galba-第2章

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morning　meal）；　at　this　news　he　overturned　the　table。　But　the　senate
having　voted　Galba　an　enemy；　presently；　to　make　his　jest；　and　likewise
to　personate　a　confidence　among　his　friends；　〃This　is　a　very　happy
opportunity；〃　he　said；　〃for　me；　who　sadly　want　such　a　booty　as　that　of
the　Gauls；　which　must　all　fall　in　as　lawful　prize；　and　Galba's
estate　I　can　use　or　sell　at　once；　he　being　now　an　open　enemy。〃　And
accordingly　he　had　Galba's　property　exposed　to　sale；　which　when
Galba　heard　of；　he　sequestered　all　that　was　Nero's　in　Spain；　and　found
far　readier　bidders。
　　Many　now　began　to　revolt　from　Nero；　and　pretty　nearly　all　adhered　to
Galba；　only　Clodius　Macer　in　Africa；　and　Virginius　Rufus；　commander　of
the　German　forces　in　Gaul；　followed　counsel　of　their　own；　yet　these
two　were　not　of　one　and　the　same　advice；　for　Clodius；　being　sensible
of　the　rapines　and　murders　to　which　he　had　been　led　by　cruelty　and
covetousness；　was　in　perplexity；　and　felt　it　was　not　safe　for　him
either　to　retain　or　quit　his　command。　But　Virginius；　who　had　the
command　of　the　strongest　legions；　by　whom　he　was　many　repeated　times
saluted　emperor　and　pressed　to　take　the　title　upon　him；　declared
that　he　neither　would　assume　that　honour　himself；　nor　see　it　given
to　any　other　than　whom　the　senate　should　elect。
　　These　things　at　first　did　not　a　little　disturb　Galba；　but　when
presently　Virginius　and　Vindex　were　in　a　manner　forced　by　their
armies；　having　got　the　reins；　as　it　were；　out　of　their　hands；　to　a
great　encounter　and　battle；　in　which　Vindex；　having　seen　twenty
thousand　of　the　Gauls　destroyed；　died　by　his　own　hand；　and　when　the
report　straight　spread　abroad；　that　all　desired　Virginius；　after
this　great　victory；　to　take　the　empire　upon　him；　or　else　they　would
return　to　Nero　again；　Galba；　in　great　alarm　at　this；　wrote　to
Virginius；　exhorting　him　to　join　with　him　for　the　preservation　of
the　empire　and　the　liberty　of　the　Romans；　and　so　retiring　with　his
friends　into　Clunia；　a　town　in　Spain；　he　passed　away　his　time；
rather　repenting　his　former　rashness；　and　wishing　for　his　wonted
ease　and　privacy；　than　setting　about　what　was　fit　to　be　done。
　　It　was　now　summer；　when　on　a　sudden；　a　little　before　dusk；　comes　a
freedman　Icelus　by　name；　having　arrived　in　seven　days　from　Rome；　and
being　informed　where　Galba　was　reposing　himself　in　private；　he　went
straight　on；　and　pushing　by　the　servants　of　the　chamber；　opened　the
door　and　entered　the　room；　and　told　him；　that　Nero　being　yet　alive　but
not　appearing；　first　the　army；　and　then　the　people　and　senate；
declared　Galba　emperor；　not　long　after；　it　was　reported　that　Nero
was　dead；　〃but　I；〃　said　he；　〃not　giving　credit　to　common　fame；　went
myself　to　the　body　and　saw　him　lying　dead；　and　only　then　set　out　to
bring　you　word。〃　This　news　at　once　made　Galba　great　again；　and　a　crowd
of　people　came　hastening　to　the　door；　all　very　confident　of　the
truth　of　his　tidings；　though　the　speed　of　the　man　was　almost
incredible。　Two　days　after　came　Titus　Vinius　with　sundry　others　from
the　camp；　who　gave　an　account　in　detail　of　the　orders　of　the　senate；
and　for　this　service　was　considerably　advanced。　On　the　freedman；　Galba
conferred　the　honour　of　the　gold　ring；　and　Icelus；　as　he　had　been
before；　now　taking　the　name　of　Marcianus；　held　the　first　place　of
the　freedmen。
　　But　at　Rome；　Nymphidius　Sabinus；　not　gently；　and　little　by　little；
but　at　once；　and　without　exception；　engrossed　all　power　to　himself；
Galba；　being　an　old　man　（seventy…three　years　of　age）；　would
scarcely；　he　thought；　live　long　enough　to　be　carried　in　a　litter　to
Rome；　and　the　troops　in　the　city　were　from　old　time　attached　to　him；
and　now　bound　by　the　vastness　of　the　promised　gift；　for　which　they
regarded　him　as　their　benefactor；　and　Galba　as　their　debtor。　Thus
presuming　on　his　interest；　he　straightway　commanded　Tigellinus；　who
was　in　joint　commission　with　himself；　to　lay　down　his　sword；　and
giving　entertainments；　he　invited　the　former　consuls　and　commanders；
making　use　of　Galba's　name　for　the　invitation；　but　at　the　same　time
