22Otho's character was by no means so effeminate as his person. His intimate freedmen and slaves, who were allowed a licence unusual in private households, dangled10 before him the baits for which he was greedy: the luxuries of Nero's Court, the marriages he could make, the adulteries he could commit, and all the other imperial pleasures. They were his, they pointed11 out, if he would bestir himself; it was shameful12 to lie quiet and leave them to others. He was also incited14 by the astrologers, who declared that their study of the stars pointed to great changes and a year 40of glory for Otho. Creatures of this class always deceive the ambitious, though those in power distrust them. Probably we shall go on for ever proscribing15 them and keeping them by us.48 Poppaea49 had always had her boudoir full of these astrologers, the worst kind of outfit16 for a royal ménage. One of them, called Ptolemy, had gone with Otho to Spain50 and foretold17 that he would outlive Nero. This came true and Otho believed in him. He now based his vague conjectures18 on the computations of Galba's age and Otho's youth, and persuaded him that he would ascend19 the throne. But, though the man had no real skill, Otho accepted the prophecy as if it was the finger of fate. Human nature always likes to believe what it cannot understand.
23Nor was Ptolemy himself slow to incite13 his master to crime, to which it is only a short step from such ambitions. But whether his criminal designs were deliberate or suddenly conceived, it is impossible to say. He had long been courting the goodwill20 of the soldiers either in the hope of being adopted by Galba or to prepare the way for treason. On the road from Spain, while the men were marching or on outpost duty, he would address the veterans by name, reminding them how he and they had served together under Nero, and calling them his comrades. He renewed acquaintance 41with some, asked after others and helped them with money or influence, frequently letting fall complaints and ambiguous remarks about Galba, using all the arts which work upon uneducated minds. The soldiers grumbled21 bitterly at the exertions22 of the march, the shortage of provisions, and the strict discipline. What they were used to was a journey to the Campanian Lakes or Greek seaports23 on board ship;51 they found it hard to struggle over the Pyrenees and Alps, and march immense distances under arms.
24While the soldiers were thus already fired with discontent, Maevius Pudens, one of Tigellinus'52 intimates, added fuel to their feelings by luring24 on all who were naturally unstable25 or in need of money, or rashly eager for a change. Eventually, whenever Galba dined with him, Otho went the length of presenting a hundred sesterces to each of the soldiers on guard, on the pretext26 that this was instead of entertaining them.53 This system of public largess Otho extended by making presents in confidence to individuals, and such spirit did he show in bribery27 that when a member of the Body Guard, Cocceius Proculus, brought an action to 42claim part of his neighbour's farm, Otho bought the whole property out of his own pocket and gave it to him. He was enabled to do this by the inefficiency28 of the Prefect Laco, who was no less blind to notorious than to secret scandals.
25Otho then put Onomastus, one of his freedmen, in charge of the projected crime, and Onomastus took into his confidence Barbius Proculus, an aide-de-camp, and a subaltern named Veturius, both in the Body Guard.54 Having assured himself by many interviews that they were both bold and cunning, Otho proceeded to load them with bribes29 and promises, providing them with funds to enable them to test the feelings of the others. And so a couple of common soldiers took it upon them to transfer the Roman Empire: and they did it. A very few were admitted as accomplices30. These, by various devices, worked on the indecision of the others. The non-commissioned officers who had been promoted by Nymphidius felt themselves under suspicion; the private soldiers were indignant and in despair at the constant postponement31 of Galba's largess; some few were fired by the recollection of Nero's régime and longed for the days of licence; all in common shared the fear of being drafted out of the Praetorian Guards.
