galba-第5章

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upon　him　as　mean　and　penurious。　Thus　when　Nero　one　day　perfumed
himself　with　some　rich　essence　and　favoured　Otho　with　a　sprinkle　of
it；　he；　entertaining　Nero　next　day；　ordered　gold　and　silver　pipes　to
disperse　the　like　on　a　sudden　freely；　like　water；　throughout　the　room。
As　to　Poppaea；　he　was　beforehand　with　Nero；　and　first　seducing　her
himself；　then；　with　the　hope　of　Nero's　favour；　he　prevailed　with　her
to　part　with　her　husband；　and　brought　her　to　his　own　house　as　his
wife；　and　was　not　content　afterwards　to　have　a　share　in　her；　but
grudged　to　have　Nero　for　a　claimant；　Poppaea　herself；　they　say；
being　rather　pleased　than　otherwise　with　this　jealousy；　she
sometimes　excluded　Nero；　even　when　Otho　was　not　present；　either　to
prevent　his　getting　tired　with　her；　or；　as　some　say；　not　liking　the
prospect　of　an　imperial　marriage；　though　willing　enough　to　have　the
emperor　as　her　lover。　So　that　Otho　ran　the　risk　of　his　life；　and
strange　it　was　he　escaped；　when　Nero；　for　this　very　marriage；　killed
his　wife　and　sister。　But　he　was　beholden　to　Seneca's　friendship；　by
whose　persuasions　and　entreaty　Nero　was　prevailed　with　to　despatch　him
as　praetor　into　Lusitania；　on　the　shores　of　the　Ocean；　where　he
behaved　himself　very　agreeably　and　indulgently　to　those　he　had　to
govern；　well　knowing　this　command　was　but　to　colour　and　disguise　his
banishment。
　　When　Galba　revolted　from　Nero；　Otho　was　the　first　governor　of　any　of
the　provinces　that　came　over　to　him；　bringing　all　the　gold　and
silver　he　possessed　in　the　shape　of　cups　and　tables；　to　be　coined　into
money；　and　also　what　servants　he　had　fitly　qualified　to　wait　upon　a
prince。　In　all　other　points；　too；　he　was　faithful　to　him；　and　gave　him
sufficient　proof　that　he　was　inferior　to　none　in　managing　public
business。　And　he　so　far　ingratiated　himself；　that　he　rode　in　the
same　carriage　with　him　during　the　whole　journey；　several　days
together。　And　in　this　journey　and　familiar　companionship　he　won　over
Vinius　also；　both　by　his　conversation　and　presents；　but　especially
by　conceding　to　him　the　first　place　securing　the　second；　by　his
interest；　for　himself。　And　he　had　the　advantage　of　him　in　avoiding　all
odium　and　jealousy；　assisting　all　petitioners；　without　asking　for
any　reward；　and　appearing　courteous　and　of　easy　access　towards　all
especially　to　the　military　men；　for　many　of　whom　he　obtained　commands；
some　immediately　from　the　emperor；　others　by　Vinius's　means；　and　by
the　assistance　of　the　two　favourite　freedmen；　Icelus　and　Asiaticus；
these　being　the　men　in　chief　power　in　the　court。　As　often　as　he
entertained　Galba；　he　gave　the　cohort　on　duty；　in　addition　to　their
pay；　a　piece　of　gold　for　every　man　there；　upon　pretence　of　respect
to　the　emperor；　while　really　he　undermined　him；　and　stole　away　his
popularity　with　the　soldiers。
　　So　Galba　consulting　about　a　successor；　Vinius　introduced　Otho；　yet
not　even　this　gratis；　but　upon　promise　that　he　would　marry　his
daughter　if　Galba　should　make　him　his　adopted　son　and　successor　to　the
empire。　But　Galba；　in　all　his　actions；　showed　clearly　that　he
preferred　the　public　good　before　his　own　private　interest；　not
aiming　so　much　to　pleasure　himself　as　to　advantage　the　Romans　by　his
selection。　Indeed　he　does　not　seem　to　have　been　so　much　as　inclined　to
make　choice　of　Otho　had　it　been　but　to　inherit　his　own　private
fortune；　knowing　his　extravagant　and　luxurious　character；　and　that
he　was　already　plunged　in　debt　five　thousand　myriads　deep。　So　he
listened　to　Vinius；　and　made　no　reply；　but　mildly　suspended　his
determination。　Only　he　appointed　himself　consul；　and　Vinius　his
colleague；　and　it　was　the　general　expectation　that　he　would　declare
his　successor　at　the　beginning　of　the　new　year。　And　the　soldiers
desired　nothing　more　than　that　Otho　should　be　the　person。
　　But　the　forces　in　Germany　broke　out　into　their　mutiny　whilst　he
was　yet　deliberating；　and　anticipated　his　design。　All　the　soldiers
in　general　felt　much　resentment　against　Galba　for　not　having　given
them　their　expected　largess；　but　these　troops　made　a　pretence　of　a
