galba-第7章

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while　he　stuck　upon　the　lance　the　head　of　the　aged　man　that　had　been
their　grave　and　temperate　ruler；　their　supreme　priest　and　consul；　and；
tossing　it　up　in　the　air；　ran　like　a　bacchanal；　twirling　and
flourishing　with　it；　while　the　blood　ran　down　the　spear。　But　when　they
brought　the　head　to　Otho；　〃Fellow…soldiers；〃　he　cried　out；　〃this　is
nothing；　unless　you　show　me　Piso's　too；〃　which　was　presented　him　not
long　after。　The　young　man；　retreating　upon　a　wound　received；　was
pursued　by　one　Murcus；　and　slain　at　the　temple　of　Vesta。　Titus
Vinius　was　also　despatched；　avowing　himself　to　have　been　privy　to
the　conspiracy　against　Galba　by　calling　out　that　they　were　killing　him
contrary　to　Otho's　pleasure。　However；　they　cut　off　his　head；　and
Laco's　too；　and　brought　them　to　Otho；　requesting　a　boon。
　　And　as　Archilochus　says…

　　　　　　　　　〃When　six　or　seven　lie　breathless　on　the　ground；
　　　　　　　　　'Twas　I；　'twas　I；　say　thousands；　gave　the　wound。〃

Thus　many　that　had　no　share　in　the　murder　wetted　their　hands　and
swords　in　blood；　and　came　and　showed　them　to　Otho；　presenting
memorials　suing　for　a　gratuity。　Not　less　than　one　hundred　and　twenty
were　identified　afterwards　from　their　written　petitions；　all　of　whom
Vitellius　sought　out　and　put　to　death。　There　came　also　into　the　camp
Marius　Celsus；　and　was　accused　by　many　voices　of　encouraging　the
soldiers　to　assist　Galba；　and　was　demanded　to　death　by　the
multitude。　Otho　had　no　desire　for　this；　yet；　fearing　an　absolute
denial；　he　professed　that　he　did　not　wish　to　take　him　off　so　soon；
having　many　matters　yet　to　learn　from　him；　and　so　committed　him　safe
to　the　custody　of　those　he　most　confided　in。
　　Forthwith　a　senate　was　convened；　and　as　if　they　were　not　the　same
men；　or　had　other　gods　to　swear　by；　they　took　that　oath　in　Otho's　name
which　he　himself　had　taken　in　Galba's　and　had　broken；　and　withal
conferred　on　him　the　titles　of　Caesar　and　Augustus；　whilst　the　dead
carcasses　of　the　slain　lay　yet　in　their　consular　robes　in　the
market…place。　As　for　their　heads；　when　they　could　make　no　other　use　of
them；　Vinius's　they　sold　to　his　daughter　for　two　thousand　five　hundred
drachmas；　Piso's　was　begged　by　his　wife；　Verania；　Galba's　they　gave　to
Patrobius's　servants；　who　when　they　had　it；　after　all　sorts　of　abuse
and　indignities；　tumbled　it　into　the　place　where　those　that　suffer
death　by　the　emperor's　orders　are　usually　cast；　called　Sessorium。
Galba's　body　was　conveyed　away　by　Priscus　Helvidius　by　Otho's
permission；　and　buried　in　the　night　by　Argius；　his　freedman。
　　Thus　you　have　the　history　of　Galba；　a　person　inferior　to　few　Romans；
either　for　birth　or　riches；　rather　exceeding　all　of　his　time　in　both；
having　lived　in　great　honour　and　reputation　in　the　reigns　of　five
emperors；　insomuch　that　he　overthrew　Nero　rather　by　his　fame　and
repute　in　the　world　than　by　actual　force　and　power。　Of　all　the　others
that　joined　in　Nero's　deposition；　some　were　by　general　consent
regarded　as　unworthy；　others　had　only　themselves　to　vote　them
deserving　of　the　empire。　To　him　the　title　was　offered；　and　by　him　it
was　accepted；　and　simply　lending　his　name　to　Vindex's　attempt；　he
gave　to　what　had　been　called　rebellion　before；　the　name　of　a　civil
war；　by　the　presence　of　one　that　was　accounted　fit　to　govern。　And
therefore；　as　he　considered　that　he　had　not　so　much　sought　the
position　as　the　position　had　sought　him；　he　proposed　to　command　those
whom　Nymphidius　and　Tigellinus　had　wheedled　into　obedience　no
otherwise　than　Scipio　formerly　and　Fabricius　and　Camillus　had
commanded　the　Romans　of　their　times。　But　being　now　overcome　with　age；
he　was　indeed　among　the　troops　and　legions　an　upright　ruler　upon　the
antique　model；　but　for　the　rest；　giving　himself　up　to　Vinius；　Laco；
and　his　freedmen；　who　make　their　gain　of　all　things；　no　otherwise　than
Nero　had　done　to　his　insatiate　favourites；　he　left　none　behind　him
to　wish　him　still　in　power；　though　many　to　compassionate　his　death。




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