galba-第5节

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them　their　expected　largess；　but　these　troops　made　a　pretence　of　a
more　particular　concern；　that　Virginius　Rufus　was　cast　off
dishonourably；　and　that　the　bad　who　had　fought　with　them　were　well
rewarded；　while　those　who　had　refused　to　take　part　with　Vindex　were
punished；　and　Galba's　thanks　seemed　all　to　be　for　him；　to　whose　memory
he　had　done　honour　after　his　death　with　public　solemnities　as　though
he　had　been　made　emperor　by　his　means　only。　Whilst　these　discourses
passed　openly　throughout　the　army；　on　the　first　day　of　the　first　month
of　the　year；　the　Calends；　as　they　call　it；　of　January；　Flaccus
summoning　them　to　take　the　usual　anniversary　oath　of　fealty　to　the
emperor；　they　overturned　and　pulled　down　Galba's　statues；　and　having
sworn　in　the　name　of　the　senate　and　people　of　Rome；　departed。　But
the　officers　now　feared　anarchy　and　confusion；　as　much　as　rebellion；
and　one　of　them　came　forward　and　said：　〃What　will　become　of　us；　my
fellow…soldiers；　if　we　neither　set　up　another　general；　nor　retain
the　present　one？　This　will　be　not　so　much　to　desert　from　Galba　as　to
decline　all　subjection　and　command。　It　is　useless　to　try　and
maintain　Flaccus　Hordeonius；　who　is　but　a　mere　shadow　and　image　of
Galba。　But　Vitellius；　commander　of　the　other　Germany；　is　but　one　day's
march　distant；　whose　father　was　censor　and　thrice　consul；　and　in　a
manner　co…emperor　with　Claudius　Caesar；　and　he　himself　has　the　best
proof　to　show　of　his　bounty　and　largeness　of　mind；　in　the　poverty　with
which　some　reproach　him。　Him　let　us　make　choice　of；　that　all　may　see
we　know　how　to　choose　an　emperor　better　than　either　Spaniards　or
Lusitanians。〃　Which　motion　whilst　some　assented　to；　and　others
gainsaid；　a　certain　standard…bearer　slipped　out　and　carried　the　news
to　Vitellius；　who　was　entertaining　much　company　by　night。　This
taking　air；　soon　passed　through　the　troops；　and　Fabius　Valens；　who
commanded　one　legion；　riding　up　next　day　with　a　large　body　of　horse；
saluted　Vitellius　emperor。　He　had　hitherto　seemed　to　decline　it；
professing　a　dread　he　had　to　undertake　the　weight　of　the　government；
but　on　this　day；　being　fortified；　they　say；　by　wine　and　a　plentiful
noon…day　repast；　he　began　to　yield；　and　submitted　to　take　on　him　the
title　of　Germanicus　they　gave　him；　but　desired　to　be　excused　as　to
that　of　Caesar。　And　immediately　the　army　under　Flaccus　also；　putting
away　their　fine　and　popular　oaths　in　the　name　of　the　senate；　swore
obedience　to　Vitellius　as　emperor；　to　observe　whatever　he　commanded。
　　Thus　Vitellius　was　publicly　proclaimed　emperor　in　Germany；　which
news　coming　to　Galba's　ear；　he　no　longer　deferred　his　adoption；　yet
knowing　that　some　of　his　friends　were　using　their　interest　for
Dolabella；　and　the　greatest　number　of　them　for　Otho；　neither　of　whom
he　approved　of；　on　a　sudden；　without　any　one's　privity；　he　sent　for
Piso；　the　son　of　Crassus　and　Scribonia；　whom　Nero　slew；　a　young　man　in
general　of　excellent　disposition　for　virtue；　but　his　most　eminent
qualities　those　of　steadiness　and　austere　gravity。　And　so　he　set　out
to　go　to　the　camp　to　declare　him　Caesar　and　successor　to　the　empire。
But　at　his　very　first　going　forth　many　signs　appeared　in　the
heavens；　and　when　he　began　to　make　a　speech　to　the　soldiers；　partly
extempore；　and　partly　reading　it；　the　frequent　claps　of　thunder　and
flashes　of　lightning；　and　the　violent　storm　of　rain　that　burst　on　both
the　camp　and　the　city；　were　plain　discoveries　that　the　divine　powers
did　not　look　with　favour　or　satisfaction　on　this　act　of　adoption
that　would　come　to　no　good　result。　The　soldiers；　also；　showed　symptoms
of　hidden　discontent；　and　wore　sullen　looks；　no　distribution　of
money　being　even　now　made　to　them。　However；　those　that　were　present
and　observed　Piso's　countenance　and　voice　could　not　but　feel
admiration　to　see　him　so　little　overcome　by　so　great　a　favour；　of
the　magnitude　of　which　at　the　same　time　he　seemed　not　at　all
insensible。　Otho's　aspect；　on　the　other　hand；　did　not　fail　to　let　many
marks　appear　of　his　bitterness　and　anger　at　his　disappointment；
since　to　have　been　the　first　man　thought　of　for　it；　and　to　have　come
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　d