galba-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GALBA
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　5　B。C。？　…　69　A。D。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　IPHICRATES　the　Athenian　used　to　say　that　it　is　best　to　have　a
mercenary　soldier　fond　of　money　and　of　pleasures；　for　thus　he　will
fight　the　more　boldly；　to　procure　the　means　to　gratify　his　desires。
But　most　have　been　of　opinion；　that　the　body　of　an　army；　as　well　as
the　natural　one；　when　in　its　healthy　condition；　should　make　no　efforts
apart；　but　in　compliance　with　its　head。　Wherefore　they　tell　us　that
Paulus　Aemilius；　on　taking　command　of　the　forces　in　Macedonia；　and
finding　them　talkative　and　impertinently　busy；　as　though　they　were　all
commanders；　issued　out　his　orders　that　they　should　have　only　ready
hands　and　keen　swords；　and　leave　the　rest　to　him。　And　Plato；　who　can
discern　use　of　a　good　ruler　or　general　if　his　men　are　not　on　their
part　obedient　and　conformable　（the　virtue　of　obeying；　as　of　ruling；
being；　in　his　opinion；　one　that　does　not　exist　without　first　a　noble
nature；　and　then　a　philosophic　education；　where　the　eager　and　active
powers　are　allayed　with　the　gentler　and　humaner　sentiments）；　may　claim
in　confirmation　of　his　doctrine　sundry　mournful　instances　elsewhere；
and；　in　particular；　the　events　that　followed　among　the　Romans　upon　the
death　of　Nero；　in　which　plain　proofs　were　given　that　nothing　is　more
terrible　than　a　military　force　moving　about　in　an　empire　upon
uninstructed　and　unreasoning　impulses。　Demades；　after　the　death　of
Alexander；　compared　the　Macedonian　army　to　the　Cyclops　after　his　eye
was　out；　seeing　their　many　disorderly　and　unsteady　motions。　But　the
calamities　of　the　Roman　government　might　be　likened　to　the　motions
of　the　giants　that　assailed　heaven；　convulsed　as　it　was；　and
distracted；　and　from　every　side　recoiling；　as　it　were；　upon　itself；
not　so　much　by　the　ambition　of　those　who　were　proclaimed　emperors；
as　by　the　covetousness　and　licence　of　the　soldiery；　who　drove
commander　after　commander　out；　like　nails　one　upon　another。
　　Dionysius；　in　raillery；　said　of　the　Pheraean　who　enjoyed　the
government　of　Thessaly　only　ten　months；　that　he　had　been　a
tragedy…king；　but　the　Caesars'　house　in　Rome；　the　Palatium；　received
in　a　shorter　space　of　time　no　less　than　four　emperors；　passing；　as
it　were；　across　the　stage；　and　one　making　room　for　another　to　enter。
　　This　was　the　only　satisfaction　of　the　distressed；　that　they　need　not
require　any　other　justice　on　their　oppressors；　seeing　them　thus　murder
each　other；　and　first　of　all；　and　that　most　justly；　the　one　that
ensnared　them　first；　and　taught　them　to　expect　such　happy　results　from
a　change　of　emperors；　sullying　a　good　word　by　the　pay　he　gave　for
its　being　done　and　turning　revolt　against　Nero　into　nothing　better
than　treason。
　　For；　as　already　related；　Nymphidius　Sabinus；　captain　of　the
guards；　together　with　Tigellinus；　after　Nero's　circumstances　were
now　desperate；　and　it　was　perceived　that　he　designed　to　fly　into
Egypt；　persuaded　the　troops　to　declare　Galba　emperor；　as　if　Nero　had
been　already　gone；　promising　to　all　the　court　and　praetorian　soldiers；
as　they　are　called；　seven　thousand　five　hundred　drachmas　apiece；　and
to　those　in　service　abroad　twelve　hundred　and　fifty　drachmas　each；
so　vast　a　sum　for　a　largess　as　it　was　impossible　any　one　could
raise；　but　he　must　be　infinitely　more　exacting　and　oppressive　than
ever　Nero　was。　This　quickly　brought　Nero　to　his　grave；　and　soon
after　Galba　too；　they　murdered　the　first　in　expectation　of　the
promised　gift；　and　not　long　after　the　other　because　they　did　not
obtain　it　from　him；　and　then；　seeking　about　to　find　some　one　who　would
purchase　at　such　a　rate；　they　consumed　themselves　in　a　succession　of
treacheries　and　rebellions　before　they　obtained　their　demands。　But
to　give　a　particular　relation　of　all　that　passed　would　require　a
history　in　full　form；　I　have　only　to　notice　what　is　properly　to　my
purpose；　namely；　what　the　Caesars　did　and　suffered。
