galba-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　it。
　　Thus　the　aged　man　suffered　in　two　ways；　first；　through　the　evil
deeds　which　Vinius　did　himself；　and；　next；　by　his　preventing　or
bringing　into　disgrace　those　just　acts　which　he　himself　designed。　Such
was　the　punishing　Nero's　adherents。　When　he　destroyed　the　bad；　amongst
whom　were　Helius；　Polycletus；　Petinus；　and　Patrobius；　the　people
mightily　applauded　the　act；　crying　out；　as　they　were　dragged　through
the　forum；　that　it　was　a　goodly　sight；　grateful　to　the　gods
themselves；　adding；　however；　that　the　gods　and　men　alike　demanded
justice　on　Tigellinus；　the　very　tutor　and　prompter　of　all　the　tyranny。
This　good　man；　however；　had　taken　his　measures　beforehand；　in　the
shape　of　a　present　and　a　promise　to　Vinius。　Turpilianus　could　not　be
allowed　to　escape　with　life；　though　his　one　and　only　crime　had　been
that　he　had　not　betrayed　or　shown　hatred　to　such　a　ruler　as　Nero。
But　he　who　had　made　Nero　what　he　became；　and　afterwards　deserted　and
betrayed　him　whom　he　had　so　corrupted；　was　allowed　to　survive　as　an
instance　that　Vinius　could　do　anything；　and　an　advertisement　that
those　that　had　money　to　give　him　need　despair　of　nothing。　The
people；　however；　were　so　possessed　with　the　desire　of　seeing
Tigellinus　dragged　to　execution；　that　they　never　ceased　to　require
it　at　the　theatre；　and　in　the　race…course；　till　they　were　checked　by
an　edict　from　the　emperor　himself；　announcing　that　Tigellinus　could
not　live　long；　being　wasted　with　a　consumption；　and　requesting　them
not　to　seek　to　make　his　government　appear　cruel　and　tyrannical。　So　the
dissatisfied　populace　were　laughed　at；　and　Tigellinus　made　a
splendid　feast；　and　sacrificed　in　thanksgiving　for　his　deliverance；
and　after　supper；　Vinius；　rising　from　the　emperor's　table；　went　to
revel　with　Tigellinus；　taking　his　daughter；　a　widow；　with　him；　to　whom
Tigellinus　presented　his　compliments；　with　a　gift　of　twenty…five
myriads　of　money；　and　bade　the　superintendent　of　his　concubines　take
off　a　rich　necklace　from　her　own　neck　and　tie　it　about　hers；　the　value
of　it　being　estimated　at　fifteen　myriads。
　　After　this；　even　reasonable　acts　were　censured；　as；　for　example；　the
treatment　of　the　Gauls　who　had　been　in　the　conspiracy　with　Vindex。　For
people　looked　upon　their　abatement　of　tribute　and　admission　to
citizenship　as　a　piece；　not　of　clemency　on　the　part　of　Galba；　but　of
money…making　on　that　of　Vinius。　And　thus　the　mass　of　the　people
began　to　look　with　dislike　upon　the　government。　The　soldiers　were　kept
on　a　while　in　expectation　of　the　promised　donative；　supposing　that
if　they　did　not　receive　the　full；　yet　they　should　have　at　least　as
much　as　Nero　gave　them。　But　when　Galba；　on　hearing　they　began　to
complain；　declared　greatly；　and　like　a　general；　that　he　was　used　to
enlist　and　not　to　buy　his　soldiers；　when　they　heard　of　this；　they
conceived　an　implacable　hatred　against　him；　for　he　did　not　seem　to
defraud　them　merely　himself　in　their　present　expectations；　but　to　give
an　ill　precedent；　and　instruct　his　successors　to　do　the　like。　This
heart…burning；　however；　was　as　yet　at　Rome　a　thing　undeclared；　and　a
certain　respect　for　Galba's　personal　presence　somewhat　retarded
their　motions；　and　took　off　their　edge；　and　their　having　no　obvious
occasion　for　beginning　a　revolution　curbed　and　kept　under；　more　or
less；　their　resentments。　But　those　forces　that　had　been　formerly　under
Virginius；　and　now　were　under　Flaccus　in　Germany；　valuing　themselves
much　upon　the　battle　they　had　fought　with　Vindex；　and　finding　now　no
advantage　of　it；　grew　very　refractory　and　intractable　towards　their
officers；　and　Flaccus　they　wholly　disregarded；　being　incapacitated
in　body　by　unintermitted　gout；　and；　besides；　a　man　of　little
experience　in　affairs。　So　at　one　of　their　festivals；　when　it　was
customary　for　the　officers　of　the　army　to　wish　all　health　and
happiness　to　the　emperor；　the　common　soldiers　began　to　murmur
loudly；　and　on　their　officers　persisting　in　the　ceremony；　responded
with　the　words；　〃If　he　deserves　it。〃
　　When　some　similar　insolence　was　committed　by　the　legions　under
Vitellius；　frequent　letters　with　the　information　came　to　Galba　from
his　agents；　and　taking　alarm　at　this；　and　fearing　that　he　might　be
despised　not　only　for　his　old　age；　but　also　for　want　of　issue；　he
determined　to　adopt　some　young　man　of　distinction；　and　declare　him　his
successor。　There　was　at　this　time　in　the　city　Marcus　Otho；　a　person　of
fair　extraction；　but　from　his　childhood　one　of　the　few　most　debauched；
voluptuous；　and　luxurious　livers　in　Rome。　And　as　Homer　gives　Paris
in　several　places　the　title　of　〃fair　Helen's　love；〃　making　a　woman's
name　the　glory　and　addition　to　his；　as　if　he　had　nothing　else　to
distinguish　him；　so　Otho　was　renowned　in　Rome　for　nothing　more　than
his　marriage　with　Poppaea；　whom　Nero　had　a　passion　for　when　she　was
Crispinus's　wife。　But　being　as　yet　respectful　to　his　own　wife；　and
standing　in　awe　of　his　mother；　he　engaged　Otho　underhand　to　solicit
her。　For　Nero　lived　familiarly　with　Otho；　whose　prodigality　won　his
favour；　and　he　was　well　pleased　when　he　took　the　freedom　to　jest
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；