galba-第3节

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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　Germany；　had　a　fair　pretence；　they　being　dreaded　as　armed
commanders；　having　their　soldiers　at　their　bidding；　but　why　refuse
Turpilianus；　an　old　man　and　unarmed；　permission　to　try　to　clear
himself；　if　any　part　of　the　moderation　and　equity　at　first　promised
were　really　to　come　to　a　performance？　Such　were　the　comments　to
which　these　actions　exposed　him。　When　he　came　within　five…and…twenty
furlongs　or　thereabouts　of　the　city；　he　happened　to　light　on　a
disorderly　rabble　of　the　seamen；　who　beset　him　as　he　passed。　These
were　they　whom　Nero　made　soldiers；　forming　them　into　a　legion。　They　so
rudely　crowded　to　have　their　commission　confirmed　that　they　did　not
let　Galba　either　be　seen　or　heard　by　those　that　had　come　out　to　meet
their　new　emperor；　but　tumultuously　pressed　on　with　loud　shouts　to
have　colours　to　their　legion；　and　quarters　assigned　them。　Galba　put
them　off　until　another　time；　which　they　interpreted　as　a　denial；
grew　more　insolent　and　mutinous；　following　and　crying　out；　some　with
their　drawn　swords　in　their　hands。　Upon　seeing　which；　Galba
commanded　the　horse　to　ride　over　them；　when　they　were　soon　routed；　not
a　man　standing　his　ground；　and　many　of　them　were　slain；　both　there　and
in　the　pursuit；　an　ill…omen；　that　Galba　should　make　his　first　entry
through　so　much　blood　and　among　dead　bodies。　And　now　he　was　looked
upon　with　terror　and　alarm　by　any　one　who　had　entertained　contempt
of　him　at　the　sight　of　his　age　and　apparent　infirmities。
　　But　when　he　desired　presently　to　let　it　appear　what　a　change　would
be　made　from　Nero's　profuseness　and　sumptuosity　in　giving　presents；　he
much　missed　his　aim；　and　fell　so　short　of　magnificence；　that　he
scarcely　came　within　the　limits　of　decency。　When　Canus；　who　was　a
famous　musician；　played　at　supper　for　him；　he　expressed　his
approbation；　and　bade　the　bag　he　brought　to　him；　and　taking　a　few　gold
pieces；　put　them　in　with　this　remark；　that　it　was　out　of　his　own
purse；　and　not　on　the　public　account。　He　ordered　the　largess　which
Nero　had　made　to　actors　and　wrestlers　and　such　like　to　be　strictly
required　again；　allowing　only　the　tenth　part　to　be　retained；　though　it
turned　to　very　small　account；　most　of　those　persons　expending　their
daily　income　as　fast　as　they　received　it；　being　rude；　improvident
livers；　upon　which　he　had　further　inquiry　made　as　to　those　who　had
bought　or　received　from　them；　and　called　upon　these　people　to
refund。　The　trouble　was　infinite；　the　exactions　being　prosecuted
far；　touching　a　great　number　of　persons；　bringing　disrepute　on
Galba；　and　general　hatred　on　Vinius；　who　made　the　emperor　appear
base…hearted　and　mean　to　the　world；　whilst　he　himself　was　spending
profusely；　taking　whatever　he　could　get；　and　selling　to　any　buyer。
Hesiod　tells　us　to　drink　without　stinting　of…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　end　and　the　beginning　of　the　cask。〃

And　Vinius；　seeing　his　patron　old　and　decaying；　made　the　most　of
what　he　considered　to　be　at　once　the　first　of　his　fortune　and　the　last
of　it。
　　Thus　the　aged　man　suffered　in　two　ways；　first；　through　the　evil
deeds　which