Part 12

After the [451]victory, Antony [452]went to Asia, and Octavius to Italy; where he [453]was engaged in a war with L. Antony, the brother of the [454]triumvir, and his [455]wife Fulvia, a [456]woman of a [457]manly [458]spirit. He forced Lucius from the town; after which, being [459]declared an enemy, he [460]besieged him in Perusia, and obliged him to [461]surrender. In the mean time, the Parthians being [462]invited by Labienus, one of Pompey’s party, made an [463]irruption into Syria, whom Ventidius, after a very [464]signal [465]overthrow, in which the king was slain, [466]drove out again, and [467]recovered Syria.

S. Pompey, Cneius’s son, having a [468]fleet at his [469]command, [470]infested the seas. Cæsar made with him a peace, which was [471]soon [472]broken. [473]An engagement [474]followed, wherein Pompey was [475]worsted, and [476]forced to [477]fly. He was soon after [478]put to death by [479]order of M. Antony, under whose [480]protection he had put himself. About this time Antony made an [481]attempt upon the Parthians, by whom he was most [482]shamefully [483]beaten. At last Antony being [484]entirely [485]devoted to his Cleopatra, [486]divorced Octavia, Cæsar’s sister, and [487]declared war against him, in which he was at last defeated by sea near [488]Actium, a [489]promontory of [490]Epirus. Cæsar had upwards of 400 [491]ships, and Antony about 200, but so [492]prodigiously [493]large, that they [494]looked like [495]castles and cities [496]moving through the sea. The [497]flight of Cleopatra [498]turned the [499]fate of a [500]dubious [501]engagement into the [502]ruin of Antony; he followed her into Egypt, and being [503]besieged in Alexandria, he [504]slew himself, and Cleopatra soon [505]followed his [506]example.

