galba-第3章

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faithful　by　preserving　Galba。〃
　　The　tribune　having　ended　his　harangue；　the　soldiers　assented；　and
encouraged　all　they　met　with　to　persist　in　their　fidelity　to　the
emperor；　and；　indeed；　brought　over　the　greatest　part。　But　presently
hearing　a　great　shout；　Nymphidius；　imagining；　as　some　say；　that　the
soldiers　called　for　him；　or　hastening　to　be　in　time　to　check　any
opposition　and　gain　the　doubtful；　came　on　with　many　lights；　carrying
in　his　hand　a　speech　in　writing；　made　by　Cingonius　Varro；　which　he　had
got　by　heart；　to　deliver　to　the　soldiers。　But　seeing　the　gates　of
the　camp　shut　up；　and　large　numbers　standing　armed　about　the　walls；　he
began　to　be　afraid。　Yet　drawing　nearer　he　demanded　what　they　meant；
and　by　whose　orders　they　were　then　in　arms；　but　hearing　a　general
acclamation；　all　with　one　consent　crying　out　that　Galba　was　their
emperor；　advancing　towards　them；　he　joined　in　the　cry；　and　likewise
commanded　those　that　followed　him　to　do　the　same。　The　guard
notwithstanding　permitted　him　to　enter　the　camp　only　with　a　few；　where
he　was　presently　struck　with　a　dart；　which　Septimius；　being　before
him；　received　on　his　shield；　others；　however；　assaulted　him　with　their
naked　swords；　and　on　his　flying；　pursued　him　into　a　soldier's　cabin；
where　they　slew　him。　And　dragging　his　body　thence；　they　placed　a
railing　about　it；　and　exposed　it　next　day　to　public　view。　When　Galba
heard　of　the　end　which　Nymphidius　had　thus　come　to；　he　commanded
that　all　his　confederates　who　had　not　at　once　killed　themselves　should
immediately　be　despatched；　amongst　whom　were　Cingonius；　who　made　his
oration；　and　Mithridates；　formerly　mentioned。　It　was；　however；
regarded　as　arbitrary　and　illegal；　and　though　it　might　be　just；　yet　by
no　means　popular；　to　take　off　men　of　their　rank　and　equality　without　a
hearing。　For　every　one　expected　another　scheme　of　government；　being
deceived；　as　is　usual；　by　the　first　plausible　pretences；　and　the　death
of　Petronius　Turpilianus；　who　was　of　consular　dignity；　and　had
remained　faithful　to　Nero；　was　yet　more　keenly　resented。　Indeed；　the
taking　off　of　Macer　in　Africa　by　Trebonius；　and　Fonteius　by　Valens
in　Germany；　had　a　fair　pretence；　they　being　dreaded　as　armed
commanders；　having　their　soldiers　at　their　bidding；　but　why　refuse
Turpilianus；　an　old　man　and　unarmed；　permission　to　try　to　clear
himself；　if　any　part　of　the　moderation　and　equity　at　first　promised
were　really　to　come　to　a　performance？　Such　were　the　comments　to
which　these　actions　exposed　him。　When　he　came　within　five…and…twenty
furlongs　or　thereabouts　of　the　city；　he　happened　to　light　on　a
disorderly　rabble　of　the　seamen；　who　beset　him　as　he　passed。　These
were　they　whom　Nero　made　soldiers；　forming　them　into　a　legion。　They　so
rudely　crowded　to　have　their　commission　confirmed　that　they　did　not
let　Galba　either　be　seen　or　heard　by　those　that　had　come　out　to　meet
their　new　emperor；　but　tumultuously　pressed　on　with　loud　shouts　to
have　colours　to　their　legion；　and　quarters　assigned　them。　Galba　put
them　off　until　another　time；　which　they　interpreted　as　a　denial；
grew　more　insolent　and　mutinous；　following　and　crying　out；　some　with
their　drawn　swords　in　their　hands。　Upon　seeing　which；　Galba
commanded　the　horse　to　ride　over　them；　when　they　were　soon　routed；　not
a　man　standing　his　ground；　and　many　of　them　were　slain；　both　there　and
in　the　pursuit；　an　ill…omen；　that　Galba　should　make　his　first　entry
through　so　much　blood　and　among　dead　bodies。　And　now　he　was　looked
upon　with　terror　and　alarm　by　any　one　who　had　entertained　contempt
of　him　at　the　sight　of　his　age　and　apparent　infirmities。
　　But　when　he　desired　presently　to　let　it　appear　what　a　change　would
be　made　from　Nero's　profuseness　and　sumptuosity　in　giving　presents；　he
