galba-第3章

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Valens；　having　the　command　of　one　legion；　had　first　sworn　fealty　to
Galba；　and　letters　from　Rome　came　with　tidings　of　the　resolves　of
the　senate；　at　last　with　much　ado　he　persuaded　the　army　to　declare
Galba　emperor。　And　when　Flaccus　Hordeonius　came　by　Galba's
commission　as　Galba　successor；　he　handed　over　to　him　his　forces；　and
went　himself　to　meet　Galba　on　his　way；　and　having　met　him　turned
back　to　attend　him；　in　all　which　no　apparent　displeasure　nor　yet
honour　was　shown　him。　Galba's　feelings　of　respect　for　him　prevented
the　former；　the　latter　was　checked　by　the　envy　of　his　friends；　and
particularly　of　Titus　Vinius；　who；　acting　in　the　desire　of　hindering
Virginius's　promotion；　unwittingly　aided　his　happy　genius　in
rescuing　him　from　those　hazards　and　hardships　which　other　commanders
were　involved　in；　and　securing　him　the　safe　enjoyment　of　a　quiet
life　and　peaceable　old　age。
　　Near　Narbo；　a　city　in　Gaul；　the　deputation　of　the　senate　met
Galba；　and　after　they　had　delivered　their　compliments；　begged　him　to
make　what　haste　he　could　to　appear　to　the　people　that　impatiently
expected　him。　He　discoursed　with　them　courteously　and　unassumingly；
and　in　his　entertainment；　though　Nymphidius　had　sent　him　royal
furniture　and　attendance　of　Nero's；　he　put　all　aside；　and　made　use
of　nothing　but　his　own；　for　which　he　was　well　spoken　of；　as　one　who
had　a　great　mind；　and　was　superior　to　little　vanities。　But　in　a
short　time；　Vinius；　by　declaring　to　him　that　these　noble；　unpompous；
citizen…like　ways　were　a　mere　affectation　of　popularity　and　a　petty
bashfulness　at　assuming　his　proper　greatness；　induced　him　to　make
use　of　Nero's　supplies；　and　in　his　entertainments　not　to　be　afraid
of　a　regal　sumptuosity。　And　in　more　than　one　way　the　old　man　let　it
gradually　appear　that　he　had　put　himself　under　Vinius's　disposal。
　　Vinius　was　a　person　of　an　excessive　covetousness；　and　not　quite　free
from　blame　in　respect　to　women。　For　being　a　young　man；　newly　entered
into　the　service　under　Calvisius　Sabinus；　upon　his　first　campaign；
he　brought　his　commander's　wife；　a　licentious　woman；　in　a　soldier's
dress；　by　night　into　the　camp；　and　was　found　with　her　in　the　very
general's　quarters；　the　principia；　as　the　Romans　call　them。　For
which　insolence　Caius　Caesar　cast　him　into　prison；　from　whence　he
was　fortunately　delivered　by　Caius's　death。　Afterwards；　being
invited　by　Claudius　Caesar　to　supper；　he　privily　conveyed　away　a
silver　cup；　which　Caesar　hearing　of；　invited　him　again　the　next　day；
and　gave　order　to　his　servants　to　set　before　him　no　silver　plate；
but　only　earthenware。　And　this　offence；　through　the　comic　mildness
of　Caesar's　reprimand；　was　treated　rather　as　a　subject　of　jest　than　as
a　crime。　But　the　acts　to　which　now；　when　Galba　was　in　his　hands　and
his　power　was　so　extensive；　his　covetous　temper　led　him　were　the
causes；　in　part；　and　in　part　the　provocation；　of　tragical　and　fatal
mischiefs。
　　Nymphidius　became　very　uneasy　upon　the　return　out　of　Spain　of
Gellianus　whom　he　had　sent　to　pry　into　Galba's　actions；
understanding　that　Cornelius　Laco　was　appointed　commander　of　the　court
guards；　and　that　Vinius　was　the　great　favourite；　and　that　Gellianus
had　not　been　able　so　much　as　to　come　nigh；　much　less　have　any
opportunity　to　offer　any　words　in　private；　so　narrowly　had　he　been
watched　and　observed。　Nymphidius；　therefore；　called　together　the
officers　of　the　troops；　and　declared　to　them　that　Galba　of　himself　was
a　good；　well…meaning　old　man；　but　did　not　act　by　his　own　counsel；
and　was　ill…guided　by　Vinius　and　Laco；　and　lest；　before　they　were
aware；　they　should　engross　the　authority　Tigellinus　had　with　the
troops；　he　proposed　to　them　to　send　deputies　from　the　camp　acquainting
him　that　if　he　pleased　to　remove　only　these　two　from　his　counsel　and
presence；　he　would　be　much　more　welcome　to　all　at　his　arrival。
Wherein；　when　he　saw　he　did　not　prevail　（it　seeming　absurd　and
unmannerly　to　give　rules　to　an　old　commander　what　friends　to　retain　or
displace；　as　if　he　had　been　a　youth　newly　taking　the　reins　of