FOOTNOTES

[1] _benchè_

[2] _affievolito_

[3] _vecchiája_

[4] _ambizióne_

[5] _impiegáto_

[6] _tolleráre_

[7] _affidare_

[8] _província_

[9] _perciò_

[10] _ottenére_

[11] _mezzo_

[12] _leváre_

[13] _sdegnáto_

[14] _impossessársi_

[15] _uccíso_

[16] _forzáre_

[17] _fuggíre_

[18] _assénza_

[19] _distúrbo_

[20] _scacciàto_

[21] _unito_

[22] _assaltáre_

[23] _preso_

[24] _méttere_

[25] _a fil di spada_

[26] _moríre_

[27] _tornáre_

[28] _conclúdere_

[29] _rotta_

[30] _dichiaráto_

[31] _dittatore_

[32] _si disfece di_

[33] _proscrizióne_

[34] _ritirársi_

[35] _sostenere_

[36] _coraggiosaménte_

[37] _rassegnáto_

[38] _dettatúra_

[39] _pediculare_

[40] _morbo_

[41] _età_

[42] _procuráre_

[43] _annulláre_

[44] _atto_

[45] _scacciáto_

[46] _colléga_

[47] _accostársi_

[48] _armáta_

[49] _fuggíre_

[50] _Sardégna_

[51] _ammalársi_

[52] _mandáto_

[53] _eseguíre_

[54] _proditoriaménte_

[55] _uccíso_

[56] _facilménte_

[57] _ricuperáre_

[58] _accendérsi_

[59] _entráto_

[60] _alleánza_

[61] _impadroníto_

[62] _lasciáto_

[63] _andáre_

[64] _fortunáto_

[65] _mare_

[66] _terra_

[67] _forzare_

[68] _Ponto_

[69] _Tigràne_

[70] _conquistáre_

[71] _attaccáre_

[72] _infantéria_

[73] _cavallería_

[74] _Nísibi_

[75] _preso_

[76] _abbandonáto_

[77] _obbligáto_

[78] _lasciáre_

[79] _frutto_

[80] _fatíca_

[81] _vittória_

[82] _forzáto_

[83] _arrendérsi_

[84] _contentarsi_

[85] _incalzáre_

[86] _aggiúngere_

[87] _Ibérj_

[88] _Albanési_

[89] _finalménte_

[90] _dappertútto_

[91] _battúto_

[92] _pensáre_

[93] _fuggíre_

[94] _Gállia_

[95] _scoraggíto_

[96] _rivólta_

[97] _Farnáce_

[98] _ammazzársi_

[99] _vigorosaménte_

[100] _continuáto_

[101] _accéndersi_

[102] _schiávo_

[103] _Spartáco Enománo_

[104] _Crisso_

[105] _gladiatóre_

[106] _disfatto_

[107] _scuóla_

[108] _appartenére_

[109] _radunáto_

[110] _disperáto_

[111] _sconfíggere_

[112] _vinto_

[113] _pariménte_

[114] _soggiogáre_

[115] _corsáro_

[116] _istigazióne_

[117] _infestáre_

[118] _straordinário_

[119] _commissióne_

[120] _a questo effétto_

[121] _Gabiáno_

[122] _aggrandíre_

[123] _fuóri_

[124] _capitale_

[125] _perícolo_

[126] _cospirazióne_

[127] _Catilína_

[128] _Léntulo_

[129] _Cetégo_

[130] _fare_

[131] _uccídere_

[132] _Ciceróne_

[133] _abbruciáre_

[134] _saccheggiáre_

[135] _diségno_

[136] _impedíto_

[137] _vigilánza_

[138] _scacciáto_

[139] _trasferírsi_

[140] _cómplice_

[141] _radunáto_

[142] _capo_

[143] _congiúra_

[144] _succédere_

[145] _sconfítto_

[146] _Petrejo_

[147] _António_

[148] _luogotenénte_

[149] _uccíso_

[150] _battáglia_

[151] _mondo_

[152] _soggiogáto_

[153] _arriváto_

[154] _grandézza_

[155] _appéna_

[156] _estendérsi_

[157] _estérno_

[158] _forza_

[159] _bastánte_

[160] _rovináre_

[161] _cadére_

[162] _potére_

[163] _cagionáto_

[164] _ambizióne_

[165] _principále_

[166] _contésa_

[167] _deriváre_

[168] _pretura_

[169] _spiráto_

[170] _ottenére_

[171] _eseguíre_

[172] _meritáre_

[173] _triónfo_

[174] _pospórre_

[175] _aspettativa_

[176] _consoláre_

[177] _dignità_

[178] _mentre_

[179] _possíbile_

[180] _diligenza_

[181] _unírsi_

[182] _grande_

[183] _oppórsi_

[184] _atto_

[185] _desideráre_

[186] _ratificáto_

[187] _ottenére_

[188] _consoláto_

[189] _fece ratificáre dal senato_

[190] _divídere_

[191] _terre della_

[192] _repubblica_

[193] _cittadíno_

[194] _maritáre_

[195] _préndere_

[196] _Pisóne_

[197] _in qualità di móglie_

[198] _arte_

[199] _imménso_

[200] _generosità_

[201] _guadagnáre_

[202] _favóre_

[203] _degli uomini di qualunque rango_

[204] _grado_

[205] _procuráre_

[206] _governáre_

[207] _debelláre_

[208] _compréso_

[209] _Pirenéi_

[210] _Alpi_

[211] _Reno_

[212] _forma_

[213] _impórre_

[214] _annuále_

[215] _tribúto_

[216] _attaccáre_

[217] _Tedeschi_

[218] _di là_

[219] _visitáre_

[220] _Británno_

[221] _niúno_

[222] _venúto_

[223] _intervállo_

[224] _entráre_

[225] _confederazióne_

