otho-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OTHO
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A。D。　32…69

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　THE　new　emperor　went　early　in　the　morning　to　the　capitol；　and
sacrificed；　and；　having　commanded　Marius　Celsus　to　be　brought；　he
saluted　him；　and　with　obliging　language　desired　him　rather　to　forget
his　accusation　than　remember　his　acquittal；　to　which　Celsus　answered
neither　meanly　nor　ungratefully；　that　his　very　crime　ought　to
recommend　his　integrity；　since　his　guilt　had　been　his　fidelity　to
Galba；　from　whom　he　had　never　received　any　personal　obligations。
Upon　which　they　were　both　of　them　admired　by　those　that　were
present；　and　applauded　by　the　soldiers。
　　In　the　senate；　Otho　said　much　in　a　gentle　and　popular　strain。　He　was
to　have　been　consul　for　part　of　that　year　himself；　but　he　gave　the
office　to　Virginius　Rufus；　and　displaced　none　that　had　been　named
for　the　consulship　by　either　Nero　or　Galba。　Those　that　were　remarkable
for　their　age　and　dignity　he　promoted　to　the　priesthoods；　and　restored
the　remains　of　their　fortunes；　that　had　not　yet　been　sold；　to　all
those　senators　that　were　banished　by　Nero；　and　recalled　by　Galba。　So
that　the　nobility　and　chief　of　the　people；　who　were　at　first
apprenhensive　that　no　human　creature；　but　some　supernatural；　or
penal　vindictive　power　had　seized　the　empire；　began　now　to　flatter
themselves　with　hopes　of　a　government　that　smiled　upon　them　thus
early。
　　Besides；　nothing　gratified　or　gained　the　whole　Roman　people　more
than　his　justice　in　relation　to　Tigellinus。　It　was　not　seen　how　he　was
in　fact　already　suffering　punishment；　not　only　by　the　very　terror　of
retribution　which　he　saw　the　whole　city　requiring　as　a　just　debt；
but　with　several　incurable　diseases　also；　not　to　mention　those
unhallowed　frightful　excesses　among　impure　and　prostitute　women；　to
which；　at　the　very　close　of　life；　his　lewd　nature　clung；　and　in　them
gasped　out；　as　it　were；　its　last；　these；　in　the　opinion　of　all
reasonable　men；　being　themselves　the　extremest　punishment；　and　equal
to　many　deaths。　But　it　was　felt　like　a　grievance　by　people　in
general　that　he　continued　yet　to　see　the　light　of　day；　who　had　been
the　occasion　of　the　loss　of　it　to　so　many　persons；　and　such　persons；
as　had　died　by　his　means。　Wherefore　Otho　ordered　him　to　be　sent　for；
just　as　he　was　contriving　his　escape　of　means　of　some　vessels　that　lay
ready　for　him　on　the　coast　near　where　he　lived；　in　the　neighbourhood
of　Sinuessa。　At　first　he　endeavoured　to　corrupt　the　messenger；　by　a
large　sum　of　money；　to　favour　his　design；　but　when　he　found　this　was
to　no　purpose；　he　made　him　as　considerable　a　present　as　if　he　had
really　connived　at　it；　only　entreating　him　to　stay　till　he　had　shaved；
and　so　took　that　opportunity；　and　with　his　razor　despatched　himself。
　　And　while　giving　the　people　this　most　righteous　satisfaction　of
their　desires；　for　himself　he　seemed　to　have　no　sort　of　regard　for　any
private　injuries　of　his　own。　And　at　first；　to　please　the　populace；
he　did　not　refuse　to　be　called　Nero　in　the　theatre；　and　did　not
interfere　when　some　persons　displayed　Nero's　statues　to　public　view。
And　Cluvius　Rufus　says；　imperial　letters；　such　as　are　sent　with
couriers；　went　into　Spain　with　the　name　of　Nero　affixed　adoptively
to　that　of　Otho；　but　as　soon　he　perceived　this　gave　offence　to　the
chief　and　most　distinguished　citizens；　it　was　omitted。
　　After　he　had　begun　to　model　the　government　in　this　manner；　the
paid　soldiers　began　to　murmur；　and　endeavoured　to　make　him　suspect　and
chastise　the　nobility；　either　really　out　of　a　concern　for　his
safety；　or　wishing；　upon　this　pretence；　to　stir　up　trouble　and
warfare。　Thus；　whilst　Crispinus；　whom　he　had　ordered　to　bring　him
the　seventeenth　cohort　from　Ostia；　began　to　collect　what　he　wanted
after　it　was　dark；　and　was　putting　the　arms　upon　the　wagons；　some　of
the　most　turbulent　cried　out　that　Crispinus　was　disaffected；　that
the　senate　was　practising　something　against　the　emperor；　and　that
those　arms　were　to　be　employed　against　Caesar；　and　not　for　him。　When
this　report　was　once　set　afoot；　it　got　the　belief　and　excited　the
passions　of　many；　they　broke　out　into　violence；　some　seized　the
wagons；　and　others　slew　Crispinus　and　two　centurions　that　opposed
them；　and　the　whole　number　of　them；　arraying　themselves　in　their　arms；
and　encouraging　one　another　to　stand　by　Caesar；　marched　to　Rome。　And
hearing　there　that　eighty　of　the　senators　were　at　supper　with　Otho；
they　flew　into　the　palace；　and　declared　it　was　a　fair　opportunity　to
