over. Since, however, they would not obey but kept up a clamor, the army
submitted to them. As a consequence about seven thousand of his soldiers
lost their lives and the guardsmen were decimated. This shows that even if
Galba was bowed down with age and disease, yet his spirit was keen and he
did not believe in an emperor's being compelled to do anything
unwillingly. A further proof is that when the Pretorians asked him for the
money which Nymphidius had promised them, he would not give it, but
replied: "I am accustomed to levy soldiers, not to buy them." And when the
populace brought urgent pressure to bear on him to kill Tigillinus and
some others who had before been wantonly insolent, he would not yield,
though he would probably have disposed of them had not their enemies made
this demand. Helius, however, as well as Narcissus, Patrobius, Lucusta the
poison merchant, and some others who had been active in Nero's day, he
ordered to be carried in chains all over the city and afterwards to
receive punishment. The slaves, likewise, who had been guilty of any act
or speech detrimental to their masters were handed over to the latter for
punishment.

Some disdained receiving their own slaves, wishing to be rid of rascally
slaves.

Galba demanded the return of all moneys and objects of value which any
persons had received from Nero. However, if anybody had been exiled by the
latter on the charge of impiety towards the emperor, he restored him to
citizenship; and he also transferred to the tomb of Augustus the bones of
members of the imperial family who had been murdered, and he set up their
images anew.

For this he was praised. On the other hand he was the victim of uproarious
laughter for wearing a sword whenever he walked on the street, since he