histories-第9章
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furlough； or even loiter about the camp； provided that they paid the
fees to the centurions。 No one cared about the amount of the tax； or
the way in which it was raised。 It was by robbery； plunder； or the
most servile occupations that the soldiers' holiday was purchased。 The
man with the fullest purse was worn out with toil and cruel usage till
he bought his furlough。 His means exhausted by this outlay； and his
energies utterly relaxed by idleness； the once rich and vigorous
soldier returned to his company a poor and spiritless man。 One after
another was ruined by the same poverty and license； and rushed into
mutiny and dissension； and finally into civil war。 Otho； however；
not to alienate the affections of the centurions by an act of bounty
to the ranks； promised that his own purse should pay these annual
sums。 It was undoubtedly a salutary reform； and was afterwards under
good emperors established as a permanent rule of the service。 Laco；
prefect of the city； who had been ostensibly banished to an island；
was assassinated by an enrolled pensioner； sent on by Otho to do the
deed。 Martianus Icelus； being but a freedman； was publicly executed。
A day spent in crime found its last horror in the rejoicings that
concluded it。 The Praetor of the city summoned the Senate； the rest of
the Magistrates vied with each other in their flatteries。 The Senators
hastily assembled and conferred by decree upon Otho the tribunitial
office； the name of Augustus； and every imperial honour。 All strove to
extinguish the remembrance of those taunts and invectives； which had
been thrown out at random； and which no one supposed were rankling
in his heart。 Whether he had forgotten； or only postponed his
resentment； the shortness of his reign left undecided。 The Forum yet
streamed with blood； when he was borne in a litter over heaps of
dead to the Capitol； and thence to the palace。 He suffered the
bodies to be given up for burial； and to be burnt。 For Piso； the
last rites were performed by his wife Verania and his brother
Scribonianus； for Vinius； by his daughter Crispina； their heads having
been discovered and purchased from the murderers； who had reserved
them for sale。
Piso； who was then completing his thirty…first year； had enjoyed
more fame than good fortune。 His brothers； Magnus and Crassus； had
been put to death by Claudius and Nero respectively。 He was himself
for many years an exile； for four days a Caesar； and Galba's hurried
adoption of him only gave him this privilege over his elder brother；
that he perished first。 Vinius had lived to the age of fifty…seven；
with many changes of character。 His father was of a praetorian family；
his maternal grandfather was one of the proscribed。 He had disgraced
himself in his first campaign when he served under the legate
Calvisius Sabinus。 That officer's wife； urged by a perverse
curiosity to view the camp； entered it by night in the disguise of a
soldier； and after extending the insulting frolic to the watches and
the general arrangements of the army； actually dared to commit the act
of adultery in the head…quarters。 Vinius was charged with having
participated in her guilt； and by order of Caius was loaded with
irons。 The altered times soon restored him to liberty。 He then enjoyed
an uninterrupted succession of honours； first filling the praetorship；
and then commanding a legion with general satisfaction； but he
subsequently incurred the degrading imputation of having pilfered a
gold cup at the table of Claudius； who the next day directed that he
alone should be served on earthenware。 Yet as proconsul of Gallia
Narbonensis he administered the government with strict integrity。 When
forced by his friendship with Galba to a dangerous elevation； he
shewed himself bold； crafty； and enterprising； and whether he
applied his powers to vice or virtue； was always equally energetic。
His will was made void by his vast wealth； that of Piso owed its
validity to his poverty。
The body of Galba lay for a long time neglected； and subjected；
through the license which the darkness permitted； to a thousand
indignities； till Argius his steward； who had been one of his
slaves； gave it a humble burial in his master's private gardens。 His
head； which the sutlers and camp…followers had fixed on a pole and
mangled； was found only the next day in front of the tomb of
Patrobius； a freedman of Nero's； whom Galba had executed。 It was put
with the body； which had by that time been reduced to ashes。 Such
was the end of Servius Galba； who in his seventy…three years had lived
prosperously through the reigns of five Emperors； and had been more
fortunate under the rule of others than he was in his own。 His
family could boast an ancient nobility； his wealth was great。 His
character was of an average kind； rather free from vices； than
distinguished by virtues。 He was not regardless of fame； nor yet
vainly fond of it。 Other men's money he did not covet； with his own he
was parsimonious； with that of the State avaricious。 To his freedmen
and friends he shewed a forbearance； which； when he had fallen into
worthy hands； could not be blamed； when； however； these persons were
worthless； he was even culpably blind。 The nobility of his birth and
the perils of the times made what was really indolence pass for
wisdom。 While in the vigour of life； he enjoyed a high military
reputation in Germany； as proconsul he ruled Africa with moderation；
and when advanced in years shewed the same integrity in Eastern Spain。
He seemed greater than a subject while he was yet in a subject's rank；
and by common consent would have been pronounced equal to empire；
had he never been emperor。
The alarm of the capital； which trembled to see the atrocity of
these recent crimes； and to think of the old character of Otho； was
heightened into terror by the fresh news about Vitellius； news which
had been suppressed before the murder of Galba； in order to make it
appear that only the army of Upper Germany had revolted。 That two men；
who for shamelessness； indolence； and profligacy； were the most
worthless of mortals； had been selected； it would seem； by some
fatality to ruin the Empire； became the open complaint； not only of
the Senate and the Knights； who had some stake and interest in the
country； but even of the common people。 It was no longer to the late
horrors of a dreadful peace； but to the recollections of the civil
wars； that men recurred； speaking of how the capital had been taken by
Roman armies； how Italy had been wasted and the provinces spoiled；
of Pharsalia； Philippi； Perusia； and Mutina； and all the familiar
names of great public disasters。 〃The world；〃 they said； 〃was
well…nigh turned upside down when the struggle for empire was
between worthy competitors； yet the Empire continued to exist after
the victories of Caius Julius and Caesar Augustus； the Republic
would have continued to exist under Pompey and Brutus。 And is it for
Otho or for Vitellius that we are now to repair to the temples？
Prayers for either would be impious； vows for either a blasphemy； when
from their conflict you can only learn that the conqueror must be
the worse of the two。〃 Some were speculating on Vespasian and the
armies of the East。 Vespasian was indeed preferable to either； yet
they shuddered at the idea of another war； of other massacres。 Even
about Vespasian there were doubtful rumours； and he； unlike any of his
predecessors； was changed for the better by power。
I will now describe the origin and occasion of the revolt of
Vitellius。 After the destruction of Julius Vindex and his whole force；
the army； flushed with the delights of plunder and glory； as men might
well be who had been fortunate enough to triumph witho
