[Sidenote:—­15—­] At the close of this speech he retired into his apartments and after sending some messages to his intimate friends and some to Vitellius in their behalf he burned all the letters which anybody had written to him containing hostile statements about Vitellius, not wanting them to serve as damaging evidence against anybody.  Then he called each one of the persons that were at hand, greeted them, and gave them money.  Meantime there was a disturbance made by the soldiers, so that he was obliged to go out and quiet them, and he did not come back until he had sent them to a place of safety, some here, some there.  So then, when quiet had been permanently restored, taking a short sword he killed himself.  The grief-stricken soldiery took up his body and buried it, and some slew themselves upon his grave.  This was the end that befell Otho, after he had lived thirty-seven years lacking eleven days and had reigned ninety days, and it overshadowed the impiety and wickedness of his active career.  In life the basest of men he died most nobly.  He had seized the empire by the most villainous trick, but took leave of it most creditably.

A series of brawls among the soldiers immediately ensued, and a number of them were slain by one another; afterwards they reached an agreement and set out to meet the victorious party.

DIO’S ROMAN HISTORY 65

Vitellius is proclaimed emperor:  feasts his eyes on gladiators and slaughters:  drives astrologers from Italy (chapter 1).

Vitellius’s excess in banquets, in his home, in furniture, in his almost absurd magnificence (chapters 2-5).

Praiseworthy points in his character (chapters 6, 7).

Portents of ill omen:  the soldiers declare Vespasian emperor (chapter 8).

Mucianus is sent by Vespasian against Vitellius:  Primus of his own accord takes the lead against Vitellius (chapter 9).

Alienus, put in charge of the war by Vitellius, is the author of a desertion, but is in turn seized by his followers, who change their minds (chapter 10).

The adherents of Vitellius are conquered in battle (chapters 11-14).

Catastrophe befalls the dwellers in Cremona (chapter 15).

Wavering on the part of Vitellius:  the Capitol is burned in the course of a siege by Sabinus (chapters 16, 17).

Disaster to the city of Rome, taken by Vespasian’s captains (chapters 18, 19).

How Vitellius was taken and perished (chapters 20, 21).

How a brother and son of Vitellius met their fate (chapter 22).

DURATION OF TIME.

(Galba (II) and T. Vinius Coss.):  A.D. 69 = a.u. 822, from January 15th. 
The following Consules Suffecti took office: 

On the Calends of March—­T.  Virginius Rufus, Vopiscus Pompeius.

On the Calends of May—­Caelius Sabinus, T. Flavins Sabinus.