take　off　Caesar's　enemies　at　one　stroke。　A　general　alarm　ensued　of
an　immediate　coming　sack　of　the　city。　All　were　in　confusion　about
the　palace；　and　Otho　himself　in　no　small　consternation；　being　not　only
concerned　for　the　senators　（some　of　whom　had　brought　their　wives　to
supper　thither）；　but　also　feeling　himself　to　be　an　object　of　alarm　and
suspicion　to　them；　whose　eyes　he　saw　fixed　on　him　in　silence　and
terror。　Therefore　he　gave　orders　to　the　prefects　to　address　the
soldiers　and　do　their　best　to　pacify　them；　while　he　bade　the　guests
rise；　and　leave　by　another　door。　They　had　only　just　made　their　way
out；　when　the　soldiers　rushed　into　the　room；　and　called　out；　〃Where
are　Caesar's　enemies？〃　Then　Otho；　standing　up　on　his　couch；　made　use
both　of　arguments　and　entreaties；　and　by　actual　tears　at　last；　with
great　difficulty；　persuaded　them　to　desist。　The　next　day　he　went　to
the　camp；　and　distributed　a　bounty　of　twelve　hundred　and　fifty
drachmas　a　man　amongst　them；　then　commended　them　for　the　regard　and
zeal　they　had　for　his　safety；　but　told　them　that　there　were　some　who
were　intriguing　among　them；　who　not　only　accused　his　own　clemency；　but
had　also　misrepresented　their　loyalty；　and；　therefore；　he　desired
their　assistance　in　doing　justice　upon　them。　To　which；　when　they　all
consented；　he　was　satisfied　with　the　execution　of　two　only；　whose
deaths　he　knew　would　be　regretted　by　no　one　man　in　the　whole　army。
　　Such　conduct；　so　little　expected　from　him；　was　regarded　by　some　with
gratitude　and　confidence；　others　looked　upon　his　behaviour　as　a　course
to　which　necessity　drove　him；　to　gain　the　people　to　the　support　of　the
war。　For　now　there　were　certain　tidings　that　Vitellius　had　assumed　the
sovereign　title　and　authority；　and　frequent　expresses　brought　accounts
of　new　accessions　to　him；　others；　however；　came；　announcing　that　the
Pannonian；　Dalmatian；　and　Moesian　legions；　with　their　officers；
adhered　to　Otho。　Ere　long　also　came　favourable　letters　from　Mucianus
and　Vespasian；　generals　of　two　formidable　armies；　the　one　in　Syria；
the　other　in　Judaea；　to　assure　him　of　their　firmness　to　his
interest：　in　confidence　whereof　he　was　so　exalted；　that　he　wrote　to
Vitellius　not　to　attempt　anything　beyond　his　post；　and　offered　him
large　sums　of　money　and　a　city；　where　he　might　live　his　time　out　in
pleasure　and　ease。　These　overtures　at　first　were　responded　to　by
Vitellius　with　equivocating　civilities；　which　soon；　however；　turned
into　an　interchange　of　angry　words；　and　letters　passed　between　the
two；　conveying　bitter　and　shameful　terms　of　reproach；　which　were　not
false　indeed；　for　that　matter；　only　it　was　senseless　and　ridiculous
for　each　to　assail　the　other　with　accusations　to　which　both　alike　must
plead　guilty。　For　it　were　hard　to　determine　which　of　the　two　had
been　most　profuse；　most　effeminate；　which　was　most　a　novice　in
military　affairs；　and　most　involved　in　debt　through　previous　want　of
means。
　　As　to　the　prodigies　and　apparitions　that　happened　about　this　time；
there　were　many　reported　which　none　could　answer　for；　or　which　were
told　in　different　ways；　but　one　which　everybody　actually　saw　with
their　eyes；　was　the　statue；　in　the　capitol；　of　Victory　carried　in　a
chariot；　with　the　reins　dropped　out　of　her　hands；　as　if　she　were　grown
too　weak　to　hold　them　any　longer；　and　a　second；　that　Caius　Caesar's
statue　in　the　island　of　Tiber；　without　any　earthquake　or　wind　to
account　for　it；　turned　round　from　west　to　east；　and　this；　they　say；
happened　about　the　time　when　Vespasian　and　his　party　first　openly
began　to　put　themselves　forward。　Another　incident；　which　the　people　in
general　thought　an　evil　sign；　was　the　inundation　of　the　Tiber；　for
though　it　happened　at　a　time　when　rivers　are　usually　at　their　fullest；
yet　such　height　of　water　and　so　tremendous　a　flood　had　never　been
known　before；　nor　such　a　destruction　of　property；　great　part　of　the
city　being　under　water；　and　especially　the　corn　market；　so　that　it
occasioned　a　great　dearth　for　several　days。
　　But　when　news　was　now　brought　that　Caecina　and　Valens；　commanding
for　Vitellius；　had　possessed　themselves　of　the　Alps；　Otho　sent
Dolabella　（a　patrician；　who　was　suspected　by　the　soldiery　of　some　evil
purpose）；　for　whatever　reason；　whether　it　were　fear　of　him　or　of　any
one　else；　to　the　town　of　Aquinum；　to　give　encouragement　there；　and
proceeding　then　to　choose　which　of　the　magistrates　should　go　with
him　to　the　war；　he　named　amongst　the　rest　Lucius；　Vitellius's　brother；
without　distinguishing　him　by　any　new　marks　either　of　his　favour　or
displeasure。　He　also　took　the　greatest　precautions　for　Vitelli