otho-第4节

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by　the　soldiers　is　something　that　exceeds　all　belief。　There　was　not
one　of　them　would　either　go　over　to　the　conqueror　or　show　any
disposition　to　make　terms　for　himself；　as　if　their　leader's　cause
was　desperate；　on　the　contrary；　they　crowded　his　gates；　called　out
to　him　the　title　of　emperor；　and　as　soon　as　he　appeared；　cried　out　and
entreated　him；　catching　hold　of　his　band；　and　throwing　themselves　upon
the　ground；　and　with　all　the　moving　language　of　tears　and
persuasion；　besought　him　to　stand　by　them；　not　abandon　them　to　their
enemies；　but　employ　in　his　service　their　lives　and　persons；　which
would　not　cease　to　be　his　so　long　as　they　had　breath；　so　urgent　was
their　zealous　and　universal　importunity。　And　one　obscure　and　private
soldier；　after　he　had　drawn　his　sword；　addressed　himself　to　Otho：
〃By　this；　Caesar；　judge　our　fidelity；　there　is　not　a　man　amongst　us
but　would　strike　thus　to　serve　you；〃　and　so　stabbed　himself。
Notwithstanding　this；　Otho　stood　serene　and　unshaken；　and；　with　a　face
full　of　constancy　and　composure；　turned　himself　about　and　looked　at
them；　replying　thus：　〃This　day；　my　fellow…soldiers；　which　gives　me
such　proofs　of　your　affection；　is　preferable　even　to　that　on　which　you
saluted　me　emperor；　deny　me　not；　therefore；　the　yet　higher
satisfaction　of　laying　down　my　life　for　the　preservation　of　so　many
brave　men；　in　this；　at　least；　let　me　be　worthy　of　the　empire；　that　is；
to　die　for　it。　I　am　of　opinion　the　enemy　has　neither　gained　an
entire　nor　a。　decisive　victory；　I　have　advice　that　the　Moesian　army　is
not　many　days'　journey　distant；　on　its　march　to　the　Adriatic；　Asia；
Syria；　and　Egypt；　and　the　legions　that　are　serving　against　the　Jews；
declare　for　us；　the　senate　is　also　with　us；　and　the　wives　and　children
of　our　opponents　are　in　our　power；　but　alas；　it　is　not　in　defence　of
Italy　against　Hannibal　or　Pyrrhus　or　the　Cimbri　that　we　fight；
Romans　combining　against　Romans；　and；　whether　we　conquer　or　are
defeated；　the　country　suffers　and　we　commit　a　crime：　victory；　to
whichever　it　fall；　is　gained　at　her　expense。　Believe　it　many　times
over；　I　can　die　with　more　honour　than　I　can　reign。　For　I　cannot　see　at
all　how　I　should　do　any　such　great　good　to　my　country　by　gaining　the
victory；　as　I　shall　by　dying　to　establish　peace　and　unanimity　and　to
save　Italy　from　such　another　unhappy　day。〃
　　As　soon　as　he　had　done；　he　was　resolute　against　all　manner　of
argument　or　persuasion；　and　taking　leave　of　his　friends　and　the
senators　that　were　present；　he　bade　them　depart；　and　wrote　to　those
that　were　absent；　and　sent　letters　to　the　towns；　that　they　might
have　every　honour　and　facility　in　their　journey。　Then　he　sent　for
Cocceius；　his　brother's　son；　who　was　yet　a　boy；　and　bade　him　be　in
no　apprehension　of　Vitellius；　whose　mother　and　wife　and　family　he
had　treated　with　the　same　tenderness　as　his　own；　and　also　told　him
that　this　had　been　his　reason　for　delaying　to　adopt　him；　which　he
had　meant　to　do　as　his　son；　he　had　desired　that　he　might　share　his
power；　if　he　conquered；　but　not　be　involved　in　his　ruin　if　he
failed。　〃Take　notice；〃　he　added；　〃my　boy；　of　these　my　last　words；　that
you　neither　too　negligently　forget；　nor　too　zealously　remember；　that
Caesar　was　your　uncle。〃　By　and　by　he　heard　a　tumult　amongst　the
soldiers　at　the　door；　who　were　treating　the　senators　with　menaces
for　preparing　to　withdraw；　upon　which；　out　of　regard　to　their
safety；　he　showed　himself　once　more　in　public；　but　not　with　a　gentle
aspect　and　in　a　persuading　manner　as　before；　on　the　contrary；　with　a
countenance　that　discovered　indignation　and　authority；　he　commanded
such　as　were　disorderly　to　leave　the　place；　and　was　not　disobeyed。
　　It　was　now　evening；　and　feeling　thirsty；　he　drank　some　water；　and
then　took　two　daggers　that　belonged　to　him；　and　when　he　had