　　Sulpicius　Galba　is　owned　by　all　to　have　been　the　richest　private
person　that　ever　came　to　the　imperial　seat。　And　besides　the　additional
honour　of　being　of　the　Servii；　he　valued　himself　more　especially　for
his　relationship　to　Catulus；　the　most　eminent　citizen　of　his　time　both
for　virtue　and　renown；　however　he　may　have　voluntarily　yielded　to
others　as　regards　power　and　authority。　Galba　was　also　akin　to　Livia；
the　wife　of　Augustus；　by　whose　interest　he　was　preferred　to　the
consulship　by　the　emperor。　It　is　said　of　him　that　he　commanded　the
troops　well　in　Germany；　and；　being　made　proconsul　in　Libya；　gained　a
reputation　that　few　ever　had。　But　his　quiet　manner　of　living　and　his
sparingness　in　expenses　and　his　disregard　of　appearances　gave　him；
when　he　became　emperor；　an　ill…name　for　meanness；　being；　in　fact；
his　worn…out　credit　for　regularity　and　moderation。　He　was　entrusted　by
Nero　with　the　government　of　Spain；　before　Nero　had　yet　learned　to　be
apprehensive　of　men　of　great　repute。　To　the　opinion；　moreover；
entertained　of　his　mild　natural　temper；　his　old　age　added　a　belief
that　he　would　never　act　incautiously。　There　while　Nero's　iniquitous
agents　savagely　and　cruelly　harassed　the　provinces　under　Nero's
authority；　he　could　afford　no　succour；　but　merely　offer　this　only　ease
and　consolation；　that　he　seemed　plainly　to　sympathize；　as　a
fellow…sufferer；　with　those　who　were　condemned　upon　suits　and　sold。
And　when　lampoons　were　made　upon　Nero　and　circulated　and　sung
everywhere　about；　he　neither　prohibited　them；　nor　showed　any
indignation　on　behalf　of　the　emperor's　agents；　and　for　this　was　the
more　beloved；　as　also　that　he　was　now　well　acquainted　with　them；
having　been　in　chief　power　there　eight　years　at　the　time　when　Junius
Vindex；　general　of　the　forces　in　Gaul；　began　his　insurrection
against　Nero。　And　it　is　reported　that　letters　came　to　Galba　before
it　fully　broke　out　into　an　open　rebellion；　which　he　neither　seemed
to　give　credit　to；　nor　on　the　other　hand　to　take　means　to　let　Nero
know；　as　other　officers　did；　sending　to　him　the　letters　which　came
to　them；　and　so　spoiled　the　design；　as　much　as　in　them　lay；　who　yet
afterwards　shared　in　the　conspiracy；　and　confessed　they　had　been
treacherous　to　themselves　as　well　as　him。　At　last　Vindex；　plainly
declaring　war；　wrote　to　Galba；　encouraging　him　to　take　the
government　upon　him；　and　give　a　head　to　this　strong　body；　the
Gaulish　provinces；　which　could　already　count　a　hundred　thousand　men　in
arms；　and　were　able　to　arm　a　yet　greater　number　if　occasion　were。
Galba　laid　the　matter　before　his　friends；　some　of　whom　thought　it
fit　to　wait；　and　see　what　movement　there　might　be　and　what
inclinations　displayed　at　Rome　for　the　revolution。　But　Titus　Vinius；
captain　of　his　praetorian　guard；　spoke　thus：　〃Galba；　what　means　this
inquiry？　To　question　whether　we　shall　continue　faithful　to　Nero　is；　in
itself；　to　cease　to　be　faithful。　Nero　is　our　enemy；　and　we　must　by
no　means　decline　the　help　of　Vindex：　or　else　we　must　at　once
denounce　him；　and　march　to　attack　him；　because　he　wishes　you　to　be　the
governor　of　the　Romans；　rather　than　Nero　their　tyrant。〃　Thereupon
Galba；　by　an　edict；　appointed　a　day　when　he　would　receive
manumissions；　and　general　rumour　and　talk　beforehand　about　his　purpose
brought　together　a　great　crowd　of　men　so　ready　for　a　change；　that　he
scarcely　appeared；　stepping　up　to　the　tribunal；　but　they　with　one
consent　saluted　him　emperor。　That　title　he　refused　at　present　to
take　upon　him；　but　after　he　had　a　while　inveighed　against　Nero　and
bemoaned　the　loss　of　the　more　conspicuous　of　those　that　had　been
destroyed　by　him；　he　offered　himself　and　service　to　his　country；　not
by　the　titles　of　Caesar　or　emperor；　but　as　the　lieutenant　of　the　Roman
senate　and　people。
　　Now　that　Vindex　did　wisely　in　inviting　Galba　to　the　empire；　Nero
himself　bore　testimony；　who；　though　he　seemed　to　despise　Vindex　and
altogether　to　slight　the　Gauls　and　their　concerns；　yet　when　he　heard
of　Galba　（as　by　chance　he　had　just　bathed　and　sat　down　to　his
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　ta