Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/498

490 OTHO. of the city. All were in confusion about the palace, and Otho himself in no small consternation, being not only concerned for the senators (some of whom had brought their wives to supper thither), biit also feeling himself to be an object of alarm and suspicion to them, whose eyes he saw fixed on him in silence and terror. Therefore he gave orders to the prefects to address the soldiei's and do their best to pacify them, while he bade the guests rise, and leave by another door. They had only just made tlieir way out, when the soldiers rushed into the room, and called out, " Where are CaBsar's enemies ? " Then Otho, standmg up on his couch, made use both of argu- ments and entreaties, and by actual tears at last, with great difficulty, persuaded them to desist. The next day he went to the camp, and distributed a bounty of twelve hundred and fifty drachmas a man amongst them ; then commended them for the regard and zeal they had for his safety, but told them, that there were some who were intriguing among them, who not only accused his own clemency, but had also misrepresented their loyalty ; and, therefore, he desired their assistance in doing justice upon them. To which when they all consented, he was satisfied with the execution of two only, whose deaths he knew would be regretted by no one man in the whole army. Such conduct, so little expected from him, was re- garded by some with gratitude and confidence ; others looked upon his behavior as a course to which necessity drove him, to gain the people to the support of the war. For now there were certain tidings that Vitellius had assumed the sovereign title and authority, and frequent expresses brought accounts of new accessions to him ; others, however, came, announcing that the Pannonian, Dalmatian, and Mcesian legions, with their officers, ad- hered to Otho. Erelong also came favorable letters from