[226] _virtù_

[227] _continuáre_

[228] _Spagna_

[229] _Parti_

[230] _in conseguénza_

[231] _andáre_

[232] _períre_

[233] _miseraménte_

[234] _parte_

[235] _incursióne_

[236] _valorosaménte_

[237] _rispinto_

[238] _tolleráre_

[239] _eguále_

[240] _superióre_

[241] _partíto_

[242] _cercáre_

[243] _leváre_

[244] _govérno_

[245] _spiráre_

[246] _canto_

[247] _trattáre_

[248] _nell’ istésso modo_

[249] _consoláto_

[250] _decreto_

[251] _licenziáre_

[252] _interpórre_

[253] _autorità_

[254] _lasciáre_

[255] _trasferírsi_

[256] _accostáre_

[257] _riempíre_

[258] _costernazióne_

[259] _abbandonáre_

[260] _senz’ altro_

[261] _poco dopo_

[262] _passáre_

[263] _Grécia_

[264] _víncere_

[265] _forzáre_

[266] _arrendérsi_

[267] _prigioniéro_

[268] _ritórno_

[269] _préndere_

[270] _Marsíglia_

[271] _uffízio_

[272] _scelto_

[273] _dato_

[274] _vita_

[275] _sconfítto_

[276] _campo_

[277] _Farságli_

[278] _Egítto_

[279] _ordine_

[280] _Toloméo_

[281] _età_

[282] _pure_

[283] _veníre_

[284] _pericolóso_

[285] _fatto d’armi_

[286] _fortunataménte_

[287] _fu vittorioso_

[288] _consegnáre_

[289] _regno_

[290] _uccidérsi_

[291] _seguíre_

[292] _segnalato_

[293] _correzióne_

[294] _calendário_

[295] _vincere_

[296] _pugnaláto_

[297] _senáto_

[298] _cospirazióne_

[299] _convulsióne_

[300] _mondo_

[301] _conturbato_

[302] _distúrbo_

[303] _succédere_

[304] _Clódio Pulcro_

[305] _fatto_

[306] _esiliáre_

[307] _condannáto_

[308] _complice_

[309] _procésso_

[310] _calamità_

[311] _soffríre_

[312] _vilménte_

[313] _in nissún conto_

[314] _come si conveniva_

[315] _dignità_

[316] _richiamáto_

[317] _interposizióne_

[318] _ricévere_

[319] _onóre_

[320] _dichiaráre_

[321] _Cipro_

[322] _appartenére_

[323] _mandáto_

[324] _impossessársi_

[325] _ísola_

[326] _gettáto_

[327] _danaro_

[328] _prevenire_

[329] _disgrázia_

[330] _volontária_

[331] _accordáre_

[332] _dignità di pretóre_

[333] _ritórno_

[334] _per votazione dell’assemblea_

[335] _elezióne_

[336] _rifiutáre_

[337] _desideróso_

[338] _ottenére_

[339] _libero_

[340] _suffragio_

[341] _frustráto_

[342] _speránza_

[343] _preferíto_

[344] _corruzióne_

[345] _domináre_

[346] _tutto_

[347] _elezióne_

[348] _candidáto_

[349] _rattristante_

[350] _confusióne_

[351] _interregno_

[352] _colléga_

[353] _affátto_

[354] _sevéro_

[355] _perquisizióne_

[356] _delítto_

[357] _uccídere_

[358] _bandíto_

[359] _accéndere_

[360] _sedizióso_

[361] _arrínga_

[362] _incendiáre_

[363] _corpo_

[364] _pubblicaménte_

[365] _minacciáre_

[366] _demolíre_

[367] _assassíno_

[368] _Giúlio_

[369] _adottáto_

[370] _testaménto_

[371] _sprezzáto_

[372] _leváre_

[373] _veteráno_

[374] _oppórre_

[375] _tiránnico_

[376] _portaménto_

[377] _strappáre_

[378] _passággio_

[379] _assediáto_

[380] _consoláto_

[381] _Írzio_

[382] _istigazióne_

[383] _dichiaráto_

[384] _nemíco_

[385] _intrapréso_

[386] _unírsi_

[387] _commissióne_

[388] _potére_

[389] _terribile_

[390] _sanguinóso_

[391] _battáglia_

[392] _dato_

[393] _soldáto della guárdia_

[394] _assedio_

[395] _leváto_

[396] _uccídere_

[397] _cabalizzare_

[398] _radunáre_

[399] _formidábile_

[400] _risólvere_

[401] _a poco a poco_

[402] _abbassáre_

[403] _per timóre che_

[404] _diventáre_

[405] _poténte_

[406] _timoróso_

[407] _entráre_

[408] _lega_

[409] _conseguenteménte_

[410] _commissionário_

[411] _regolare_

[412] _repúbblica_

[413] _divíso_

[414] _império_

[415] _proscrívere_

[416] _Túllio Ciceróne_

[417] _procuráre_

[418] _scampáre_

[419] _capitáno_

[420] _causa_

[421] _diféndere_

[422] _procésso_

[423] _orréndo_

[424] _strage_

[425] _proscrizióne_

[426] _sommário_

[427] _dare_

[428] _princípio_

[429] _Lióne_

[430] _dare_

[431] _principále_

[432] _congiuráto_

[433] _ala_

[434] _dritto_

[435] _vittorióso_

[436] _parte_

[437] _campo_

[438] _saccheggiáto_

[439] _sconfítto_

[440] _crédere_

[441] _uccidérsi_

[442] _rotto_

