C. CORNELII TACITI

HISTORIÆ.

LIBER PRIMUS.

CHAP. 1. Preface to the History-2. Summary view of the whole work; state of the city, the armies, and the provinces-6. Galba's court, and the reigning vices-8. Condition of Spain, Gaul, the Upper and Lower Germany, Syria, Egypt, and Africa; the war against the Jews conducted by Vespasian-12. Revolt of the legions in Upper Germany; Galba consults about the choice of a successor; different opinions among his ministers, Vinius, Laco, and Icelus, one of his freedmen; Otho has hopes of the nomination— 14. Choice of Piso for the succession-15. Galba's speech on the occasion; he declares his adoption of Piso in the camp and in the senate; ill-timed severity of Galba; an embassy to the German legions-21. Otho plans a revolution; he corrupts the prætorian guards; two common soldiers undertake to dispose of the sovereignty; Otho proclaimed emperor-29. Galba, in the mean time, employed in a sacrifice in the capitol; Piso's speech to the soldiers-37. Otho harangues the prætorians in the camp-40. The prætorians rush into the city; Galba murdered-42. Death of Titus Vinius; the constancy of a centurion; Piso put to death; Otho received with adulation by the senate and the people-46. All things directed by the soldiers; numbers executed; Marius Celsus saved by the artifice of Otho-48. Characters of Piso and Titus Vinius-49. Character of Galba-50. Vitellius, before Galba's death, aims at the sovereignty--51. Origin of the revolt among the German legions; Vitellius saluted emperor; he sends two armies to invade Italy, one under Fabius Valens, and the other under Cæcina; Vitellius follows with a third army; his excessive luxury and stupidity; the cruelty and rapine of Valens and Cæcina -63. The Gauls, partly through fear and partly from inclination, swear fidelity to Vitellius-64. Valens on his march hears of the death of Galba-67. Cæcina attacks the Helvetians, and lays waste the country; he passes over the Penine mountains into Italy-71. Otho's conduct at Rome; he begins to act with vigor-72. Death of Tigellinus, and his character-74. Letters between Otho and Vitellius; they endeavor to overreach each other; emissaries employed by both; the people of Sarmatia invade the province of Mosia, and are put to the rout with great slaughter

80. An insurrection of the soldiers at Rome-83. Otho's speech to the soldiers-86. Portents and prodigies spread a general alarm at Rome87. Otho consults about the operations of the war; he appoints his generals, and sends his fleet to invade the Narbon Gaul-89. Melancholy condition of the people at Rome; Otho proceeds on his expedition against the Vitellian forces, and leaves his brother, Salvius Titianus, chief governor of Rome.

These transactions passed in a few months.

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Consuls.

Servius Galba, second time;
Titus Vinius Rufinus.

1. [A.U.C. 822. J.C. 69.] INITIUM mihi operis Ser. Galba iterum, T. Vinius consules" erunt: nam, post conditam Urbem, octingentos et viginti prioris ævi annos multi auctores retulerunt, dum res populi Romani memorabantur pari eloquentia ac libertate. Postquam bellatum apud Actium, atque omnem potestatem ad unum conferri pacis interfuit, magna illa ingenia cessere: simul veritas pluribus modis infracta; primum inscitia reipublicæ ut alienæ, mox libidine assentandi, aut rursus odio adversus dominantes: ita neutris cura posteritatis, inter infensos vel obnoxios." Sed ambitionem scriptoris facile adverseris; obtrectatio et livor pronis auribus accipiuntur: quippe adulationi foedum crimen servitutis, malignitati falsa species libertatis inest. Mihi Galba, Otho, Vitellius, nec beneficio nec injuria cogniti. Dignitatem nostram a Vespasiano inchoatam, a Tito auctam, a Domitiano longius provectam," non abnuerim: sed incorruptam fidem professis, nec amore quisquam et sine odio dicendus est. Quod si vita suppeditet, principatum divi Nervæ et imperium Trajani, uberiorem securioremque materiam, senectuti seposui: rara tempo

rum felicitate, ubi sentire quæ velis, et quæ sentias dicere licet.

