otho-第3章

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boldly；　drove　back　their　opponents；　and　took　the　eagle；　killing　pretty
nearly　every　man　in　the　first　rank；　till　the　others；　full　of　rage
and　shame；　returned　the　charge；　slew　Orfidius；　the　commander　of　the
legion；　and　took　several　standards。　Varus　Alfenus；　with　his　Batavians；
who　are　the　natives　of　an　island　of　the　Rhine；　and　are　esteemed　the
best　of　the　German　horse；　fell　upon　the　gladiators；　who　had　a
reputation　both　for　valour　and　skill　in　fighting。　Some　few　of　these
did　their　duty；　but　the　greatest　part　of　them　made　towards　the
river；　and；　falling　in　with　some　cohorts　stationed　there；　were　cut
off。　But　none　behaved　so　ill　as　the　praetorians；　who；　without　ever
so　much　as　meeting　the　enemy；　ran　away；　broke　through　their　own　body
that　stood；　and　put　them　into　disorder。　Notwithstanding　this；　many
of　Otho's　men　routed　those　that　were　opposed　to　them；　broke　right　into
them；　and　forced　their　way　to　the　camp　through　the　very　middle　of
their　conquerors。
　　As　for　their　commanders；　neither　Proculus　nor　Paulinus　ventured　to
reenter　with　the　troops；　they　turned　aside；　and　avoided　the
soldiers；　who　had　already　charged　the　miscarriage　upon　their　officers。
Annius　Gallus　received　into　the　town　and　rallied　the　scattered
parties；　and　encouraged　them　with　an　assurance　that　the　battle　was　a
drawn　one　and　the　victory　had　in　many　parts　been　theirs。　Marius
Celsus；　collecting　the　officers；　urged　the　public　interest；　Otho
himself；　if　he　were　a　brave　man；　would　not；　after　such　an　expense　of
Roman　blood；　attempt　anything　further；　especially　since　even　Cato
and　Scipio；　though　the　liberty　of　Rome　was　then　at　stake；　had　been
accused　of　being　too　prodigal　of　so　many　brave　men's　lives　as　were
lost　in　Africa；　rather　than　submit　to　Caesar　after　the　battle　of
Pharsalia　had　gone　against　them。　For　though　all　persons　are　equally
subject　to　the　caprice　of　fortune；　yet　all　good　men　have　one　advantage
she　cannot　deny；　which　is　this；　to　act　reasonably　under　misfortunes。
　　This　language　was　well　accepted　amongst　the　officers；　who　sounded
the　private　soldiers；　and　found　them　desirous　of　peace；　and　Titianus
also　gave　directions　that　envoys　should　be　sent　in　order　to　a
treaty。　And　accordingly　it　was　agreed　that　the　conference　should　be
between　Celsus　and　Gallus　on　one　part；　and　Valens　with　Caecina　on
the　other。　As　the　two　first　were　upon　their　journey；　they　met　some
centurions；　who　told　them　the　troops　were　already　in　motion；
marching　for　Bedriacum；　but　that　they　themselves　were　deputed　by　their
generals　to　carry　proposals　for　an　accommodation。　Celsus　and　Gallus
expressed　their　approval；　and　requested　them　to　turn　back　and　carry
them　to　Caecina。　However；　Celsus；　upon　his　approach；　was　in　danger
from　the　vanguard；　who　happened　to　be　some　of　the　horse　that　had
suffered　at　the　ambush。　For　as　soon　as　they　saw　him；　they　hallooed；
and　were　coming　down　upon　him；　but　the　centurions　came　forward　to
protect　him；　and　the　other　officers　crying　out　and　bidding　them
desist；　Caecina　came　up　to　inform　himself　of　the　tumult；　which　he
quieted；　and　giving　a　friendly　greeting　to　Celsus；　took　him　in　his
company　and　proceeded　towards　Bedriacum。　Titianus；　meantime；　had
repented　of　having　sent　the　messengers；　and　placed　those　of　the
soldiers　who　were　more　confident　upon　the　walls　once　again；　bidding
the　others　also　go　and　support　them。　But　when　Caecina　rode　up　on　his
horse　and　held　out　his　hand；　no　one　did　or　said　to　the　contrary；　those
on　the　walls　greeted　his　men　with　salutations；　others　opened　the　gates
and　went　out；　and　mingled　freely　with　those　they　met；　and　instead　of
acts　of　hostility；　there　was　nothing　but　mutual　shaking　of　hands　and
congratulations；　every　one　taking　the　oaths　and　submitting　to
Vitellius。

　　This　is　the　account　which　the　most　of　those　that　were　present　at　the
battle　give　of　it；　yet　own　that　the　disorder　they　were　in；　and　the
absence　of　any　unity　of　action；　would　not　give　them　leave　to　be
certain　as　to　particulars。　And　when　I　myself　travelled　afterwards　over
the　field　of　battle；　Mestrius　Florus；　a　man　of　consular　degree；　one　of
those　who　had　been；　not　willingly；　but　by　command；　in　attendance　on
Otho　at　the　time；　pointed　out　to　me　an　ancient　temple；　and　told　me；
that　as　he　went　that　way　after　the　battle；　he　observed　a　heap　of
bodies　piled　up　there　to　such　a　height　that　those　on　the　top　of　it
reached　the　pinnacles　of　the　roof。　How　it　came　to　be　so；　he　could
neither　discover　himself　nor　learn　from　any　other　person；　as　indeed；
he　said；　in　civil　wars　it　generally　happens　that　greater　numbers　are
killed　when　an　army　is　routed；　quarter　not　being　given；　because
captives　are　of　no　advantage　to　the　conquerors；　but　why　the
carcasses　should　be　heaped　up　after　that　manner　is　not　easy　to
determine。
　　Otho；　at　first；　as　it　frequently　happens；　received　some　uncertain
rumours　of　the　issue　of　the　battle。　But　when　some　of　the　wounded
that　returned　from　the　field　informed　him　rightly　of　it；　it　is　not；
indeed；　so　much　to　be　wondered　at　that　his　friends　should　bid　him
not　give　all　up　as　lost　or　let　his　courage　sink；　but　the　feeling　shown
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　in