Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/479

GALEA. . 471 tuosity in giving presents, he much missed his aim, and fell so short of magnificence, that he scarcely «ime within the limits of decency. When Canus, who was a famous musician, played at supper for him, he expressed his approbation, and bade the bag be brought to him ; and tak- ing a few gold pieces, put them in with this remark, that it was out of his own purse, and not on the public accoinit. He ordered the largesses which Nero had made to actors and wrestlers and such like to be strictly required again, allowing only the tenth part to be retained ; though it turned to very small account, most of those persons ex- pending their daily income as fast as they received it, being rude, improvident livers ; upon which he had further inquiry made as to those who had bought or received ' from them, and called upon these people to refund. The trouble was infinite, the exactions being prosecuted far, touching a great number of persons, bringing disrepute on Galba, and general hatred on Vinius, who made the emperor appear base-minded and mean to the world, whilst he himself was spending jDrofusely, taking what- ever he could get, and selling to any buyer. Hesiod tells us to drink without stinting of The end aud the beginning of the cask. And ViniuSj seeing his patron old and decaying, made the most of what he considered to be at once the first of his fortune and the last of it. Thus the aged man suffered in two ways : first, through the evil deeds which Vinius did himself, and, next, by his preventing or bringing into disgrace those just acts which he himself designed. Such was the punishing Nero's adherents. When he destroyed the bad, amongst whom were Helius, Polycletus, Petinus, and Patrobius, the people mightily applauded the act, crying out, as they were dragged through the forum, that it was a goodly sight,