[443] _conflítto_

[444] _assassino_

[445] _vívere_

[446] _perire_

[447] _violénto_

[448] _Suetónio_

[449] _uccidérsi_

[450] _stilétto_

[451] _vittória_

[452] _partíre_

[453] _veníre alle armi_

[454] _triumvíro_

[455] _moglie_

[456] _donna_

[457] _virile_

[458] _spírito_

[459] _dichiaráto_

[460] _assediáre_

[461] _arrendérsi_

[462] _invitáto_

[463] _scorrería_

[464] _segnaláto_

[465] _sconfítta_

[466] _scacciáre_

[467] _ricuperáre_

[468] _flotta_

[469] _comándo_

[470] _infestáre_

[471] _présto_

[472] _rotto_

[473] _combattiménto_

[474] _seguíre_

[475] _malmenato_

[476] _forzáto_

[477] _fuggíre_

[478] _messo_

[479] _cenno_

[480] _protezióne_

[481] _intraprésa_

[482] _ignominiosamente_

[483] _battúto_

[484] _affátto_

[485] _dedicáto_

[486] _ripudiáre_

[487] _dichiaráre_

[488] _Azio_

[489] _promontório_

[490] _Epíro_

[491] _vascéllo_

[492] _prodigiosaménte_

[493] _grande_

[494] _rassomigliáre_

[495] _castéllo_

[496] _muóvere_

[497] _fuga_

[498] _cambiáre_

[499] _sorte_

[500] _dubbióso_

[501] _battáglia_

[502] _rovína_

[503] _assediáto_

[504] _ammazzársi_

[505] _seguíre_

[506] _esémpio_

CHAP. VIII.

_(Of Rome, 725--Of Christ, 11.)_

After the death of Antony and Cleopatra, [1]Egypt was [2]reduced to the [3]form of a [4]province. Cæsar, in the year 725, [5]triumphed three times, for the [6]conquest of [7]Dalmatia, the victory at Actium, and the [8]reducing of Egypt. After which he [9]advised with Agrippa and Mecænas, either [10]seriously, or [11]pretendedly, about the [12]laying down of his [13]authority; Agrippa was for it, Mecænas against it; this last [14]advice he [15]resolved to follow, but [16]brought a [17]bill [18]nevertheless into the senate [19]to divest himself of his power, and by that [20]stratagem got it [21]secured to him both by the senate and the people, in the year 726.

[22]Cornelius Gallus, a [23]Roman [24]knight, [25]governor of Egypt, being [26]banished for his [27]insolence, slew himself. Augustus [28]carried on a war against the Cantabri and Austus for some years, by his [29]lieutenants: that is to say, from the year 729 to 735, in which they were entirely [30]reduced by Agrippa; who, upon his [31]return [32]refused a [33]triumph which was [34]offered him. [35]Phraates, king of the Parthians, about this time [36]restored the Roman [37]standards that had been [38]taken from Crassus.

For two of his [39]friends, Mecænas and M. Vipsanius Agrippa, he had a [40]particular [41]esteem above all others; the [42]former was a great [43]patron of [44]learning and [45]learned men. Augustus made Agrippa his [46]son-in-law, by [47]marrying his daughter Julia to him, whom he had by Scribonia. She had children, C. and L. Cæsars, Agrippa Posthumus, Agrippina married to Germanicus, Drusus’s son, Livia’s [48]grandson, and Julia, whom Æmilius married. He took Livia, when she was [49]big with child, by her former [50]husband Tiberius Nero, by whom he had no [51]issue, though she had by Nero, Tiberius, who was emperor afterwards, and Drusus who [52]died in Germany.

Tiberius having gotten the [53]tribunitial [54]power for five years, was [55]sent to [56]settle the [57]affairs of Armenia. Soon after he [58]retired to Rhodes, where, for fear of [59]falling under the [60]displeasure of his [61]step-sons, he [62]continued seven years. But the [63]occasion of his [64]retirement was his [65]aversion for his wife Julia, who [66]spent her time in all [67]manner of [68]debauchery. Augustus, upon a [69]discovery of her [70]pranks, [71]banished her.

The [72]age of this emperor [73]produced several great [74]men: amongst the [75]Greeks [76]Dionysius Halicarnassensis and [77]Nicholas Damascenus were [78]famous for their [79]talents in writing [80]history; and amongst the [81]Latins [82]Cornelius Nepos, Atticus’s [83]son-in-law, and Sallust, who died four years before the [84]battle of Actium. In this age lived likewise those [85]celebrated [86]poets, [87]Virgil, [88]Horace, [89]Ovid, [90]Tibullus, and [91]Propertius.

