Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/495

OTHO. The new emperor went early in the morning to the capitol, and sacrificed ; and, having commanded Marius Celsus to be brought, he saluted him, and with obliging language desired him rather to forget his accvisation than remember his acquittal ; to which Celsus answered neither m.eanly nor ungratefully, that his very crime ought to recommend his integrity, since his guilt had been his fidelity to Galba, from whom he had never received any personal obligations. Upon which they were both of them admired by those that were present, and applauded by the soldiers. In the senate, Otho said much in a gentle and popular strain. He was to have been consul for part of that year himself, but he gave the office to Virginius Eufus, and displaced none that had been named for the consul- ship by either Nero or Galba. Those that were remark- able for their age and dignity he promoted to the priest- hoods ; and restored the remains of their fortunes, that had not yet been sold, to all those senators that were banished by Nero and recalled by Galba. So that the nobility and chief of the people, who were at first appre- hensive that no human creature, but some supernatural penal, or vindictive power had seized the empire, began now to flatter themselves with hopes of a government that smiled upon them thus early. {487J