Just at this time, to be sure, he annulled the sentences against some senators and granted various slight favors to others.  By way of gaining the public approval he constantly frequented the theatres:  he bestowed citizenship upon foreigners and made many other attractive announcements.  Yet he did not succeed in winning the attachment of any one save a certain few, like himself. [For his restoration of the images of those under accusation and] his life and habits, his keeping Sporus as a companion and employing the rest of the Neronians, alarmed everybody.

[Sidenote:—­8—­] Moreover, the senate voted him all the privileges pertaining to his office.  He said that he had been forced to do as he did, had been brought within the walls against his will, and had actually risked his life after that by opposing the scheme.  He regularly talked in a considerate manner and assumed a kindly expression and attitude; he threw kisses on his fingers to everybody and made many promises.  But the fact did not escape men that his rule was sure to be more licentious and oppressive than Nero’s. (Indeed, he had immediately applied to himself the latter’s name).

[Sidenote:—­9—­] They hated him most of all, however, because he had demonstrated the fact that the imperial office was for sale and had put the city in the power of the boldest spirits; likewise because he held the senate and the people in slight esteem and had impressed upon the soldiers also this idea,—­that they could kill or again create a Caesar.  Moreover, he had brought the soldiers into such a daring and lawless condition by his gifts and his immoderate attentions that one day they forced an entrance just as they were into the palace while a number of the senators were dining there with Otho. before departing they rushed into the banquet-room itself, killing those that strove to bar their progress.  And they would have slaughtered everybody found there had not the guests jumped up and hid themselves prior to their irruption.  For this behavior the men received money, it being assumed that their act was due to their liking for Otho.

About this time also a man was caught pretending to be Nero.  His name was unknown to Dio.  And at last he paid the penalty.

[Sidenote:—­10—­] Otho, not succeeding by frequent invitations in persuading Vitellius to come and share the imperial office, eventually plunged into open war against him.  And he sent soldiers whom he put in charge of several different leaders; this fact was largely responsible for his reverses.

Valens was so eager for money and gathered it so assiduously from every source that he put to death the decurion, who had concealed him and had saved his life, on account of a thousand denarii which he thought had been purloined from his possessions.

Otho declined battle, saying that he could not see a battle fought between kindred, just as if he had become emperor in some legitimate fashion and had not killed the consuls and the Caesar [Footnote:  Piso and Galba are meant.] and the emperor [Footnote:  Piso and Galba are meant.] in Rome itself.  There fell in the battles which took place near Cremona four myriads of men on both sides.  Here, they say, various omens appeared before the battle, most noteworthy being an unusual bird, such as men had never before beheld, that was seen for a number of days.