him at the sacrifice.  And to him most of all was the catastrophe due.  For when the diviner declared that Galba would be the victim of conspiracy and therefore urged him by no means to go abroad anywhere, Otho heard it, and hastening down immediately as if on some other errand was admitted within the wall by some few soldiers who were in the conspiracy with him.  The next step was the winning over or rather the buying up of the rest, who were displeased at Galba, by means of many promises.  From them he received the imperial office at once and later his claim was acknowledged by the others. [Sidenote:—­6—­] Galba on learning what was taking place thought he could bring the men into a better frame of mind and sent some emissaries to the camp for this purpose.  Meanwhile a soldier holding aloft a bare blade covered with blood had approached him and said:  “Be of good cheer, emperor:  I have killed Otho, and no further danger awaits you.”  Galba, believing this, said to him:  “And who ordered you to do that?” He himself started for the Capitol to offer sacrifice.  As he reached the middle of the Roman Forum, horsemen and footsoldiers met him and then and there cut down in the presence of many senators and crowds of plebeians the old man, their consul, high priest, Caesar, emperor.  After abusing his body in many ways they cut off his head and stuck it on a pole.—­So he was struck by a javelin hurled into the very chair in which he was being carried, was wounded at the very moment he was bending forward from it, and only said:  “Why, what harm have I done?” Sempronius Densus, a centurion, defended him as long as he was able, and finally, when he could accomplish nothing, let himself be slain with his sovereign.  This is why I have included his name, for he richly deserves to be mentioned.  Piso also was killed and numerous others, but not in aiding the emperor.

When the soldiers had done this, they cut off their heads, which they then carried to Otho (who was in the camp) and also into the senate-house; and the senators, though terror-stricken, affected to be glad.

Galba had lived seventy-two years and twenty-three days, out of which he ruled nine months and thirteen days.  Piso perished after him, making this atonement for having been appointed Caesar.

[Sidenote:—­7—­] This was the end that befell Galba.  But retribution was destined full soon enough to seek out Otho in his turn, as he at once learned.  As he was offering his first sacrifice, the omens were seen to be unfavorable, so that he repented of what had been done and said:  “What need was there of my playing on the long flutes?” This is a colloquial and proverbial expression that has reference to those who do anything out of their usual line.  Later he was so disturbed in his sleep at night that he fell out of the bed and alarmed the guards who slept at the door.  They rushed in and found him lying on the ground.  Yet once he had entered upon the imperial office he could not put it off; and he remained in it and paid the penalty, in spite of many temperate acts intended to conciliate people.  It was not particularly his nature to behave that way, but since on account of Vitellius his prospects were in a somewhat precarious state, he did not wish to alienate the bulk of the population.