more　particular　concern；　that　Virginius　Rufus　was　cast　off
dishonourably；　and　that　the　bad　who　had　fought　with　them　were　well
rewarded；　while　those　who　had　refused　to　take　part　with　Vindex　were
punished；　and　Galba's　thanks　seemed　all　to　be　for　him；　to　whose　memory
he　had　done　honour　after　his　death　with　public　solemnities　as　though
he　had　been　made　emperor　by　his　means　only。　Whilst　these　discourses
passed　openly　throughout　the　army；　on　the　first　day　of　the　first　month
of　the　year；　the　Calends；　as　they　call　it；　of　January；　Flaccus
summoning　them　to　take　the　usual　anniversary　oath　of　fealty　to　the
emperor；　they　overturned　and　pulled　down　Galba's　statues；　and　having
sworn　in　the　name　of　the　senate　and　people　of　Rome；　departed。　But
the　officers　now　feared　anarchy　and　confusion；　as　much　as　rebellion；
and　one　of　them　came　forward　and　said：　〃What　will　become　of　us；　my
fellow…soldiers；　if　we　neither　set　up　another　general；　nor　retain
the　present　one？　This　will　be　not　so　much　to　desert　from　Galba　as　to
decline　all　subjection　and　command。　It　is　useless　to　try　and
maintain　Flaccus　Hordeonius；　who　is　but　a　mere　shadow　and　image　of
Galba。　But　Vitellius；　commander　of　the　other　Germany；　is　but　one　day's
march　distant；　whose　father　was　censor　and　thrice　consul；　and　in　a
manner　co…emperor　with　Claudius　Caesar；　and　he　himself　has　the　best
proof　to　show　of　his　bounty　and　largeness　of　mind；　in　the　poverty　with
which　some　reproach　him。　Him　let　us　make　choice　of；　that　all　may　see
we　know　how　to　choose　an　emperor　better　than　either　Spaniards　or
Lusitanians。〃　Which　motion　whilst　some　assented　to；　and　others
gainsaid；　a　certain　standard…bearer　slipped　out　and　carried　the　news
to　Vitellius；　who　was　entertaining　much　company　by　night。　This
taking　air；　soon　passed　through　the　troops；　and　Fabius　Valens；　who
commanded　one　legion；　riding　up　next　day　with　a　large　body　of　horse；
saluted　Vitellius　emperor。　He　had　hitherto　seemed　to　decline　it；
professing　a　dread　he　had　to　undertake　the　weight　of　the　government；
but　on　this　day；　being　fortified；　they　say；　by　wine　and　a　plentiful
noon…day　repast；　he　began　to　yield；　and　submitted　to　take　on　him　the
title　of　Germanicus　they　gave　him；　but　desired　to　be　excused　as　to
that　of　Caesar。　And　immediately　the　army　under　Flaccus　also；　putting
away　their　fine　and　popular　oaths　in　the　name　of　the　senate；　swore
obedience　to　Vitellius　as　emperor；　to　observe　whatever　he　commanded。
　　Thus　Vitellius　was　publicly　proclaimed　emperor　in　Germany；　which
news　coming　to　Galba's　ear；　he　no　longer　deferred　his　adoption；　yet
knowing　that　some　of　his　friends　were　using　their　interest　for
Dolabella；　and　the　greatest　number　of　them　for　Otho；　neither　of　whom
he　approved　of；　on　a　sudden；　without　any　one's　privity；　he　sent　for
Piso；　the　son　of　Crassus　and　Scribonia；　whom　Nero　slew；　a　young　man　in
general　of　excellent　disposition　for　virtue；　but　his　most　eminent
qualities　those　of　steadiness　and　austere　gravity。　And　so　he　set　out
to　go　to　the　camp　to　declare　him　Caesar　and　successor　to　the　empire。
But　at　his　very　first　going　forth　many　signs　appeared　in　the
heavens；　and　when　he　began　to　make　a　speech　to　the　soldiers；　partly
extempore；　and　partly　reading　it；　the　frequent　claps　of　thunder　and
flashes　of　lightning；　and　the　violent　storm　of　rain　that　burst　on　both
the　camp　and　the　city；　were　plain　discoveries　that　the　divine　powers
did　not　look　with　favour　or　satisfaction　on　this　act　of　adoption
that　would　come　to　no　good　result。　The　soldiers；　also；　showed　symptoms
of　hidden　discontent；　and　wore　sullen　looks；　no　distribution　of
money　being　even　now　made　to　them。　However；　those　that　were　present
and　observed　Piso's　countenance　and　voice　could　not　but　feel
admiration　to　see　him　so　little　overcome　by　so　great　a　favour；　of
the　magnitude　of　which　at　the　same　time　he　seemed　not　at　all
insensible。　Otho's　aspect；　on　the　other　hand；　did　not　fail　to　let　many
marks　appear　of　his　bitterness　and　anger　at　his　disappointment；
since　to　have　been　the　first　man　thought　of　for　it；　and　to　have　come
to　the　very　point　of　being　chosen；　and　now　to　be　put　by；　was　in　his
feelings　a　sign　of　the　displea