§15existimabatur etiam senatoria et equestria officia bienni spatio determinaturus nec daturus nisi inuitis ac recusantibus.
It was also thought that he would limit senatorial and equestrian offices to a space of two years, and would not give them except to those who were unwilling and refused.
liberalitates Neronis non plus decimis concessis per quinquaginta equites R. ea condicione reuocandas curauit exigendasque, ut et si quid scaenici ac xystici donatum olim uendidissent, auferretur emptoribus, quando illi pretio absumpto soluere nequirent.
He arranged for the gifts of Nero to be revoked and exacted through fifty Roman knights, with only a tenth part being allowed to remain, under the condition that even if stage-players and athletes had formerly sold what had been given to them, it should be taken away from the buyers, since those players, having spent the price, were unable to pay.
at contra nihil non per comites atque libertos pretio addici aut donari gratia passus est, uectigalia immunitates, poenas innocentium impunitates noxiorum.
But on the contrary, he allowed nothing not to be knocked down for a price or given as a favor through his companions and freedmen—taxes, immunities, the punishments of the innocent, and the impunity of the guilty.
quin etiam populo R. deposcente supplicium Haloti et Tigillini solos ex omnibus Neronis emissariis uel maleficentissimos incolumes praestitit atque insuper Halotum procuratione amplissima ornauit, pro Tigillino etiam saeuitiae populum edicto increpuit.
Nay, even when the Roman people demanded the execution of Halotus and Tigillinus, he preserved them, the most mischievous of all Nero’s agents, alone unharmed, and moreover honored Halotus with a most ample procuratorship, and even rebuked the people by an edict for their cruelty in the case of Tigillinus.
§16Per haec prope uniuersis ordinibus offensis uel praecipua flagrabat inuidia apud milites.
Through these actions, while almost all classes were offended, a particularly fierce hatred blazed among the soldiers.
nam cum in uerba eius absentis iurantibus donatiuum grandius solito praepositi pronuntiassent, neque ratam rem habuit et subinde iactauit legere se militem, non emere consuesse; atque eo quidem nomine omnis, qui ubique erant, exacerbauit.
For when, as they were swearing allegiance to him in his absence, the commanders had promised a larger donative than usual, he neither ratified the matter and repeatedly boasted that he was accustomed to levy soldiers, not to buy them; and indeed on that account he exasperated all the soldiers, wherever they were.
ceterum praetorianos etiam metu et indignitate commouit, remouens subinde plerosque ut suspectos et Nymphidi socios.
Moreover, he also disturbed the praetorians with fear and indignation, repeatedly removing many of them as suspected persons and associates of Nymphidius.
sed maxime fremebat superioris Germaniae exercitus fraudari se praemis nauatae aduersus Gallos et Vindicem operae.
But the army of Upper Germany murmured most of all, feeling that they were being defrauded of the rewards for the service they had performed against the Gauls and Vindex.
ergo primi obsequium rumpere ausi Kal. Ian. adigi sacramento nisi in nomen senatus recusarunt statimque legationem ad praetorianos cum mandatis destinauerunt: displicere imperatorem in Hispania factum; eligerent ipsi quem cuncti exercitus comprobarent.
Therefore, they were the first who dared to break their allegiance, refusing on the Kalends of January to be bound by oath except in the name of the Senate; and they immediately dispatched an embassy to the praetorians with mandates: that the emperor made in Spain was displeasing to them; they themselves should choose someone whom all the armies would approve.
§17quod ut nuntiatum est, despectui esse non tam senectam suam quam orbitatem ratus, Pisonem Frugi Licinianum nobilem egregiumque iuuenem ac sibi olim probatissimum testamentoque semper in bona et nomen adscitum repente e media salutantium turba adprehendit filiumque appellans perduxit in castra ac pro contione adoptauit, ne tunc quidem donatiui ulla mentione facta.
When this was reported, thinking that not so much his old age as his childlessness was held in contempt, he suddenly took hold of Piso Frugi Licinianum, a noble and excellent young man, who had long been highly approved by him and always designated in his will to inherit his property and name, from the midst of the crowd of those paying their respects; and calling him his son, led him to the camp and adopted him before the assembly, not even then making any mention of a donative.
quo faciliorem occasionem M. Saluio Othoni praebuit perficiendi conata intra sextum adoptionis diem.
Whereby he offered a easier opportunity to Marcus Salvius Otho to accomplish his designs within six days of the adoption.
§18Magna et assidua monstra iam inde a principio exitum ei, qualis euenit, portenderant.
Great and constant portents, even from the very beginning, had foreshadowed for him such an end as befell him.
cum per omne iter dextra sinistraque oppidatim uictimae caederentur, taurus securis ictu consternatus rupto uinculo essedum eius inuasit elatisque pedibus totum cruore perfudit; ac descendentem speculator impulsu turbae lancea prope uulnerauit.
When, along the entire route, victims were being slaughtered in every town on the right and on the left, a bull, terrified by the blow of an axe, broke its tether and rushed upon his carriage, and raising its feet, drenched it entirely with blood; and as he was alighting, a bodyguard, pushed by the crowd, nearly wounded him with a lance.
urbem quoque et deinde Palatium ingressum excepit terrae tremor et assimilis quidam mugitui sonus.
Likewise, as he entered the city and then the Palace, an earthquake and a sound like a lowing bellow welcomed him.
secuta sunt aliquanto manifestiora.
There followed some far more manifest signs.
monile margaritis gemmisque consertum ad ornandam Fortunam suam Tusculanam ex omni gaza secreuerat;
He had selected from all his treasure a necklace set with pearls and gems to adorn his Tusculan Fortuna; this he suddenly dedicated to Venus of the Capitol, as if it were worthy of a more majestic place.
id repente quasi augustiore dignius loco Capitolinae Veneri dedicauit, ac proxima nocte somniauit speciem Fortunae querentis fraudatam se dono destinato, minantisque erepturam et ipsam quae dedisset.
And on the following night he dreamed that the image of Fortuna complained that she had been defrauded of her intended gift, and threatened that she too would take away what she had given.
cumque exterritus luce prima ad expiandum somnium, praemissis qui rem diuinam appararent, Tusculum excucurrisset, nihil inuenit praeter tepidam in ara fauillam atratumque iuxta senem in catino uitreo tus tenentem et in calice fictili merum.
And when, terrified, at early dawn, he had hurried to Tusculum to expiate the dream, having sent ahead those who were to prepare the sacrifice, he found nothing but lukewarm ashes on the altar, and near it an old man dressed in black, holding incense in a glass dish and unmixed wine in a clay cup.
obseruatum etiam est Kal. Ian. sacrificanti coronam de capite excidisse, auspicanti pullos auolasse; adoptionis die neque milites adlocuturo castrensem sellam de more positam pro tribunali oblitis ministris et in senatu curulem peruerse collocatam.
It was also observed that on the Kalends of January, as he was sacrificing, the crown fell from his head, and when he was taking the auspices, the chickens flew away; on the day of the adoption, when he was about to address the soldiers, the military chair, placed by custom before the tribunal, was omitted by the negligence of the attendants; and in the senate, the curule chair was placed the wrong way.