was so old and weak of sinew.

[Sidenote: A.D. 69 (a.u. 822)] [Sidenote:--4--] I shall relate also the
circumstances of his death. The soldiers in Germany under control of Rufus
became more and more excited because they could not obtain any favors from
Galba; and, having failed to secure the object of their desire through the
medium of Rufus, they sought to obtain it through somebody else. This they
did. With Aulus Vitellius, governor of Lower Germany, at their head they
revolted. All that they had in mind regarding him was the nobility of his
birth, and they paid no attention to the fact that he had been a favorite
of Tiberius and was a slave to the licentious habits of his former master;
or perhaps they thought that on this very account he would suit their
purpose all the better. Indeed, Vitellius himself deemed himself of so
little account that he made fun of the astrologers and used their
prediction as evidence against them, saying: "Certainly they know nothing
who declare that I shall become emperor." Nero when he heard it also
laughed, and felt such contempt for the fellow that he did not try to
injure him.

[Sidenote:--5--] Galba on being informed of his defection adopted Lucius
Piso, a youth of good family, affable and prudent, and appointed him
Caesar. At the same time Marcus Salvius Otho, angry because _he_ had
not been adopted by Galba, brought about once more a beginning of
countless evils for the Romans. He was always held in honor by Galba, so
much so that on the day of the latter's death he was the only one of the
senators to attend him at the sacrifice. And to him most of all was the
catastrophe due. For when the diviner declared that Galba would be the
victim of conspiracy and therefore urged him by no means to go abroad
anywhere, Otho heard it, and hastening down immediately as if on some
other errand was admitted within the wall by some few soldiers who were in