Augustus died at Nola, in Campania, in the 14th year of [92]Christ, and the 76th year of his age, having [93]held the empire by himself, from the death of M. Antony, forty-three years; he was an [94]excellent [95]prince, and [96]necessary for those times.

He was [97]succeeded by Tiberius, a prince of a [98]savage [99]disposition, and [100]given up to all manner of debauchery; he was the son of Livia by Nero. He [101]dissembled his [102]vices at the [103]beginning of his reign with [104]wonderful [105]art, through fear of Germanicus, his brother’s son, whom he had [106]adopted at the [107]command of his [108]father-in-law. For, as he [109]gained a great [110]reputation by his [111]virtues and [112]exploits in war, he was [113]looked upon with a [114]jealous eye, as [115]fitter for the empire than himself. He [116]removed him from Germany where he had [117]wonderful [118]success against the enemy, into the [119]East, to [120]fight against the Parthians, in the year 769, having sent at the same time Cn. Piso into Syria, between whom and Germanicus was a [121]mortal enmity. Wherefore Germanicus died, not without the [122]suspicion of having been [123]poisoned by him, for which being [124]prosecuted at Rome by Agrippina, the wife of Germanicus, he [125]prevented his [126]sentence by a [127]voluntary death.

[128]Ælius Sejanus, a Roman [129]knight, was afterwards [130]raised by Tiberius, who after a great many [131]wicked [132]actions, [133]aiming now at no less than the empire itself, was, by a [134]letter of Tiberius to the senate, [135]thrown from the [136]top of all his [137]grandeur, and died by the [138]hand of an [139]executioner, with all his [140]family, in the 18th year of Tiberius.

About the 18th year of his [141]reign, he [142]retired to Caprea, an [143]island on the [144]coast of Campania, with a [145]design of never returning to the town, where he [146]privately [147]wallowed in all manner of [148]debauchery, and died in the 23rd year of his reign, to the great [149]joy of every one, being then in the 78th year of his age.

[150]_Jesus Christ_, the son of God, was [151]born of the [152]Virgin Mary, in the reign of Augustus, and [153]crucified in that of Tiberius, being then thirty-three years of age.

Caius Cæsar Caligula, so [154]called from a [155]shoe [156]worn by the [157]soldiery, which, when a boy, he [158]wore in the camp, [159]succeeded Tiberius, being the son of Germanicus and Agrippina, the daughter of M. Agrippa and Julia. He was [160]entered into the five and twentieth year of his age. Great was the joy of the people upon his first [161]accession to the [162]throne, and no less were their [163]hopes that he would be [164]like Germanicus his father, who is said to have been [165]possessed of all the good [166]qualities of [167]body and [168]mind. And indeed as the worst of princes frequently [169]begin well, he gave many [170]signs of his [171]moderation and [172]regard to the good of the public. But soon after, as if he had [173]put off all [174]humanity, he [175]outstripped the most savage [176]creatures in [177]cruelty; and having made sad [178]havoc among all [179]ranks and [180]degrees of men, he [181]killed likewise Macro, [182]commander of the [183]prætorian [184]bands, by whose [185]means he had been made emperor. He also [186]committed [187]crimes with his sisters. Having in a year’s time [188]exhausted [189]immense [190]treasures that had been [191]left by Tiberius, he [192]fell to [193]proscribing and [194]plundering. Among other proofs of his cruelty, he was [195]heard to say, I [196]wish the Roman people had but one [197]neck. In all his [198]buildings, or public [199]works, he [200]effected what was [201]looked upon to be impossible. He [202]ordered himself to be [203]worshipped as a god throughout the [204]world, and [205]temples to be [206]erected to him. At last, he was slain by Chærea Cassius, [207]tribune of a [208]cohort of his [209]guards, and some others, who had [210]entered into a [211]plot against him, after he had [212]reigned three years, ten months, and eight days, and [213]lived twenty-nine years.

Claudius Nero, Caligula’s uncle, and the son of Drusius [214]reigned after him, [215]naturally no bad man, but [216]senseless and foolish. He was not naturally [217]cruel, but only so when [218]instigated by others, [219]especially by his [220]freedmen and his [221]wives, into whose hands he [222]gave up himself and his [223]affairs. His first lady was Messalina, whose [224]depravity and [225]dissoluteness every body [226]knew but himself; till at last [227]venturing to [228]marry one Silius, a knight, she was by her [229]husband’s order slain, together with her [230]paramour, at the [231]instigation of [232]Narcissus, who with [233]Pallas, another of his [234]freedmen, [235]ruled him entirely.

