histories-第19章

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New　reinforcements　were　supplied　by　Varus　Alfenius　with　his　Batavians。



They　had　routed　the　band　of　gladiators；　which　had　been　ferried



across　the　river；　and　which　had　been　cut　to　pieces　by　the　opposing



cohorts　while　they　were　actually　in　the　water。　Thus　flushed　with



victory；　they　charged　the　flank　of　the　enemy。



　　The　centre　of　their　line　had　been　penetrated；　and　the　Othonianists



fled　on　all　sides　in　the　direction　of　Bedriacum。　The　distance　was　very



great；　and　the　roads　were　blocked　up　with　heaps　of　corpses；　thus　the



slaughter　was　the　greater；　for　captives　taken　in　civil　war　can　be



turned　to　no　profit。　Suetonius　Paullinus　and　Licinius　Proculus；　taking



different　roads；　avoided　the　camp。　Vedius　Aquila；　legate　of　the　13th



legion；　in　the　blindness　of　fear；　fell　in　the　way　of　the　furious



soldiery。　Late　in　the　day　he　entered　the　entrenchments；　and　found



himself　the　centre　of　a　mob　of　clamorous　and　mutinous　fugitives。



They　did　not　refrain　from　abuse　or　actual　violence；　they　reviled　him



as　a　deserter　and　traitor；　not　having　any　specific　charge　against　him；



but　all；　after　the　fashion　of　the　mob；　imputing　to　him　their　own



crimes。　Titianus　and　Celsus　were　favoured　by　the　darkness。　By　that



time　the　sentries　had　been　posted；　and　the　soldiers　reduced　to



order。　Annius　Gallus　had　prevailed　upon　them　by　his　prayers；　his



advice；　and　his　personal　influence；　not　to　aggravate　the　disaster　of



their　defeat　by　mutual　slaughter。　Whether　the　war　was　at　an　end；　or



whether　they　might　choose　to　resume　the　conflict；　the　vanquished　would



find　in　union　the　sole　mitigation　of　their　lot。　The　spirit　of　the　rest



of　the　army　was　broken；　but　the　Praetorians　angrily　complained　that



they　had　been　vanquished；　not　by　valour；　but　by　treachery。　〃The



Vitellianists　indeed；〃　they　said；　〃gained　no　bloodless　victory；



their　cavalry　was　defeated；　a　legion　lost　its　eagle。　We　have　still　the



troops　beyond　the　Padus；　and　Otho　himself。　The　legions　of　Moesia　are



coming；　a　great　part　of　the　army　remained　at　Bedriacum；　these



certainly　were　never　vanquished；　and　if　it　must　be　so；　it　is　on　the



battlefield　that　we　shall　fall　with　most　honour。〃　Amid　all　the



exasperation　or　terror　of　these　thoughts；　the　extremity　of　despair　yet



roused　them　to　fury　rather　than　to　fear。



　　The　army　of　Vitellius　bivouacked　at　the　fifth　milestone　from



Bedriacum。　The　generals　did　not　venture　an　assault　on　the　enemy's　camp





that　same　day；　besides；　a　capitulation　was　expected。　Though　they



were　without　baggage；　and　had　marched　out　only　to　fight；　it　was



sufficient　protection　to　them　that　they　had　arms；　and　were　victorious。



On　the　following　day；　as　the　feeling　of　Otho's　army　was　evident；　and



those　who　had　been　most　furious　were　inclined　to　repent；　envoys　were



sent；　nor　did　the　generals　of　Vitellius　hesitate　to　grant　conditions



of　peace。　The　envoys　indeed　were　detained　for　some　little　time；　and



this　circumstance　caused　some　doubt；　as　it　was　not　known　whether



they　had　obtained　their　object；　before　long；　however；　they　returned；



and　the　camp　was　thrown　open。　Both　victors　and　vanquished　melted



into　tears；　and　cursed　the　fatality　of　civil　strife　with　a



melancholy　joy。　There　in　the　same　tents　did　they　dress　the　wounds　of



brothers　or　of　kinsmen。　Their　hopes；　their　rewards；　were　all



uncertain；　death　and　sorrow　were　sure。　And　no　one　had　so　escaped



misfortune　as　to　have　no　bereavement　to　lament。　Search　was　made　for



the　body　of　the　legate　Orfidius；　and　it　was　burnt　with　the　customary



honours。　A　few　were　buried　by　their　friends；　the　multitude　that



