Nero belonged to a society of sixty volunteer translators collaborating on previously unpublished ancient texts in Greek, Latin, or Aramaic (Syriac) for the French publishing house Les Belles Lettres. Organized along libertarian lines, one of their rules is that university titles and prestige give no seniority in disputes. Another rule is the mandatory presence at two “dignified” commemorations in Paris, every November 7th , the death of Plato, and every April 7th, the birth of Apollo. His other “membership” is a local club of weightlifters that meets on Saturdays in a converted garage. The club is mostly composed of New York doormen and mobster-looking fellows who walk around in the summer wearing sleeveless “wife-beater” shirts.

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