Another [236]instance of his [237]folly is, that after Messalina was [238]put to death, by whom he had his son [239]Britannicus, and Octavia, he married Agrippina Germanicus his brother’s daughter, the mother of Nero by [240]Domitius, in the ninth year of his reign, by the [241]advice of Pallas: at whose and Agrippina’s [242]request, he [243]adopted Nero, and [244]passing by Britannicus, [245]designed him for his [246]successor. He [247]banished the [248]Jews from Rome, and the [249]mathematicians out of Italy: and [250]undertaking an [251]expedition into [252]Britain, he [253]subdued it all in sixteen days time, as Dio says, in the third year of his reign. He died in the year of Christ 54, by [254]poison [255]put in a [256]mushroom by Agrippina. He reigned thirteen years eight months and twenty days, and lived sixty-four years.

Domitius Nero, [257]mounted the throne after the death of his [258]step-father, being then seventeen years of age. He at first, [259]behaved himself in such a manner, that he might be [260]reckoned among the best of [261]princes; that is, as long as he [262]listened to the [263]precepts of his [264]master Seneca. Afterwards, being [265]corrupted with [266]luxury and [267]flattery, he [268]became more like a [269]monster than a man. He [270]stopped the progress of the Parthians, who had [271]over-run Armenia, by Corbulo, a [272]gallant [273]commander, and a person of great [274]virtue and [275]authority, who [276]recovered Armenia, in the ninth year of Nero, and [277]obliged [278]Tiridates, Volegesis king of the Parthians brother, to [279]come to Rome, and to [280]beg his [281]crown of Nero, in the thirteenth year of Nero’s reign; in which year he [282]recalled Corbulo, and put him to death. He [283]destroyed Britannicus by [284]poison in the very [285]beginning of his reign. He likewise [286]ordered his mother Agrippina to be put to death, after having first [287]disgraced and [288]banished her from the [289]court, which [290]parricide, that nothing might be [291]wanting to [292]complete the [293]unhappiness of the times, the Senate [294]approved of. Afterwards having married Poppæa, whom he [295]took from Otho, he [296]banished Octavia, and at last put her to death. Upon the [297]discovery of a [298]plot, which Piso, and some others had [299]laid against him; he put to death the [300]poet Lucan, and Seneca the philosopher, with several others, in the year of Christ 65, and the same year he [301]kicked his wife Poppæa, when [302]pregnant, [303]to death. He had the [304]impudence to [305]appear upon the [306]stage, and [307]act amongst the [308]players and [309]harpers, and [310]ride [311]chariot-races at the [312]Circensian games; and to [313]represent for his [314]diversion the [315]appearance of [316]Troy in [317]flames, he [318]set fire to the city, and [319]imputed it to the [320]Christians. He [321]became so odious and [322]contemptible by his [323]villanies, that he was [324]forsaken by all, and being [325]sought for in order to be [326]punished, he [327]performed the [328]executioner’s [329]office upon himself, in the 14th year of his [330]reign, and 68th of our Lord.

A little before Nero’s death, [331]C. Julius Vindex, who was [332]proprætor of Gaul, [333]openly [334]rebelled, and [335]persuaded Sergius Galba, [336]governor of Spain, to [337]set up for emperor, which he accordingly did, and [338]put Vindex to death presently after. He reigned about seven months, being very [339]old. He was slain together with Piso, whom he had [340]adopted, after M. Silvius Otho was [341]proclaimed emperor; he reigned only about three months.

In the mean time, Vitellius [342]trusting to the [343]legions of Germany, which he [344]commanded in [345]quality of a [346]consular [347]lieutenant-general, [348]took upon him the [349]name of emperor, and [350]defeated Otho’s army in a [351]rencounter near [352]Bebriacum, who being [353]weary of a civil war, killed himself.

Vitellius reigned eight months after Otho, and was [354]succeeded by Vespasian, who had been [355]sent by Nero to [356]quell the [357]Jews. He reigned ten years with the greatest [358]justice and [359]clemency. He was a great [360]encourager of [361]learning and [362]learned men. The only thing that was [363]blamed in him, was his [364]covetousness, which he used to [365]excuse, by [366]alleging the [367]emptiness of the [368]Exchequer.