much　missed　his　aim；　and　fell　so　short　of　magnificence；　that　he
scarcely　came　within　the　limits　of　decency。　When　Canus；　who　was　a
famous　musician；　played　at　supper　for　him；　he　expressed　his
approbation；　and　bade　the　bag　he　brought　to　him；　and　taking　a　few　gold
pieces；　put　them　in　with　this　remark；　that　it　was　out　of　his　own
purse；　and　not　on　the　public　account。　He　ordered　the　largess　which
Nero　had　made　to　actors　and　wrestlers　and　such　like　to　be　strictly
required　again；　allowing　only　the　tenth　part　to　be　retained；　though　it
turned　to　very　small　account；　most　of　those　persons　expending　their
daily　income　as　fast　as　they　received　it；　being　rude；　improvident
livers；　upon　which　he　had　further　inquiry　made　as　to　those　who　had
bought　or　received　from　them；　and　called　upon　these　people　to
refund。　The　trouble　was　infinite；　the　exactions　being　prosecuted
far；　touching　a　great　number　of　persons；　bringing　disrepute　on
Galba；　and　general　hatred　on　Vinius；　who　made　the　emperor　appear
base…hearted　and　mean　to　the　world；　whilst　he　himself　was　spending
profusely；　taking　whatever　he　could　get；　and　selling　to　any　buyer。
Hesiod　tells　us　to　drink　without　stinting　of…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　end　and　the　beginning　of　the　cask。〃

And　Vinius；　seeing　his　patron　old　and　decaying；　made　the　most　of
what　he　considered　to　be　at　once　the　first　of　his　fortune　and　the　last
of　it。
　　Thus　the　aged　man　suffered　in　two　ways；　first；　through　the　evil
deeds　which　Vinius　did　himself；　and；　next；　by　his　preventing　or
bringing　into　disgrace　those　just　acts　which　he　himself　designed。　Such
was　the　punishing　Nero's　adherents。　When　he　destroyed　the　bad；　amongst
whom　were　Helius；　Polycletus；　Petinus；　and　Patrobius；　the　people
mightily　applauded　the　act；　crying　out；　as　they　were　dragged　through
the　forum；　that　it　was　a　goodly　sight；　grateful　to　the　gods
themselves；　adding；　however；　that　the　gods　and　men　alike　demanded
justice　on　Tigellinus；　the　very　tutor　and　prompter　of　all　the　tyranny。
This　good　man；　however；　had　taken　his　measures　beforehand；　in　the
shape　of　a　present　and　a　promise　to　Vinius。　Turpilianus　could　not　be
allowed　to　escape　with　life；　though　his　one　and　only　crime　had　been
that　he　had　not　betrayed　or　shown　hatred　to　such　a　ruler　as　Nero。
But　he　who　had　made　Nero　what　he　became；　and　afterwards　deserted　and
betrayed　him　whom　he　had　so　corrupted；　was　allowed　to　survive　as　an
instance　that　Vinius　could　do　anything；　and　an　advertisement　that
those　that　had　money　to　give　him　need　despair　of　nothing。　The
people；　however；　were　so　possessed　with　the　desire　of　seeing
Tigellinus　dragged　to　execution；　that　they　never　ceased　to　require
it　at　the　theatre；　and　in　the　race…course；　till　they　were　checked　by
an　edict　from　the　emperor　himself；　announcing　that　Tigellinus　could
not　live　long；　being　wasted　with　a　consumption；　and　requesting　them
not　to　seek　to　make　his　government　appear　cruel　and　tyrannical。　So　the
dissatisfied　populace　were　laughed　at；　and　Tigellinus　made　a
splendid　feast；　and　sacrificed　in　thanksgiving　for　his　deliverance；
and　after　supper；　Vinius；　rising　from　the　emperor's　table；　went　to
revel　with　Tigellinus；　taking　his　daughter；　a　widow；　with　him；　to　whom
Tigellinus　presented　his　compliments；　with　a　gift　of　twenty…five
myriads　of　money；　and　bade　the　superintendent　of　his　concubines　take
off　a　rich　necklace　from　her　own　neck　and　tie　it　about　hers；　the　value
of　it　being　estimated　at　fifteen　myriads。
　　After　this；　even　reasonable　acts　were　censured；　as；　for　example；　the
treatment　of　the　Gauls　who　had　been　in　the　conspiracy　with　Vindex。　For
people　looked　upon　their　abatement　of　tribute　and　admission　to
citizenship　as　a　piece；　not　of　clemency　on　the　part　of　Galba；　but　of