prepared　many　in　the　camp　to　propose　that　a　request　should　be　sent
to　Galba　that　he　should　appoint　Nymphidius　sole　prefect　for　life
without　a　colleague。　And　the　modes　which　the　senate　took　to　show　him
honour　and　increase　his　power；　styling　him　their　benefactor；　and
attending　daily　at　his　gates；　and　giving　him　the　compliment　of　heading
with　his　own　name　and　confirming　all　their　acts；　carried　him　on　to　a
yet　greater　degree　of　arrogance；　so　that　in　a　short　time　he　became
an　object；　not　only　of　dislike；　but　of　terror；　to　those　that　sought
his　favour。　When　the　consuls　themselves　had　despatched　their
couriers　with　the　decrees　of　the　senate　to　the　emperor；　together
with　the　sealed　diplomas；　which　the　authorities　in　all　the　towns　where
horses　or　carriages　are　changed　look　at；　and　on　that　certificate
hasten　the　courtiers　forward　with　all　their　means；　he　was　highly
displeased　that　his　seal　had　not　been　used；　and　none　of　his　soldiers
employed　on　the　errand。　Nay；　he　even　deliberated　what　course　to　take
with　the　consuls　themselves；　but　upon　their　submission　and　apology
he　was　at　last　pacified。　To　gratify　the　people；　he　did　not　interfere
with　their　beating　to　death　any　that　fell　into　their　hands　of　Nero's
party。　Amongst　others；　Spiclus；　the　gladiator；　was　killed　in　the　forum
by　being　thrown　under　Nero's　statues；　which　they　dragged　about　the
place　over　his　body。　Aponius；　one　of　those　who　had　been　concerned　in
accusations；　they　knocked　to　the　ground；　and　drove　carts　loaded　with
stones　over　him。　And　many　others　they　tore　in　pieces；　some　of　them
no　way　guilty；　insomuch　that　Mauriscus；　a　person　of　great　account
and　character；　told　the　senate　that　he　feared；　in　a　short　time；　they
might　wish　for　Nero　again。
　　Nymphidius；　now　advancing　towards　the　consummation　of　his　hopes；　did
not　refuse　to　let　it　be　said　that　he　was　the　son　of　Caius　Caesar；
Tiberius's　successor；　who；　it　is　told；　was　well　acquainted　with　his
mother　in　his　early　youth；　a　woman　indeed　handsome　enough；　the
offspring　of　Callistus；　one　of　Caesar's　freedmen；　and　a　certain
sempstress。　But　it　is　plain　that　Caius's　familiarity　with　his　mother
was　of　too　late　date　to　give　him　any　pretensions；　and　it　was　suspected
he　might；　if　he　pleased；　claim　a　father　in　Martianus；　the　gladiator；
whom　his　mother；　Nymphidia；　took　a　passion　for；　being　a　famous　man
in　his　way；　whom　also　he　much　more　resembled。　However；　though　he
certainly　owned　Nymphidia　for　his　mother；　he　ascribed　meantime　the
downfall　of　Nero　to　himself　alone；　and　thought　he　was　not　sufficiently
rewarded　with　the　honours　and　riches　he　enjoyed　（nay；　though　to　all
was　added　the　company　of　Sporus；　whom　he　immediately　sent　for　while
Nero's　body　was　yet　burning　on　the　pile；　and　treated　as　his　consort
with　the　name　of　Poppaea）；　but　he　must　also　aspire　to　the　empire。
And　at　Rome　he　had　friends　who　took　measures　for　him　secretly；　as　well
as　some　women　and　some　members　of　the　senate　also；　who　worked
underhand　to　assist　him。　And　into　Spain　he　despatched　one　of　his
friends；　named　Gellianus；　to　view　the　posture　of　affairs。
　　But　all　things　succeeded　well　with　Galba　after　Nero's　death；　only
Virginius　Rufus；　still　standing　doubtful；　gave　him　some　anxiety；
lest　he　should　listen　to　the　suggestions　of　some　who　encouraged　him　to
take　the　government　upon　him；　having；　at　present；　besides　the
command　of　a　large　and　warlike　army；　the　new　honours　of　the　defeat
of　Vindex　and　the　subjugation　of　one　considerable　part　of　the　Roman
empire；　namely；　the　entire　Gaul；　which　had　seemed　shaking　about　upon
the　verge　of　open　revolt。　Nor　had　any　man　indeed　a　greater　name　and
reputation　than　Virginius；　who　had　taken　a　part　of　so　much　consequence
in　the　deliverance　of　the　empire　at　once　from　a　cruel　tyranny　and　a
Gallic　war。　But　he；　standing　to　his　first　resolves；　reserved　to　the
senate　the　power　of　electing　an　emperor。　Yet　when　it　was　now
manifest　that　Nero　was　dead；　the　soldiers　pressed　him　hard　to　it；
and　one　of　the　tribunes；　entering　his　tent　with　his　drawn　sword；
bade　him　either　take　the　government　or　that。　But　after　Fabius
Valens；　having　the　command　of　one　legion；　had　first　sworn　fealty　to
Galba；　and　lett