1. The elder Paris lived in the reign of the emperor Nero, with whom he was a great
favourite. He was originally a slave of Domitia, the aunt of the emperor, and he purchased his
freedom by paying her a large sum of money. Domitia availed herself of his influence with Nero
to attempt the ruin of Agrippina, whom she hated. The plot, however, failed, and Agrippina
demanded the punishment of her accusers; but Paris stood too high in the monarch's favour to
experience the punishment which was inflicted on his accomplices. Shortly after this Paris was
declared, by order of the emperor, to have been free-born (ingenuus), and
Domitia was compelled to restore to him the large sum which she had received for his freedom
(Tac. Ain. 13.19-22, 27;