money…making　on　that　of　Vinius。　And　thus　the　mass　of　the　people
began　to　look　with　dislike　upon　the　government。　The　soldiers　were　kept
on　a　while　in　expectation　of　the　promised　donative；　supposing　that
if　they　did　not　receive　the　full；　yet　they　should　have　at　least　as
much　as　Nero　gave　them。　But　when　Galba；　on　hearing　they　began　to
complain；　declared　greatly；　and　like　a　general；　that　he　was　used　to
enlist　and　not　to　buy　his　soldiers；　when　they　heard　of　this；　they
conceived　an　implacable　hatred　against　him；　for　he　did　not　seem　to
defraud　them　merely　himself　in　their　present　expectations；　but　to　give
an　ill　precedent；　and　instruct　his　successors　to　do　the　like。　This
heart…burning；　however；　was　as　yet　at　Rome　a　thing　undeclared；　and　a
certain　respect　for　Galba's　personal　presence　somewhat　retarded
their　motions；　and　took　off　their　edge；　and　their　having　no　obvious
occasion　for　beginning　a　revolution　curbed　and　kept　under；　more　or
less；　their　resentments。　But　those　forces　that　had　been　formerly　under
Virginius；　and　now　were　under　Flaccus　in　Germany；　valuing　themselves
much　upon　the　battle　they　had　fought　with　Vindex；　and　finding　now　no
advantage　of　it；　grew　very　refractory　and　intractable　towards　their
officers；　and　Flaccus　they　wholly　disregarded；　being　incapacitated
in　body　by　unintermitted　gout；　and；　besides；　a　man　of　little
experience　in　affairs。　So　at　one　of　their　festivals；　when　it　was
customary　for　the　officers　of　the　army　to　wish　all　health　and
happiness　to　the　emperor；　the　common　soldiers　began　to　murmur
loudly；　and　on　their　officers　persisting　in　the　ceremony；　responded
with　the　words；　〃If　he　deserves　it。〃
　　When　some　similar　insolence　was　committed　by　the　legions　under
Vitellius；　frequent　letters　with　the　information　came　to　Galba　from
his　agents；　and　taking　alarm　at　this；　and　fearing　that　he　might　be
despised　not　only　for　his　old　age；　but　also　for　want　of　issue；　he
determined　to　adopt　some　young　man　of　distinction；　and　declare　him　his
successor。　There　was　at　this　time　in　the　city　Marcus　Otho；　a　person　of
fair　extraction；　but　from　his　childhood　one　of　the　few　most　debauched；
voluptuous；　and　luxurious　livers　in　Rome。　And　as　Homer　gives　Paris
in　several　places　the　title　of　〃fair　Helen's　love；〃　making　a　woman's
name　the　glory　and　addition　to　his；　as　if　he　had　nothing　else　to
distinguish　him；　so　Otho　was　renowned　in　Rome　for　nothing　more　than
his　marriage　with　Poppaea；　whom　Nero　had　a　passion　for　when　she　was
Crispinus's　wife。　But　being　as　yet　respectful　to　his　own　wife；　and
standing　in　awe　of　his　mother；　he　engaged　Otho　underhand　to　solicit
her。　For　Nero　lived　familiarly　with　Otho；　whose　prodigality　won　his
favour；　and　he　was　well　pleased　when　he　took　the　freedom　to　jest
upon　him　as　mean　and　penurious。　Thus　when　Nero　one　day　perfumed
himself　with　some　rich　essence　and　favoured　Otho　with　a　sprinkle　of
it；　he；　entertaining　Nero　next　day；　ordered　gold　and　silver　pipes　to
disperse　the　like　on　a　sudden　freely；　like　water；　throughout　the　room。
As　to　Poppaea；　he　was　beforehand　with　Nero；　and　first　seducing　her
himself；　then；　with　the　hope　of　Nero's　favour；　he　prevailed　with　her
to　part　with　her　husband；　and　brought　her　to　his　own　house　as　his
wife；　and　was　not　content　afterwards　to　have　a　share　in　her；　but
grudged　to　have　Nero　for　a　claimant；　Poppaea　herself；　they　say；
being　rather　pleased　than　otherwise　with　this　jealousy；　she
sometimes　excluded　Nero；　even　when　Otho　was　not　present；　either　to
prevent　his　getting　tired　with　her；　or；　as　some　say；　not　liking　the
prospect　of　an　imperial　marriage；　though　willing　enough　to　have　the
emperor　as　her　lover。　So　that　Otho　ran　the　risk　of　his　life；　and
strange　it　was　he　escaped；　when　Nero；　for　this　very　marriage；　killed
his　wife　and　sister。　But　he　was　beholden　to　Sen