galba-第6章

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to　the　very　point　of　being　chosen；　and　now　to　be　put　by；　was　in　his
feelings　a　sign　of　the　displeasure　and　ill…will　of　Galba　towards
him。　This　filled　him　with　fears　and　apprehensions；　and　sent　him　home
with　a　mind　full　of　various　passions；　whilst　he　dreaded　Piso；　hated
Galba；　and　was　full　of　wrath　and　indignation　against　Vinius。　And　the
Chaldeans　and　soothsayers　about　him　would　not　permit　him　to　lay
aside　his　hopes　or　quit　his　design；　chiefly　Ptolemaeus；　insisting　much
on　a　prediction　he　had　made；　that　Nero　should　not　murder　Otho；　but
he　himself　should　die　first；　and　Otho　succeed　as　emperor；　for　the
first　proving　true；　he　thought　he　could　not　distrust　the　rest。　But
none　perhaps　stimulated　him　more　than　those　that　professed　privately
to　pity　his　hard　fate　and　compassionate　him　for　being　thus
ungratefully　dealt　with　by　Galba；　especially　Nymphidius's　and
Tigellinus's　creatures；　who；　being　now　cast　off　and　reduced　to　low
estate；　were　eager　to　put　themselves　upon　him；　exclaiming　at　the
indignity　he　had　suffered；　and　provoking　him　to　revenge　himself。
　　Amongst　these　were　Viturius　and　Barbius；　the　one　an　optio；　the　other
a　tesserarius　（these　are　men　who　have　the　duties　of　messengers　and
scouts）；　with　whom　Onomastus；　one　of　Otho's　freedmen；　went　to　the
camp；　to　tamper　with　the　army；　and　brought　over　some　with　money；
others　with　fair　promises；　which　was　no　hard　matter；　they　being
already　corrupted；　and　only　wanting　a　fair　pretence。　It　had　been
otherwise　more　than　the　work　of　four　days　（which　elapsed　between　the
adoption　and　murder）；　so　completely　to　infect　them　as　to　cause　a
general　revolt。　On　the　sixth　day　ensuing；　the　eighteenth；　as　the
Romans　call　it；　before　the　Calends　of　February；　the　murder　was　done。
On　that　day；　in　the　morning；　Galba　sacrificed　in　the　Palatium　in　the
presence　of　his　friends；　when　Umbricius；　the　priest；　taking　up　the
entrails；　and　speaking　not　ambiguously；　but　in　plain　words；　said
that　there　were　signs　of　great　troubles　ensuing；　and　dangerous
snares　laid　for　the　life　of　the　emperor。　Thus　Otho　had　even　been
discovered　by　the　finger　of　the　god；　being　there　just　behind　Galba；
bearing　all　that　was　said；　and　seeing　what　was　pointed　out　to　them
by　Umbricius。　His　countenance　changed　to　every　colour　in　his　fear；　and
he　was　betraying　no　small　discomposure；　when　Onomastus；　his
freedman；　came　up　and　acquainted　him　that　the　master　builders　had
come；　and　were　waiting　for　him　at　home。　Now　that　was　the　signal　for
Otho　to　meet　the　soldiers。　Pretending　then　that　he　had　purchased　an
old　house；　and　was　going　to　show　the　defects　to　those　that　had　sold　it
to　him；　he　departed；　and　passing　through　what　is　called　Tiberius's
house；　he　went　on　into　the　forum；　near　the　spot　where　a　golden
pillar　stands；　at　which　all　the　several　roads　through　Italy　terminate。
　　Here；　it　is　related；　no　more　than　twenty…three　received　and
saluted　him　emperor；　so　that；　although　he　was　not　in　mind　as　in　body
enervated　with　soft　living　and　effeminacy；　being　in　his　nature　bold
and　fearless　enough　in　danger；　nevertheless；　he　was　afraid　to　go　on。
But　the　soldiers　that　were　present　would　not　suffer　him　to　recede；　but
came　with　their　swords　drawn　around　his　chair；　commanding　the
bearers　to　take　him　up；　whom　he　hastened　on；　saying　several　times　over
to　himself；　〃I　am　a　lost　man。〃　Several　persons　overheard　the　words；
who　stood　by　wondering；　rather　than　alarmed；　because　of　the　small
number　that　attempted　such　an　enterprise。　But　as　they　marched　on
through　the　forum；　about　as　many　more　met　him；　and　here　and　there
three　or　four　at　a　time　joined　in。　Thus　returning　towards　the　camp；
with　their　bare　swords　in　their　hands；　they　saluted　him　as　Caesar；
whereupon　Martialis；　the　tribune　in　charge　of　the　watch；　who　was；　they
say；　noways　privy　to　it；　but　was　simply　surprised　at　the
unexpectedness　of　the　thing；　and　afraid　to　refuse；　permitted　him
entrance。　And　after　this；　no　man　made　any　resistance；　for　they　that
knew　nothing　of　the　design；　being　purposely　encompassed　by　the
conspirators；　as　they　were　straggling　here　and　there；　first
