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Plutarch · Life of Otho §1.1-1.3

Otho's Accession and Conciliatory Measures

Passage 1 of 18 · Greek

Summary

Otho, as the new emperor, pardons and honors Marius Celsus, and implements reconciliatory policies in the senate. He also wins public confidence by restoring the properties of senators exiled under Nero.

§1.1ὁ δὲ νεώτερος αὐτοκράτωρ ἅμʼ ἡμέρᾳ προελθὼν εἰς τὸ Καπιτώλιον ἔθυσε· καὶ κελεύσας Μάριον Κέλσον ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὑτὸν ἠσπάσατο καὶ διελέχθη φιλανθρώπως, καὶ παρεκάλεσε τῆς αἰτίας ἐπιλαθέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἀφέσεως μνημονεύειν.
The younger emperor, at daybreak, went up to the Capitol and offered sacrifice; and having ordered Marius Celsus to be brought before him, he welcomed him and spoke kindly to him, and exhorted him to forget the cause of his accusation rather than to remember his pardon.
τοῦ δὲ Κέλσου μήτε ἀγεννῶς ἀποκριναμένου μήτʼ ἀναισθήτως, ἀλλά φήσαντος αὐτὸ τοῦ τρόπου διδόναι τὸ ἔγκλημα πίστιν, ἐγκεκλῆσθαι γὰρ ὅτι Γάλβᾳ βέβαιον ἑαυτὸν παρέσχεν, ᾧ χάριν οὐδεμίαν ὤφειλεν, ἠγάσθησαν οἱ παρόντες ἀμφοτέρων καὶ τὸ στρατιωτικὸν ἐπῄνεσεν.
Since Celsus replied neither ignobly nor insensitively, but rather said that the very accusation gave proof of his character—for he had been accused because he had shown himself faithful to Galba, to whom he owed no gratitude—those present admired both of them, and the soldiery approved.
§1.2ἐν δὲ συγκλήτῳ πολλὰ δημοτικὰ καὶ φιλάνθρωπα διαλεχθείς, ὃν μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπατεύειν χρόνον ἤμελλε, τούτου μέρος ἔνειμεν Οὐεργινίῳ Ῥούφῳ, τοῖς δὲ ἀποδεδειγμένοις ὑπὸ Νέρωνος ἢ Γάλβα πᾶσιν ἐτήρησε τὰς ὑπατείας.
In the senate, after speaking many democratic and benevolent words, he assigned a portion of the time during which he himself was to be consul to Verginius Rufus, and preserved the consulships for all those who had been designated by Nero or Galba.
ἱερωσύναις δὲ τοὺς καθʼ ἡλικίαν προήκοντας ἢ δόξαν ἐκόσμησε.
He also adorned with priesthoods those who excelled in age or reputation.
§1.3τοῖς δὲ ἐπὶ Νέρωνος φυγοῦσι καὶ κατελθοῦσιν ἐπὶ Γάλβα συγκλητικοῖς πᾶσιν ἀπέδωκεν ὅσα μὴ πεπραμένα τῶν κτημάτων ἑκάστου ἐξεύρισκεν.
To all those senators who, having exiled themselves under Nero, had returned under Galba, he restored all of their properties that were found unsold.
ὅθεν οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ κράτιστοι πεφρικότες πρότερον ὡς οὐκ ἀνδρός, ἀλλά τινος ἢ Ποινῆς ἢ παλαμναίου δαίμονος ἄφνω τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπιπεπτωκότος, ἡδίους ἐγένοντο ταῖς ἐλπίσι πρὸς τὴν ἠγεμονίαν ὥσπερ διαμειδιῶσαν.
Consequently, the leading and most powerful men, who had previously shuddered as if, not a man, but some Fury or avenging demon had suddenly fallen upon the state, became more cheerful in their hopes for a principate that seemed, as it were, to smile upon them.

Notes

  1. §1.1αὐτὸ τοῦ τρόπου διδόναι τὸ ἔγκλημα πίστιν — Interpreted as "the accusation itself gave proof of his character." Here `τὸ ἔγκλημα` (the accusation) is the subject of the infinitive `διδόναι` in the accusative-and-infinitive construction, `πίστιν` (proof, credibility) is the object, and `τοῦ τρόπου` (of his character) is a genitive qualifying `πίστιν`.
  2. §1.2ὃν μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπατεύειν χρόνον ἤμελλε — A construction where the antecedent `χρόνον` is incorporated into the relative clause introduced by `ὃν` (incorporation). In the main clause, this antecedent is picked up by the demonstrative pronoun `τούτου` (genitive, modifying `μέρος` expressing a part).
  3. §1.3ὡς ... ἐπιπεπτωκότος — A combination of the conjunction `ὡς` with the perfect participle `ἐπιπεπτωκότος` in the genitive absolute construction, expressing a subjective reason or figurative comparison ("as if... had suddenly fallen upon"). The logical subject of the participle is `τινος ἢ Ποινῆς ἢ παλαμναίου δαίμονος`.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Life of Otho §1.1-1.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg066.humanitext-grc2:1.1-1.3

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