SECTION VIII.

  O breath of public praise,
  Short-lived and vain; oft gained without desert,
  As often lost unmerited:  composed
  But of extremes—–­Havard.

1.  Ser’vius Galba, at that time governor of Spain, was remarkable for his wisdom in peace, and his courage in war; but as a display of talents under corrupt princes is dangerous, he, for some years, had seemed to court obscurity and an inactive life. 2.  Willing, however, to rid his country of the monster that now occupied the throne, he accepted the invitation of Vindex, to march with an army towards Rome. 3.  From the moment he declared against Nero, the tyrant considered himself as fallen.  He received the account as he was at supper, and instantly struck with terror, overturned the table with his foot, breaking two crystal vases of immense value.  He fell into a swoon, and on his recovery tore his clothes and struck his head, crying out, “that he was utterly undone.” 4.  He now called for the assistance of Locus’ta, a woman famous in the art of poisoning, to furnish him with the means of death; but being prevented in this, and the revolt becoming general, he went in person from house to house; but the doors were shut against him.  Being reduced to a state of desperation, he desired that one of his favourite gladiators might dispatch him; but even in this request not one would obey.  “Alas,” cried he, “have I neither friend nor enemy?” then running desperately forth, he seemed resolved to plunge headlong into the Ti’ber. 5.  But his courage failed him; he made a sudden stop, as if willing to re-collect his reason, and asked for some sacred place where he might reassume his courage, and meet death with becoming fortitude. 6.  In this distress, Pha’on, one of his freedmen, offered him his country-house, about four miles distant, where he might for some time remain concealed.  Nero accepted the offer; and, with his head covered, hiding his face with his handkerchief, he mounted on horseback, attended by four of his domestics, of whom the wretched Sporus was one. 7.  His journey, though short, was crowded with adventures.  An earthquake gave him the first alarm.  The lightning from heaven next flashed in his face.  Round him he heard nothing but confused noises from the camp, the cries of the soldiers imprecating a thousand evils upon his head. 8.  A traveller, meeting him on the way, cried, “Those men are in pursuit of Nero.”  Another asked him if there was any news of Nero in the city.  His horse taking fright at a dead body that lay near the road, he dropped his handkerchief, when a soldier addressing him by name, he quitted his horse, and forsaking the highway, entered a thicket that led towards the back part of Pha’ron’s house, making the best of his way among the reeds and brambles with which the place was overgrown. 9.  During this interval, the senate, finding the Praeto’rian guards had taken part