otho-第5章

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in　at　the　doors　with　a　loud　cry；　in　passionate　distress；　and
accusing　themselves　that　they　had　been　so　negligent　in　looking　after
that　life　which　was　laid　down　to　preserve　theirs。　Nor　would　a　man　of
them　quit　the　body　to　secure　his　own　safety　with　the　approaching
enemy；　but　having　raised　a　funeral　pile；　and　attired　the　body；　they
bore　it　thither；　arrayed　in　their　arms；　those　among　them　greatly
exulting　who　succeeded　in　getting　first　under　the　bier　and　becoming
its　bearers。　Of　the　others；　some　threw　themselves　down　before　the　body
and　kissed　his　wound；　others　grasped　his　hand；　and　others　that　were　at
a　distance　knelt　down　to　do　him　obeisance。　There　were　some　who；
after　putting　their　torches　to　the　pile；　slew　themselves；　though
they　had　not；　so　far　as　appeared；　either　any　particular　obligations　to
the　dead；　or　reason　to　apprehend　ill…usage　from　the　victor。　Simply；　it
would　seem；　no　king；　legal　or　illegal；　had　ever　been　possessed　with　so
extreme　and　vehement　a　passion　to　command　others；　as　was　that　of　these
men　to　obey　Otho。　Nor　did　their　love　of　him　cease　with　his　death；　it
survived　and　changed　ere　long　into　a　mortal　hatred　to　his　successor；
as　will　be　shown　in　its　proper　place。
　　They　placed　the　remains　of　Otho　in　the　earth　and　raised　over　them
a　monument　which　neither　by　its　size　nor　the　pomp　of　its　inscription
might　excite　hostility。　I　myself　have　seen　it；　at　Brixillum；　a　plain
structure；　and　the　epitaph　only　this：　To　the　memory　of　Marcus　Otho。　He
died　in　his　thirty…eighth　year；　after　a　short　reign　of　about　three
months；　his　death　being　as　much　applauded　as　his　life　was　censured；
for　if　he　lived　no　better　than　Nero；　he　died　more　nobly。　The
soldiers　were　displeased　with　Pollio；　one　of　their　two　prefects；　who
bade　them　immediately　swear　allegiance　to　Vitellius；　and　when　they
understood　that　some　of　the　senators　were　still　upon　the　spot；　they
made　no　opposition　to　the　departure　of　the　rest；　but　only　disturbed
the　tranquillity　of　Virginius　Rufus　with　an　offer　of　the　government；
and　moving　in　one　body　to　his　house　in　town　they　first　entreated
him；　and　then　demanded　of　him　to　be　head　of　the　empire；　or　at　least　to
be　their　mediator。　But　he；　that　refused　to　command　them　when
conquerors；　thought　it　ridiculous　to　pretend　to　it　now　they　were　beat；
and　was　unwilling　to　go　as　their　envoy　to　the　Germans；　whom　in　past
time　he　had　compelled　to　do　various　things　that　they　had　not　liked；
and　for　these　reasons　he　slipped　away　through　a　private　door。　As
soon　as　the　soldiers　perceived　this；　they　owned　Vitellius；　and　so
got　their　pardon；　and　served　under　Caecina。





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