§9simili temeritate, quamuis dubium nemini esset quin trahi bellum oporteret, quando et fame et angustiis locorum urgeretur hostis, quam primum tamen decertare statuit, siue impatiens longioris sollicitudinis speransque ante Vitelli aduentum profligari plurimum posse, siue impar militum ardori pugnam deposcentium.
With similar rashness, although there was no doubt to anyone that the war ought to be prolonged, since the enemy was pressed both by hunger and the narrowness of the places, he nevertheless decided to fight a decisive battle as soon as possible, whether because he was impatient of longer anxiety and hoped that a great part of the war could be finished before the arrival of Vitellius, or because he was unequal to the ardor of the soldiers demanding battle.
nec ulli pugnae affuit substititque Brixelli.
And he was not present at any battle, but remained at Brixellum.
Et tribus quidem, uerum mediocribus proelis apud Alpes circaque Placentiam et ad Castoris, quod loco nomen est, uicit; nouissimo maximoque apud Betriacum fraude superatus est, cum spe conloquii facta, quasi ad condicionem pacis militibus eductis, ex inprouiso atque in ipsa consalutatione dimicandum fuisset.
And indeed he won in three, but moderate, battles near the Alps, around Placentia, and at Castor's, which is the name of the place; in the last and greatest battle at Betriacum, he was overcome by fraud, since, a hope of conference having been held out, as if the soldiers had been led out for the terms of peace, they had to fight unexpectedly and in the very midst of exchanging salutations.
ac statim moriendi impetum cepit, ut multi nec frustra opinantur, magis pudore, ne tanto rerum hominumque periculo dominationem sibi asserere perseueraret, quam desperatione ulla aut diffidentia copiarum; quippe residuis integrisque etiam nunc quas secum ad secundos casus detinuerat, et superuenientibus aliis e Dalmatia Pannoniaque et Moesia, ne uictis quidem adeo afflictis ut non in ultionem ignominiae quiduis discriminis ultro et uel solae subirent.
And immediately he conceived the impulse to die, as many believe, and not without reason, more from shame, lest he should persist in asserting the sovereignty for himself at such great danger to the state and men, than from any despair or distrust of his forces; since even now the remaining and intact troops, which he had kept with him for secondary events, were at hand, and others were arriving from Dalmatia, Pannonia, and Moesia, and not even the defeated were so crushed that they would not voluntarily and even alone undergo any danger whatsoever to avenge their disgrace.
§10Interfuit huic bello pater meus Suetonius Laetus, tertiae decimae legionis tribunus angusticlauius.
My father Suetonius Laetus, a military tribune of the narrow stripe of the thirteenth legion, was present in this war.
is mox referre crebro solebat Othonem etiam priuatum usque adeo detestatum ciuilia arma, ut memorante quodam inter epulas de Cassi Brutique exitu cohorruerit; nec concursurum cum Galba fuisse, nisi confideret sine bello rem transigi posse; tunc ad despiciendam uitam exemplo manipularis militis concitatum, qui cum cladem exercitus nuntiaret nec cuiquam fidem faceret ac nunc mendaci nunc timoris, quasi fugisset, ex acie argueretur, gladio ante pedes eius incubuerit.
He was afterwards accustomed to relate frequently that Otho, even as a private citizen, had so detested civil arms that he shuddered when someone mentioned the end of Cassius and Brutus during a feast; and that he would not have clashed with Galba, unless he trusted that the matter could be transacted without war; and that he was then incited to despise life by the example of a common soldier, who, when he reported the defeat of the army and did not gain belief from anyone, and was accused now of falsehood, now of fear, as if he had fled from the battle, fell upon his sword before Otho's feet.
hoc uiso proclamasse eum aiebat, non amplius se in periculum talis tamque bene meritos coniecturum.
He said that upon seeing this, Otho cried out that he would no longer cast such and so well-deserving men into danger.
Fratrem igitur fratrisque filium et singulos amicorum cohortatus, ut sibi quisque pro facultate consuleret, ab amplexu et osculo suo dimisit omnis, secretoque capto binos codicillos exarauit, ad sororem consolatorios et ad Messalinam Neronis, quam matrimonio destinarat, commendans reliquias suas et memoriam.