remained　were　left　above　ground。



　　Otho　was　awaiting　news　of　the　battle　free　from　alarm　and　resolved　in



purpose。　First　came　gloomy　tidings；　and　then　fugitives　from　the　field；



making　known　that　all　was　lost。　The　zeal　of　the　soldiers　did　not



wait　for　the　Emperor　to　speak。　They　bade　him　be　of　good　cheer；　telling



him　that　he　had　still　fresh　forces；　and　that　they　would　themselves



endure　and　dare　to　the　last。　This　was　no　flattery；　they　were　fired



by　a　furious　impulse　to　seek　the　battle…field；　and　raise　again　the



fallen　fortunes　of　their　party。　Those　who　stood　at　a　distance



stretched　out　their　arms；　those　who　were　near　clasped　the　Emperor's



knees；　and　Plotius　Firmus　was　the　most　zealous　of　them　all。　This



man；　who　was　prefect　of　the　Praetorian　Guard；　repeatedly　besought　Otho



not　to　desert　an　army　so　loyal　and　soldiers　so　deserving；　〃there　was



more　courage　in　bearing　trouble；〃　he　said；　〃than　in　escaping　from



it；　the　brave　and　the　energetic　cling　to　hope；　even　in　spite　of



fortune；　the　cowardly　and　the　indolent　are　hurried　into　despair　by



their　fears。〃　While　he　was　thus　speaking；　as　Otho　assumed　a



relenting　or　a　stern　expression；　the　soldiers　cheered　or　groaned。



Nor　was　it　only　the　Praetorians；　who　were　peculiarly　Otho's　troops；



that　thus　acted；　those　who　had　been　sent　on　from　Moesia　declared



that　the　approaching　army　was　as　firmly　resolved；　and　that　the　legions



had　entered　Aquileia。　No　one　therefore　can　doubt　that　the　war　might



have　been　renewed　with　its　terrible　disasters；　and　its　uncertainties



both　for　victors　and　vanquished。



　　Otho　himself　was　opposed　to　all　thoughts　of　war。　He　said；　〃I　hold



that　to　expose　such　a　spirit；　such　a　courage　as　yours；　to　any



further　risk　is　to　put　too　high　a　value　on　my　life。　The　more　hope



you　hold　out　to　me；　should　I　choose　to　live；　the　more　glorious　will　be



my　death。　Fortune　and　I　now　know　each　other；　you　need　not　reckon　for



how　long；　for　it　is　peculiarly　difficult　to　be　moderate　with　that



prosperity　which　you　think　you　will　not　long　enjoy。　The　civil　war



began　with　Vitellius；　he　was　the　first　cause　of　our　contending　in　arms



for　the　throne；　the　example　of　not　contending　more　than　once　shall



belong　to　me。　By　this　let　posterity　judge　of　Otho。　Vitellius　is



welcome　to　his　brother；　his　wife；　his　children。　I　need　neither　revenge



nor　consolation。　Others　may　have　held　the　throne　for　a　longer　time；



but　no　one　can　have　left　it　with　such　fortitude。　Shall　I　suffer　so



large　a　portion　of　the　youth　of　Rome　and　so　many　noble　armies　to　be



again　laid　low　and　to　be　lost　to　the　State？　Let　this　thought　go　with



me；　that　you　were　willing　to　die　for　me。　But　live；　and　let　us　no



longer　delay；　lest　I　interfere　with　your　safety；　you　with　my　firmness。



To　say　too　much　about　one's　end　is　a　mark　of　cowardice。　Take　as　the



strongest　proof　of　my　determination　the　fact　that　I　complain　of　no



one。　To　accuse　either　gods　or　men　is　only　for　him　who　wishes　to　live。〃



　　After　having　thus　spoken；　he　courteously　entreated　all　in　terms



befitting　their　age　and　rank　to　go　at　once；　and　not　exasperate　the



anger　of　the　conqueror　by　staying。　With　the　young　he　used　his



authority；　with　the　old　his　prayers；　and　still　his　look　was　calm；



his　speech　collected；　as　he　checked　the　unseasonable　tears　of　his



friends。　He　gave　orders　that　those　who　were　departing　should　be



furnished　with　boats　and　carriages；　he　destroyed　all　memorials　and



letters　remarkable　for　their　expressions　of　zeal　for　himself　or



their　abuse　of　Vitellius。　He　distributed　some　gratuities；　but



