Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/467

 GALEA. 459 him, when he became emperor, an ill-name for mean- ness, being, in fact, his ■worn-out credit for regularity and moderation. He was entrusted by Nero with the govern- ment of Spain, before Nero had yet learned to be appre- hensive of men of great repute. To the opinion, more- over, entertained of his mild natural temper, his old age added a belief that he would never act incautiously. There while Nero's iniquitous agents ='' savagely and cruelly harassed the provinces under Nero's authority, he could afford no succor, but merely offer this only ease and consolation, that he seemed plainly to sympathize, as a fellow-sufferer, with those who were condemned upon suits and sold. And when lampoons were made upon Nero and circulated and sung everywhere about, he neither prohibited them, nor showed any indignation on behalf of the emperor's agents, and for this was the more beloved ; as also that he was now well acquainted with them, having been in chief power there eight years at the time when Junius Vindex,-]- general of the forces in Gaul, began his insurrection against Nero. And it is reported that letters came to Galba before it fully broke out into an open rebellion, which he neither seemed to give credit to, nor on the other hand to take means to let Nero know; as other officers did, sending to him the letters which came to them, and so spoiled the design, as much as in them lay, who yet afterwards shared m the con- spiracy, and confessed they had been treacherous to themselves as weU as him. At last Vindex, plainly de- claring war, wrote to Galba, encouraging him to take the government upon him, and give a head to this strong curators, who collected the special the house of the Caesars ; he was imperial revenues for the Jiscus or of Gaulish blood, and his father or privy purse. grandfather may have received the t His name was not Junius, but citizenship from Caesar himself.
 * The imperial proctors, or pro- Julius, which came no doubt from