galba-第6节

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Otho　was　slain　in　the　camp；　and　presently　appeared　one　Julius　Atticus；
a　man　of　some　distinction　in　the　guards；　running　up　with　his　drawn
sword；　crying　out　that　he　had　slain　Caesar's　enemy；　and　pressing
through　the　crowd　that　stood　in　his　way；　he　presented　himself　before
Galba　with　his　bloody　weapon；　who；　looking　on　him；　demanded；　〃Who　gave
you　your　orders？〃　And　on　his　answering　that　it　had　been　his　duty　and
the　obligation　of　the　oath　he　had　taken　the　people　applauded；　giving
loud　acclamations；　and　Galba　got　into　his　chair　and　was　carried　out　to
sacrifice　to　Jupiter；　and　so　to　show　himself　publicly。　But　coming　into
the　forum；　there　met　him　there；　like　a　turn　of　wind；　the　opposite
story；　that　Otho　had　made　himself　master　of　the　camp。　And　as　usual
in　a　crowd　of　such　a　size；　some　called　to　him　to　return　back；　others
to　move　forwards；　some　encouraged　him　to　be　bold　and　fear　nothing；
others　bade　him　to　be　cautious　and　distrust。　And　thus　whilst　his　chair
was　tossed　to　and　fro；　as　it　were　on　the　waves；　often　tottering；　there
appeared　first　horse；　and　straightway　heavy…armed　foot　coming
through　Paulus's　court；　and　all　with　one　accord　crying　out；　〃Down　with
this　private　man。〃　Upon　this；　the　crowd　of　people　set　off　running；　not
to　fly　and　disperse；　but　to　possess　themselves　of　the　colonnades　and
elevated　places　of　the　forum；　as　it　might　be　to　get　places　to　see　a
spectacle。　And　as　soon　as　Atillius　Vergilio　knocked　down　one　of
Galba's　statues；　this　was　taken　as　the　declaration　of　war；　and　they
sent　a　discharge　of　darts　upon　Galba's　litter；　and　missing　their
aim；　came　up　and　attacked　him　nearer　hand　with　their　naked　swords。
No　man　resisted　or　offered　to　stand　up　in　his　defence；　save　one
only；　a　centurion；　Sempronius　Densus；　the　single　man　among　so　many
thousands　that　the　sun　beheld　that　day　act　worthily　of　the　Roman
empire；　who；　though　he　had　never　received　any　favour　from　Galba；　yet
out　of　bravery　and　allegiance　endeavoured　to　defend　the　litter。　First；
lifting　up　his　switch　of　vine；　with　which　the　centurions　correct　the
soldiers　when　disorderly；　he　called　aloud　to　the　aggressors；
charging　them　not　to　touch　their　emperor。　And　when　they　came　upon
him　hand…to…hand；　he　drew　his　sword；　and　made　a　defence　for　a　long
time；　until　at　last　he　was　cut　under　the　knees　and　brought　to　the
ground。
　　Galba's　chair　was　upset　at　the　spot　called　the　Lacus　Curtius；
where　they　ran　up　and　struck　at　him　as　he　lay　in　his　corselet。　He；
however；　offered　his　throat；　bidding　them　〃Strike；　if　it　be　for　the
Romans'　good。〃　He　received　several　wounds　on　his　legs　and　arms；　and　at
last　was　struck　in　the　throat；　as　most　say；　by　one　Camurius；　a　soldier
of　the　fifteenth　legion。　Some　name　Terentius；　others　Lecanius；　and
there　are　others　that　say　it　was　Fabius　Fabulus；　who　it　is　reported
cut　off　the　head　and　carried　it　away　in　the　skirt　of　his　coat；　the
baldness　making　it　a　difficult　thing　to　take　hold　of。　But　those　that
were　with　him　would　not　allow　him　to　keep　it　covered　up；　but　bade
him　let　every　one　see　the　brave　deed　he　had　done；　so　that　after　a
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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