sparingly；　and　not　like　a　man　who　was　soon　to　die。　Then　he　even



administered　consolation　to　Salvius　Cocceianus；　his　brother's　son；　a



very　young　man；　who　was　anxious　and　sorrowful；　praising　his



affection　while　he　rebuked　his　fear。　〃Do　you　think；〃　he　said；　〃that



Vitellius　will　shew　so　ruthless　a　temper　that　he　will　not　make　even



this　return　for　the　preservation　of　his　whole　family？　By　hastening



my　end　I　earn　the　clemency　of　the　conqueror。　It　is　not　in　the



extremity　of　despair；　but　while　my　army　yet　cries　for　battle；　that　I



have　sacrificed　to　the　State　my　last　chance。　I　have　obtained　enough



reputation　for　myself；　enough　nobility　for　my　family。　Successor　to　the



Julii；　the　Claudii；　the　Servii；　have　been　the　first　to　bring　the



Imperial　dignity　into　a　new　family。　Enter　then　on　life　with　a　brave



heart；　and　never　entirely　forget；　or　remember　too　vividly；　that　Otho



was　your　uncle。〃



　　After　this　he　dismissed　every　one；　and　took　some　repose。　He　was



now　pondering　in　his　heart　the　last　cares　of　life；　when　his



attention　was　distracted　by　a　sudden　tumult　and　he　was　told　of　the



confusion　and　outrageous　conduct　of　the　soldiers。　They　were



threatening　with　death　all　who　attempted　to　depart；　and　were　extreme



in　their　violence　against　Verginius；　whose　house　they　had　blockaded



and　were　besieging。　After　rebuking　the　ringleaders　of　the　tumult；　he



returned　and　employed　himself　in　granting　interviews　to　those　who　were



departing；　till　all　had　left　in　safety。　Towards　evening　he　quenched



his　thirst　with　a　draught　of　cold　water。　Two　daggers　were　brought　to



him；　he　tried　the　edge　of　each；　and　then　put　one　under　his　head。　After



satisfying　himself　that　his　friends　had　set　out；　he　passed　a



tranquil　night；　and　it　is　even　said　that　he　slept。　At　dawn　he　fell



with　his　breast　upon　the　steel。　Hearing　a　groan　from　the　dying　man；



his　freedmen　and　slaves；　and　Plotius　Firmus；　prefect　of　the　Praetorian



Guard；　came　in。　They　found　but　one　wound。　His　funeral　was　hastily



performed。　He　had　made　this　the　subject　of　earnest　entreaties；　anxious



that　his　head　might　not　be　cut　off　and　subjected　to　indignities。　The



Praetorian　cohorts　carried　his　body　with　praises　and　tears；　covering



his　wound　and　his　hands　with　kisses。　Some　of　the　soldiers　killed



themselves　near　the　funeral　pile；　not　moved　by　remorse　or　by　fear；　but



by　the　desire　to　emulate　his　glory；　and　by　love　of　their　Prince。



Afterwards　this　kind　of　death　became　a　common　practice　among　all　ranks



at　Bedriacum；　at　Placentia；　and　in　the　other　camps。　Over　Otho　was



built　a　tomb　unpretending　and　therefore　likely　to　stand。



　　Thus　Otho　ended　his　life　in　the　37th　year　of　his　age。　He　came　from



the　municipal　town　of　Ferentinum。　His　father　was　of　consular；　his



grandfather　of　praetorian　rank。　His　family　on　the　mother's　side　was　of



less　distinction；　but　yet　respectable。　What　his　boyhood　and　his



youth　had　been；　we　have　already　shewn。　By　two　daring　acts；　one　most



atrocious；　the　other　singularly　noble；　he　earned　in　the　eyes　of



posterity　about　an　equal　share　of　infamy　and　of　glory。　I　should



think　it　unbecoming　the　dignity　of　the　task　which　I　have　undertaken；



to　collect　fabulous　marvels；　and　to　amuse　with　fiction　the　tastes　of



my　readers；　at　the　same　time　I　would　not　venture　to　impugn　the



credit　of　common　report　and　tradition。　The　natives　of　these　parts



relate　that　on　the　day　when　the　battle　was　being　fought　at



Bedriacum；　a　bird　of　unfamiliar　appearance　settled　in　a　much



frequented　grove　near　Regium　Lepidum；　and　was　not　frightened　or　driven



away　by　the　concourse　of　people；　or　by　the　multitude　of　birds　that



flocked　round　it；