Tacitus: The Histories, Volumes I and II | Page 4

which either fortune, or other mens
labours have cast upon him. By Vespasian, that in civill tumults an
advised patience, and opportunitie well taken are the onely weapons of
advantage. In them all, and in the state of Rome under them thou
maiest see the calamities that follow civill warres, where lawes lie
asleepe, and all things are iudged by the sword. If thou mislike their
warres be thankfull for thine owne peace; if thou dost abhor their
tyrannies, love and reverence thine owne wise, iust and excellent
Prince.' So whatever guise our age may assume, there are lessons to be
drawn from Tacitus either directly or per contra, and his translators
may be acquitted at a time when Latin scholarship is no longer an
essential of political eminence.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Napoleon's phrase.
[2] _Ann._ iii. 65.

SUMMARY OF CHIEF EVENTS
I. THE FIGHT FOR THE THRONE.
A.D. 68.

June 9. Death of Nero.
16. Galba, Governor of Nearer Spain, declared Emperor at Clunia.
Fonteius Capito, Governor of Lower Germany, Clodius Macer,
Governor of Africa, and Nymphidius Sabinus, Prefect of the Guard,
murdered as possible rivals. Verginius Rufus, Governor of Upper
Germany, refuses to compete.
October Galba enters Rome. Massacre of Marines at Mulvian Bridge.
His government controlled by Laco, Vinius, and Icelus.
A.D. 69.
January 1. News of mutiny in Upper Germany, now governed by
Hordeonius Flaccus.
3. The armies of Upper Germany (under Caecina) and of Lower
Germany (under Valens) salute Vitellius, Governor of Lower Germany,
as Emperor.
10. Galba adopts Piso Licinianus as his successor.
15. Otho declared Emperor in Rome and recognized by Praetorian
Guard.
Murder of Galba, Vinius, and Piso.
Otho recognized by the Senate.
February The Vitellian armies are now marching on Italy: Caecina
through Switzerland and over the Great St. Bernard with Legio XXI
Rapax and detachments of IV Macedonica and XXII Primigenia:
Valens through Gaul and over Mount Genèvre with Legio V Alaudae
and detachments of I Italica, XV Primigenia, and XVI.
March Caecina crosses the Alps.

Otho dispatches an advance-guard under Annius Gallus and Spurinna.
Otho starts for the Po with Suetonius Paulinus, Marius Celsus, and
Proculus.
Titianus left in charge of Rome.
Otho sends fleet to Narbonese Gaul, and orders Illyric Legions[3] to
concentrate at Aquileia.
Spurinna repulses Caecina from Placentia.
Otho's main army joins Gallus at Bedriacum.
Titianus summoned to take nominal command.
April 6. Battle of Locus Castorum. Caecina defeated.
Valens joins Caecina at Cremona.
15. Battle of Bedriacum. Othonian defeat.
17. Otho commits suicide at Brixellum.
19. Vitellius recognized by the Senate.
May Vitellius greeted by his own and Otho's generals at Lyons.
24. Vitellius visits the battle-field of Bedriacum.
June Vitellius moves slowly towards Rome with a huge retinue.
July 1. Vespasian, Governor of Judaea, proclaimed Emperor at
Alexandria.
3. At Caesarea.
15. At Antioch.

The Eastern princes and the Illyric Legions[4] declare for Vespasian.
His chief supporters are Mucianus; Governor of Syria, Antonius Primus
commanding Leg. VII Galbiana, and Cornelius Fuscus, Procurator of
Pannonia.
Mucianus moves slowly westward with Leg. VI Ferrata and
detachments from the other Eastern legions.
Vespasian holds Egypt, Rome's granary.
Titus takes command in Judaea.
Antonius Primus with Arrius Varus hurries forward into Italy.
August Vitellius vegetates in Rome.
Caecina marches to meet the invasion. (Valens aegrotat.) His Legions
are I, IV Macedonica, XV Primigenia, XVI, V Alaudae, XXII
Primigenia, I Italica, XXI Rapax, and detachments from Britain.
FOOTNOTES:
[3] i.e. in Pannonia Legs. VII Galbiana and XIII Gemina; in Dalmatia
XI Claudia and XIV Gemina; in Moesia III Gallica, VII Claudia, VIII
Augusta.
[4] See note above.

NOTE
The text followed is that of C.D. Fisher (_Oxford Classical Texts_).
Departures from it are mentioned in the notes.

BOOK I
PREFACE

[A.D. 69.] I propose to begin my narrative with the second 1 consulship
of Servius Galba, in which Titus Vinius was his colleague. Many
historians have dealt with the 820 years of the earlier period beginning
with the foundation of Rome, and the story of the Roman Republic has
been told with no less ability than truth. After the Battle of Actium,
when the interests of peace were served by the centralization of all
authority in the hands of one man, there followed a dearth of literary
ability, and at the same time truth suffered more and more, partly from
ignorance of politics, which were no longer a citizen's concern, partly
from the growing taste for flattery or from hatred of the ruling house.
So between malice on one side and servility on the other the interests of
posterity were neglected. But historians find that a tone of flattery soon
incurs the stigma of servility and earns for them the contempt of their
readers, whereas people readily open their ears to the criticisms of envy,
since malice makes a show of