effect upon Epicharis. She refused to admit that she knew any thing of any conspiracy. Nero then ordered that she should be put to the torture. The engines were prepared and she was brought before them. The sight of them produced no change. She was then placed upon the wheel, and her frail and delicate limbs were stretched, dislocated, and broken, until she had endured every form of agony which such engines could produce. Her constancy remained unshaken to the end. At length, when she was so much exhausted by her sufferings that she could no longer feel the pain, she was taken away to be restored by medicaments, cordials, and rest, in order that she might recover strength to endure new tortures on the following day.