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2. Opus adgredior opimum casibus, atrox præliis, discors seditionibus, ipsa etiam pace sævum. Quatuor Principes ferro interemti : tria bella civilia," plura externa ac plerumque permixta: prosperæ in Oriente, adversæ in Occidente res: turbatum Illyricum: Galliæ nutantes: perdomita Britannia" et statim missa: coortæ in nos Sarmatarum ac Suevorum gentes: nobilitatus cladibus mutuis 'Dacus: mota etiam prope Parthorum arma, falsi Neronis' ludibrio. Jam vero Italia novis cladibus, vel post longam seculorum seriem repetitis, adflicta: haustæ aut obrutæ urbes," fœcundissima Campaniæ ora; et Urbs incendiis vastata, consumtis antiquissimis delubris, ipso Capitolio civium manibus incenso : pollutæ cærimoniæ: magna adulteria: plenum exiliis mare: infecti cædibus scopuli. Atrocius in Urbe sævitum: nobilitas, opes, omissi gestique honores pro crimine, et ob virtutes certissimum exitium. Nec minus præmia delatorum invisa, quam scelera; cum alii sacerdotia et consulatus, ut spolia, adepti, procurationes alii et

Titus was besieging Jerusalem, seems certain but perhaps they were not immediately published intire. What he brings from Silius Italicus, is uncertain, since Italicus wrote his poem after Nero's death: but, what Banier could not know, and what is an evi dent proof that the conflagrations of Vesuvius are of an older date, is that lately there have been found in the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii roads strewed with lava. This lava was also found on the walls of the houses, as may be seen in Winckelmann, Lettre sur les Découvertes d'Herculaneum, p. 13,

interiorem potentiam," agerent, ferrent cuncta. Odio et terrore corrupti in dominos servi, in patronos liberti; et quibus deerat inimicus, per amicos oppressi. Non tamen adeo virtutum sterile seculum, ut non et bona exempla prodiderit.

3. Comitatæ profugos liberos matres: secutæ maritos in exilia conjuges propinqui audentes: constantes generi: contumax, etiam adversus tormenta, servorum fides: supremæ clarorum virorum necessitates; ipsa necessitas fortiter tolerata; et laudatis antiquorum mortibus pares exitus. Præter multiplices rerum humanarum casus, coelo terraque prodigia, et fulminum monitus et futurorum præsagia, læta, tristia, ambigua, manifesta: nec enim umquam atrocioribus populi Romani cladibus, magisve justis indiciis approbatum est, non esse curæ Deis securitatem nostram, esse ultionem."

4. Ceterum, antequam destinata componam, repetendum videtur, qualis status Urbis, quæ mens exercituum, quis habitus provinciarum, quid in toto terrarum orbe validum, quid ægrum fuerit; ut non modo casus eventusque rerum, qui plerumque fortuiti sunt, sed ratio etiam causæque

• Int. potent.] When they were admitted into the secrets and the ministry of the emperors.

Odio et t.] Huet well explains this: Odio, quod adversus dominos susceperant; terrore, quem sciebant se dominis incussuros.'

Per am. oppr.] This horrible state of things existed chiefly in the reign of Domitian, and was intirely put an end to by Trajan. Hence Pliny, in Panegyr. 42.

Reddita est amicis fides, liberis pietas, obsequium servis: verentur, et parent, et dominos habent. Non enim jam servi Principis nostri amici, sed nos sumus: nec pater patriæ alienis se mancipiis cariorem quam civibus suis credit. Omnes accusatore domestico liberasti, unoque salutis publicæ signo illud (ut sic dixerim) servile bellum sustulisti, in quo non minus servis quam dominis præstitisti: hos enim securos, illos bonos fecisti.'

d Ultionem] A horrible idea. God is not a malignant being, but bears with crime, and at length punishes it. Tacitus seems to have imitated Lucan,

