Today, June 9 is the day of death of Nero,the Roman Emperor who died in 68 AD. There is one similarity between Nero and Janaka, the Indian King of the Mithila. Both were non-chalant when their Capital Cities were burning.

Nero is a historical personality, an Emperor of Rome.
Janaka is a mythical king found in Indian Epics.
Nero was accused of matricide (killing mother). Committed suicide by getting his throat slit by a friend, to prevent the contingency of being hanged by the hangsman. Janaka does not have this stigma.

NERO
Nero, according to popular belief was fiddling, when Rome was burning.

Nero's playing with fiddle cannot be true, as fiddle was not invented by that time.

(According to violinmp3.com, 950 AD North Indian stringed instrument was mother of Rebec which became popular in Arabia in 14th Century. It led to the renaissance fiddle.

According to www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nero there are two accounts.

1. Nero was singing "Sack of Ilium" a Greak epic song, in his costume settings. He was using a lyre.

or

2. Nero was not in Rome at that time. He was vacationing at his native Antium. Hearing of the tragedy, he returned to Rome and organised rescue operations.

If the first account is believed (singing with lyre), he may be taken to be mad or fiend. Or his act may be worthy of condemnation.

If the second account is to be believed, he was a sensible emperor, at least in respect of rescue operations.

JANAKA

Janaka is portrayed by Hindu epic Ramayan`a, Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavat Gita as a Karma Yogi, a man of steady wisdom, unperturbed both by happy events and sad events.

The culminating test for this capability of balance of mind is the incident of burning of Mithila. The persons around him flatter him as a great sage, instead of advising or requesting him to order rescue operations.

Doing one's own duty even under trying circumstances is a virtue. How ignoring a catastrophe can be acclaimed as a "great balanced mind"?

IS JANAKA A REAL CHARACTER?

Janaka may be an imaginary character or a position as the ruler of the city Mithila.

Since Ramayana is believed to have taken place at least 500 years earlier than Maha Bharata, the Krishna of Bhagavata, the existence of Janaka in both the periods becomes questionable.

Even if we take the chronology of "yugas (ages)" given in the scriptures Ramayana took place during Treetaa Yuga at least least 500,000 years ahead of Maha Bhaarata which relates to Dvaapara Yuga.

SUMMARY
Having a balance of mind both during moments of pleasure and grief, may be a positive trait for peace of mind. Can it be extended to levels of stupidity?