submitted　for　fear；　and　afterwards　were　persuaded　into　compliance。
Tidings　came　immediately　to　Galba　in　the　Palatium；　whilst　the
priests　were　still　present　and　the　sacrifices　at　hand；　so　that　persons
who　were　most　entirely　incredulous　about　such　things；　and　most
positive　in　their　neglect　of　them；　were　astonished；　and　began　to
marvel　at　the　divine　event。　A　multitude　of　all　sorts　of　people　now
began　to　run　together　out　of　the　forum；　Vinius　and　Laco　and　some　of
Galba's　freedmen　drew　their　swords　and　placed　themselves　beside　him；
Piso　went　forth　and　addressed　himself　to　the　guards　on　duty　in　the
court；　and　Marius　Celsus；　a　brave　man；　was　despatched　to　the
Illyrian　legion；　stationed　in　what　is　called　the　Vipsanian　chamber；　to
secure　them。
　　Galba　now　consulting　whether　he　should　go　out；　Vinius　dissuaded　him；
but　Celsus　and　Laco　encouraged　him　by　all　means　to　do　so；　and
sharply　reprimanded　Vinius。　But　on　a　sudden　a　rumour　came　hot　that
Otho　was　slain　in　the　camp；　and　presently　appeared　one　Julius　Atticus；
a　man　of　some　distinction　in　the　guards；　running　up　with　his　drawn
sword；　crying　out　that　he　had　slain　Caesar's　enemy；　and　pressing
through　the　crowd　that　stood　in　his　way；　he　presented　himself　before
Galba　with　his　bloody　weapon；　who；　looking　on　him；　demanded；　〃Who　gave
you　your　orders？〃　And　on　his　answering　that　it　had　been　his　duty　and
the　obligation　of　the　oath　he　had　taken　the　people　applauded；　giving
loud　acclamations；　and　Galba　got　into　his　chair　and　was　carried　out　to
sacrifice　to　Jupiter；　and　so　to　show　himself　publicly。　But　coming　into
the　forum；　there　met　him　there；　like　a　turn　of　wind；　the　opposite
story；　that　Otho　had　made　himself　master　of　the　camp。　And　as　usual
in　a　crowd　of　such　a　size；　some　called　to　him　to　return　back；　others
to　move　forwards；　some　encouraged　him　to　be　bold　and　fear　nothing；
others　bade　him　to　be　cautious　and　distrust。　And　thus　whilst　his　chair
was　tossed　to　and　fro；　as　it　were　on　the　waves；　often　tottering；　there
appeared　first　horse；　and　straightway　heavy…armed　foot　coming
through　Paulus's　court；　and　all　with　one　accord　crying　out；　〃Down　with
this　private　man。〃　Upon　this；　the　crowd　of　people　set　off　running；　not
to　fly　and　disperse；　but　to　possess　themselves　of　the　colonnades　and
elevated　places　of　the　forum；　as　it　might　be　to　get　places　to　see　a
spectacle。　And　as　soon　as　Atillius　Vergilio　knocked　down　one　of
Galba's　statues；　this　was　taken　as　the　declaration　of　war；　and　they
sent　a　discharge　of　darts　upon　Galba's　litter；　and　missing　their
aim；　came　up　and　attacked　him　nearer　hand　with　their　naked　swords。
No　man　resisted　or　offered　to　stand　up　in　his　defence；　save　one
only；　a　centurion；　Sempronius　Densus；　the　single　man　among　so　many
thousands　that　the　sun　beheld　that　day　act　worthily　of　the　Roman
empire；　who；　though　he　had　never　received　any　favour　from　Galba；　yet
out　of　bravery　and　allegiance　endeavoured　to　defend　the　litter。　First；
lifting　up　his　switch　of　vine；　with　which　the　centurions　correct　the
soldiers　when　disorderly；　he　called　aloud　to　the　aggressors；
charging　them　not　to　touch　their　emperor。　And　when　they　came　upon
him　hand…to…hand；　he　drew　his　sword；　and　made　a　defence　for　a　long
time；　until　at　last　he　was　cut　under　the　knees　and　brought　to　the
ground。
　　Galba's　chair　was　upset　at　the　spot　called　the　Lacus　Curtius；
where　they　ran　up　and　struck　at　him　as　he　lay　in　his　corselet。　He；
however；　offered　his　throat；　bidding　them　〃Strike；　if　it　be　for　the
Romans'　good。〃　He　received　several　wounds　on　his　legs　and　arms；　and　at
last　was　struck　in　the　throat；　as　most　say；　by　one　Camurius；　a　soldier
of　the　fifteenth　legion。　Some　name　Terentius；　others　Lecanius；　and
there　are　others　that　say　it　was　Fabius　Fabulus；　who　it　is　reported
cut　off　the　head　and　carried　it　away　in　the　skirt　of　his　coat；　the
baldness　making　it　a　difficult　thing　to　take　hold　of。　But　those　that
were　with　him　would　not　allow　him　to　keep　it　covered　up；　but　bade
him　let　every　one　see　the　brave　deed　he　had　done；　so　that　after　a
while　he　stuck　upon　the　lance　the　head　of　the　aged　man　that　had　been
their　grave　and　temperate　ruler；　their　supreme　p