Phars. iv, 107. Felix Roma quidem, civesque habitura beatos, Si libertatis superis tam cura placeret, Quam vindicta placet.' And so Cic. N. Deor. iii, 32. &c. The wisest of the ancients gave in to this impiety, as they were overwhelmed by the evil in the world, and had no hope of the reward of patient endurance.

e Fortuiti sunt] Perhaps they seem so to men, who do not look into the causes of things. Huet also explains it, 'generally unexpected and unforeseen:' for, as nothing takes place without a cause, events are fortuitous, not in themselves, but as far as we are concerned.

f Ratio-causæque] This is history: but the rest is trifling, and a mere burden to the memory. Sempronius Asellio, who was an actor in and a writer of the Numantine war, well observes: 'Scribere bellum, quo initum consule, et quo modo confectum sit, et quis triumphans introierit, et quæ in eo bello gesta sint iterare; non prædicare autem interea quid senatus decreverit, aut quæ lex rogatiove

noscantur. Finis Neronis ut lætus, primo gaudentium impetu, fuerat, ita varios motus animorum, non modo in Urbe apud patres, aut populum, aut urbanum militem, sed omnes legiones ducesque conciverat; evulgato imperii arcano, posse Principem alibi quam Romæ fieri. Sed patres læti, usurpata statim libertate, licentius, ut erga Principem novum et absentem; primores equitum proximi gaudio patrum; pars populi integra, et magnis domibus adnexa, clientes libertique damnatorum et exulum, in spem erecti plebs sordida, et circo ac theatris sueta, simul deterrimi servorum, aut qui, adesis bonis, per dedecus Neronis alebantur, moesti et rumorum avidi.

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5. Miles urbanus, longo Cæsarum sacramento imbutus, et ad destituendum Neronem arte magis et impulsu quam suo ingenio traductus, postquam neque dari donativum, sub nomine Galbæ promissum, neque magnis meritis ac præmiis eumdem in pace, quem in bello, locum, præventamque gratiam intelligit apud Principem a legionibus factum; pronus ad novas res, scelere insuper Nymphidii Sabini, præfecti,' imperium sibi molientis, agitatur. Et Nymphidius quidem in ipso conatu oppressus: sed, quamvis capite defectionis ablato, manebat plerisque militum conscientia; nec deerant sermones, senium atque avaritiam Galbæ' increpantium. Laudata olim et militari fama" celebrata severitas ejus angebat aspernantes veterem disciplinam, atque ita quatuordecim annis a Nerone adsuefactos, ut haud minus vitia Principum amarent, quam

lata sit, neque quibus consiliis ea gesta sint; id fabulas pueris est narrare, non historias scribere. - Nobis non modo satis esse video quod factum esset id pronuntiare, sed etiam quo consilio, quaque ratione gesta essent demonstrare.' Gell. iii, 18.

& Principem] Galba.

Integra] Pars p. i. i.e. not yet corrupted by vices; et magn. dom. adn. and therefore men of credit and of some property, as well as clientes libertique damn. et exulum, erecti in spem, sc. of a prosperous and benignant government. Huet explains it rather differently: 'Pars populi integra, i. e. pars populi, quæ Neronis sævitiam aut liberalitatem experta non fuerat, et optimates affinitate contingebat, iis assentiebatur.'

Mil. urb.] And particularly the prætorian troops.

Donativum] An immense largess promised by Nymphidius in the name of Galba.

Præfecti] Of the prætorian troops. m Mil. fama] This is illustrated by Suet. Galb. 6. A Caio Cæsare, [Caligula,] Gætulico substitutus [Galba.] postridie quam ad legiones venit, solemni forte spectaculo plaudentes inhibuit, data tessera, ut manus pœnulis continerent. Statim per castra jactatum est: Disce miles militare : Galba est, non Gætulicus.' This Gætulicus is Lentulus Gætulicus, lieutenant of Upper Germany, 'effusæ clementiæ, modicus severitate,' as was said in A. vi, 30.