26The infection of treason soon spread to the legions 43and auxiliaries32, whose excitement had been aroused as soon as they heard that the armies of Germany were wavering in their allegiance. So, as the disloyal were ready for treason and the loyal shut their eyes, they at first determined33 to acclaim34 Otho as he was returning from dinner on the night of the fourteenth. However, they hesitated: the darkness spelt uncertainty35, the troops were scattered36 all over the town, and unanimity37 could scarcely be expected from drunken men. They were not deterred38 by any affection for their country's honour, which they were deliberately39 preparing to stain with its emperor's blood, but they were afraid that, as Otho was unknown to the majority, some one else might by mistake be offered to the Pannonian or German legions and proclaimed emperor. Some evidence of the brewing40 plot leaked out, but it was suppressed by the conspirators41. Rumours42 even reached Galba's ears, but Laco made light of them, being totally ignorant of soldiers' characters, hostile to any suggestion, however wise, that was not his own, and extremely obstinate43 with men who knew more than he did.
27On January 15, as Galba was sacrificing in front of the temple of Apollo, the priest Umbricius declared the omens44 unfavourable: treason was impending47, and an enemy within the walls. Otho, who was standing48 beside Galba, overheard and construed49 the omen45 as being from his own point of view a good one, favourable46 to his plans. In a few moments his freedman, Onomastus, announced that the architect and contractors50 were waiting to see him. This had been agreed 44upon as the signal that the troops were assembling and the conspiracy51 was ripe. On being asked where he was going, Otho pretended that he was buying an old property, but suspected its condition and so had to inspect it first. Thus, leaning on his freedman's shoulder, he passed through Tiberius' house into the Velabrum and thence to the Golden Milestone52 at the foot of the Temple of Saturn53.55 There thirty-three soldiers of the Body Guard saluted54 him as emperor. When he showed alarm at the smallness of their number they put him hastily into a litter, and, drawing their swords, hurried him away. About the same number of soldiers joined them on the way, some accomplices, others merely curious. Some marched along shouting and flourishing swords; others kept silent, intending to take their cue from subsequent events.
28Julius Martialis was the tribune on duty in the camp. He was so overcome by the magnitude of this unexpected crime and so afraid that the treason was widespread in the camp, and that he might be killed if he offered any opposition55, that he led most people to suppose he was in the plot. So, too, the other tribunes and centurions56 all preferred present safety to a risky57 loyalty58. In fact the general attitude was this: few dared to undertake so foul59 a crime, many wished to see it done, and everybody was ready to condone60 it.
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1
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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3
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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whetting
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| v.（在石头上）磨（刀、斧等）( whet的现在分词 )；引起，刺激（食欲、欲望、兴趣等） | |
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monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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7
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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8
exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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10
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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11
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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shameful
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| adj.可耻的，不道德的 | |
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13
incite
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| v.引起，激动，煽动 | |
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incited
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| 刺激，激励，煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
proscribing
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| v.正式宣布（某事物）有危险或被禁止( proscribe的现在分词 ) | |
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16
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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17
foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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19
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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goodwill
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| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
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21
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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22
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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23
seaports
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| n.海港( seaport的名词复数 ) | |
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luring
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的现在分词形式） | |
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unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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28
inefficiency
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| n.无效率，无能；无效率事例 | |
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bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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30
accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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postponement
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| n.推迟 | |
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32
auxiliaries
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| n.助动词 ( auxiliary的名词复数 )；辅助工，辅助人员 | |
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33
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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acclaim
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| v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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36
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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37
unanimity
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| n.全体一致，一致同意 | |
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38
deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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40
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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41
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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42
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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43
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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44
omens
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| n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
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45
omen
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| n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示 | |
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46
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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47
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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48
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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49
construed
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| v.解释（陈述、行为等）( construe的过去式和过去分词 )；翻译，作句法分析 | |
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50
contractors
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| n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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51
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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52
milestone
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| n.里程碑；划时代的事件 | |
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53
Saturn
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| n.农神，土星 | |
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54
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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55
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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56
centurions
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| n.百人队长，百夫长（古罗马的军官，指挥百人）( centurion的名词复数 ) | |
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57
risky
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| adj.有风险的，冒险的 | |
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58
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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59
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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60
condone
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| v.宽恕；原谅 | |
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