Ne‧ro /ˈnɪərəʊ/
(37–68 AD) a Roman emperor, said to have killed his mother, wives, and many others. He blamed the Christians for causing the great fire of Rome in AD 64 and many were killed. He is also known for his performances as an actor and musician, and is usually shown in pictures fiddling (=playing the violin) while Rome is on fire behind him. The expression ‘Nero fiddled while Rome burned’ is sometimes used to describe a situation in which immediate action is needed, but time is being wasted doing nothing.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