authority　into　his　hands）；　adopting　another　course；　he　wrote　himself
to　Galba　letters　in　alarming　terms；　one　while　as　if　the　city　were
unsettled；　and　had　not　yet　recovered　its　tranquillity；　then　that
Clodius　Macer　withheld　the　corn…ships　from　Africa；　that　the　legions　in
Germany　began　to　be　mutinous；　and　that　he　heard　the　like　of　those　in
Syria　and　Judaea。　But　Galba　not　minding　him　much　or　giving　credit　to
his　stories；　he　resolved　to　make　his　attempt　beforehand；　though
Clodius　Celsus；　a　native　of　Antioch；　a　person　of　sense；　and　friendly
and　faithful　to　Nymphidius；　told　him　he　was　wrong；　saying　he　did　not
believe　one　single　street　in　Rome　would　ever　give　him　the　title　of
Caesar。　Nevertheless　many　also　derided　Galba；　amongst　the　rest
Mithridates　of　Pontus；　saying；　that　as　soon　as　this　wrinkled；
baldheaded　man　should　be　seen　publicly　at　Rome；　they　would　think　it　an
utter　disgrace　even　to　have　had　such　a　Caesar。
　　At　last　it　was　resolved；　about　midnight；　to　bring　Nymphidius　into
the　camp；　and　declare　him　emperor。　But　Antonius　Honoratus；　who　was
first　among　the　tribunes；　summoning　together　in　the　evening　those
under　his　command；　charged　himself　and　them　severely　with　their　many
and　unreasonable　turns　and　alterations；　made　without　any　purpose　or
regard　to　merit；　simply　as　if　some　evil　genius　hurried　them　from　one
reason　to　another。　〃What　though　Nero's　miscarriages；〃　said　he；　〃gave
some　colour　to　your　former　acts；　can　you　say　you　have　any　plea　for
betraying　Galba　in　the　death　of　a　mother；　the　blood　of　a　wife；　or
the　degradation　of　the　imperial　power　upon　the　stage　and　amongst
players？　Neither　did　we　desert　Nero　for　all　this；　until　Nymphidius　had
persuaded　us　that　he　had　first　left　us　and　fled　into　Egypt。　Shall
we；　therefore；　send　Galba　after；　to　appease　Nero's　shade；　and；　for　the
sake　of　making　the　son　of　Nymphidia　emperor；　take　off　one　of　Livia's
family；　as　we　have　already　the　son　of　Agrippina？　Rather；　doing　justice
on　him；　let　us　revenge　Nero's　death；　and　show　ourselves　true　and
faithful　by　preserving　Galba。〃
　　The　tribune　having　ended　his　harangue；　the　soldiers　assented；　and
encouraged　all　they　met　with　to　persist　in　their　fidelity　to　the
emperor；　and；　indeed；　brought　over　the　greatest　part。　But　presently
hearing　a　great　shout；　Nymphidius；　imagining；　as　some　say；　that　the
soldiers　called　for　him；　or　hastening　to　be　in　time　to　check　any
opposition　and　gain　the　doubtful；　came　on　with　many　lights；　carrying
in　his　hand　a　speech　in　writing；　made　by　Cingonius　Varro；　which　he　had
got　by　heart；　to　deliver　to　the　soldiers。　But　seeing　the　gates　of
the　camp　shut　up；　and　large　numbers　standing　armed　about　the　walls；　he
began　to　be　afraid。　Yet　drawing　nearer　he　demanded　what　they　meant；
and　by　whose　orders　they　were　then　in　arms；　but　hearing　a　general
acclamation；　all　with　one　consent　crying　out　that　Galba　was　their
emperor；　advancing　towards　them；　he　joined　in　the　cry；　and　likewise
commanded　those　that　followed　him　to　do　the　same。　The　guard
notwithstanding　permitted　him　to　enter　the　camp　only　with　a　few；　where
he　was　presently　struck　with　a　dart；　which　Septimius；　being　before
him；　received　on　his　shield；　others；　however；　assaulted　him　with　their
naked　swords；　and　on　his　flying；　pursued　him　into　a　soldier's　cabin；
where　they　slew　him。　And　dragging　his　body　thence；　they　placed　a
railing　about　it；　and　exposed　it　next　day　to　public　view。　When　Galba
heard　of　the　end　which　Nymphidius　had　thus　come　to；　he　commanded
that　all　his　confederates　who　had　not　at　once　killed　themselves　should
immediately　be　despatched；　amongst　whom　were　Cingonius；　who　made　his
oration；　and　Mithridates；　formerly　mentioned。　It　was；　however；
regarded　as　arbitrary　and　illegal；　and　though　it　might　be　just；　yet　by
no　means　popular；　to　take　off　men　of　their　rank　and　equality　without　a
hearing。　For　every　one　expected　another　scheme　of　government；　being
deceived；　as　is　usual；　by　the　first　plausible　pretences；　and　the　death
of　Petronius　Turpilianus；　who　was　of　consular　dignity；　and　had
remained　faithful　to　Nero；　was　yet　more　keenly　resented。　Indeed；　the
taking　off　of　Macer　in　Africa　by　Trebonius；　and　Fonteius　by　Valens
in　German