Therefore, having encouraged his brother, his brother’s son, and each of his friends to look out for themselves as best as they could, he dismissed them all from his embrace and kiss; and having retired in private, he wrote two letters, one of consolation to his sister, and another to Messalina, Nero's widow, whom he had intended to marry, recommending his remains and memory to her.
quicquid deinde epistularum erat, ne cui periculo aut noxae apud uictorem forent, concremauit.
Then he burned whatever letters there were, lest they should be of any danger or harm to anyone under the victor.
diuisit et pecunias domesticis ex copia praesenti.
He also distributed money to his domestics from the cash on hand.
§11atque ita paratus intentusque iam morti, tumultu inter moras exorto ut eos, qui discedere et abire coeptabant, corripi quasi desertores detinerique sensit: 'adiciamus,' inquit, 'uitae et hanc noctem,' his ipsis totidemque uerbis, uetuitque uim cuiquam fieri; et in serum usque patente cubiculo, si quis adire uellet, potestatem sui praebuit.
And thus prepared and now intent on death, when a tumult arose during the delay, as he perceived that those who were beginning to depart and leave were being seized as deserters and detained: "Let us add," he said, "this night also to our life," in these very words and just as many, and forbade violence to be done to anyone; and keeping his bedchamber open until late, if anyone wished to approach, he offered them the opportunity of seeing him.
post hoc sedata siti gelidae aquae potione arripuit duos pugiones et explorata utriusque acie, cum alterum puluino subdidisset, foribus adopertis artissimo somno quieuit.
After this, having quenched his thirst with a draught of cold water, he snatched up two daggers, and having tested the edge of both, when he had placed one under his pillow, he rested in a very deep sleep with the doors closed.
et circa lucem demum expergefactus uno se traiecit ictu infra laeuam papillam irrumpentibusque ad primum gemitum modo celans modo detegens plagam exanimatus est et celeriter, nam ita praeceperat, funeratus, tricensimo et octauo aetatis anno et nonagensimo et quinto imperii die.
And at length, around dawn, having awakened, he pierced himself with a single blow below the left breast; and as they burst in at his first groan, now concealing, now revealing the wound, he expired, and was quickly buried, for so he had commanded, in the thirty-eighth year of his age and on the ninety-fifth day of his reign.
§12Tanto Othonis animo nequaquam corpus aut habitus competit.
With so great a mind of Otho, his body or appearance by no means agreed.
fuisse enim et modicae staturae et male pedatus scambusque traditur, munditiarum uero paene muliebrium, uulso corpore, galericulo capiti propter raritatem capillorum adaptato et adnexo, ut nemo dinosceret; quin et faciem cotidie rasitare ac pane madido linere consuetum, idque instituisse a prima lanugine, ne barbatus umquam esset; sacra etiam Isidis saepe in lintea religiosaque ueste propalam celebrasse.
For he is said to have been of moderate stature, with bad feet and splay-legged, but of almost feminine nicety, with his body depilated, and a wig fitted and fastened to his head on account of the thinness of his hair, so that no one could distinguish it; nay, he was also accustomed to shave his face daily and smear it with wet bread, and to have begun this from his first down, so that he might never be bearded; he also celebrated the sacred rites of Isis openly, in a linen and religious vestment.
per quae factum putem, ut mors eius minime congruens uitae maiore miraculo fuerit.
On account of which things I should think that his death, by no means agreeing with his life, was a greater marvel.
multi praesentium militum cum plurimo fletu manus ac pedes iacentis exosculati, fortissimum uirum, unicum imperatorem praedicantes, ibidem statim nec procul a rogo uim suae uitae attulerunt; multi et absentium accepto nuntio prae dolore armis inter se ad internecionem concurrerunt.
Many of the soldiers present, with very much weeping, kissed the hands and feet of him lying dead, declaring him a most brave man, their unique emperor, and immediately on the spot, not far from the pyre, laid violent hands on their own lives; many also of those absent, having received the news, clashed among themselves to destruction through grief.
denique magna pars hominum incolumem grauissime detestata mortuum laudibus tulit, ut uulgo iactatum sit etiam, Galbam ab eo non tam dominandi quam rei p. ac libertatis restituendae causa interemptum.
Finally, a great part of men, having most severely detested him when safe, extolled him with praises when dead, so that it was even commonly bandied about that Galba had been slain by him not so much for the sake of ruling as for restoring the republic and liberty.