carefully　examined　their　edges；　he　laid　one　of　them　down；　and　put
the　other　in　his　robe；　under　his　arm；　then　called　his　servants；　and
distributed　some　money　amongst　them；　but　not　inconsiderately；　nor　like
one　too　lavish　of　what　was　not　his　own；　for　to　some　he　gave　more；　to
others　less；　all　strictly　in　moderation；　and　distinguishing　every
one's　particular　merit。　When　this　was　done；　he　dismissed　them；　and
passed　the　rest　of　the　night　in　so　sound　a　sleep　that　the　officers
of　his　bed…chamber　heard　him　snore。　In　the　morning；　he　called　for
one　of　his　freedmen；　who　had　assisted　him　in　arranging　about　the
senators；　and　bade　him　bring　him　an　account　if　they　were　safe。　Being
informed　they　were　all　well　and　wanted　nothing；　〃Go　then；〃　he　said
〃and　show　yourself　to　the　soldiers；　lest　they　should　cut　you　to　pieces
for　being　accessory　to　my　death。〃　As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　he　held
his　sword　upright　under　him　with　both　his　hands；　and　falling　upon　it
expired　with　no　more　than　one　single　groan　to　express　his　sense　of　the
pang；　or　to　inform　those　that　waited　without。　When　his　servants；
therefore；　raised　their　exclamations　of　grief；　the　whole　camp　and　city
were　at　once　filled　with　lamentation；　the　soldiers　immediately　broke
in　at　the　doors　with　a　loud　cry；　in　passionate　distress；　and
accusing　themselves　that　they　had　been　so　negligent　in　looking　after
that　life　which　was　laid　down　to　preserve　theirs。　Nor　would　a　man　of
them　quit　the　body　to　secure　his　own　safety　with　the　approaching
enemy；　but　having　raised　a　funeral　pile；　and　attired　the　body；　they
bore　it　thither；　arrayed　in　their　arms；　those　among　them　greatly
exulting　who　succeeded　in　getting　first　under　the　bier　and　becoming
its　bearers。　Of　the　others；　some　threw　themselves　down　before　the　body
and　kissed　his　wound；　others　grasped　his　hand；　and　others　that　were　at
a　distance　knelt　down　to　do　him　obeisance。　There　were　some　who；
after　putting　their　torches　to　the　pile；　slew　themselves；　though
they　had　not；　so　far　as　appeared；　either　any　particular　obligations　to
the　dead；　or　reason　to　apprehend　ill…usage　from　the　victor。　Simply；　it
would　seem；　no　king；　legal　or　illegal；　had　ever　been　possessed　with　so
extreme　and　vehement　a　passion　to　command　others；　as　was　that　of　these
men　to　obey　Otho。　Nor　did　their　love　of　him　cease　with　his　death；　it
survived　and　changed　ere　long　into　a　mortal　hatred　to　his　successor；
as　will　be　shown　in　its　proper　place。
　　They　placed　the　remains　of　Otho　in　the　earth　and　raised　over　them
a　monument　which　neither　by　its　size　nor　the　pomp　of　its　inscription
might　excite　hostility。　I　myself　have　seen　it；　at　Brixillum；　a　plain
structure；　and　the　epitaph　only　this：　To　the　memory　of　Marcus　Otho。　He
died　in　his　thirty…eighth　year；　after　a　short　reign　of　about　three
months；　his　death　being　as　much　applauded　as　his　life　was　censured；
for　if　he　lived　no　better　than　Nero；　he　died　more　nobly。　The
soldiers　were　displeased　with　Pollio；　one　of　their　two　prefects；　who
bade　them　immediately　swear　allegiance　to　Vitellius；　and　when　they
understood　that　some　of　the　senators　were　still　upon　the　spot；　they
made　no　opposition　to　the　departure　of　the　rest；　but　only　disturbed
the　tranquillity　of　Virginius　Rufus　with　an　offer　of　the　government；
and　moving　in　one　body　to　his　house　in　town　they　first　entreated
him；　and　then　demanded　of　him　to　be　head　of　the　empire；　or　at　least　to
be　their　mediator。　But　he；　that　refused　to　command　them　when
conquerors；　thought　it　ridiculous　to　pretend　to　it　now　they　were　beat；
and　was　unwilling　to　go　as　their　envoy　to　the　Germans；　whom　in　past
time　he　had　compelled　to　do　various　things　that　they　had　not　liked；
and　for　these　reasons　he　slipped　away　through　a　private　door。　As
soon　as　the　soldiers　perceived　this；　they　owned　Vitellius；　and　so
got　their　pardon；　and　served　under　Caecina。





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