Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/473

 GALEA. 465 rewarded with the honors and riches he enjoyed, (nay, though to all was added the company of Sporus, whom he immediately sent for while Nero's body was yet burning on the pile, and treated as his consort, with the name of Poppaea,) but he must also aspire to the empire. And at Rome he had friends who took measures for him secretly, as well as some women and some members of the senate also, who worked underhand to assist him. And into Spain he despatched one of his friends, named Gellianus, to view the posture of affairs. But all things succeeded well with Galba after Nero's death ; only Virginius Rufus, still standing doubtful, gave him some anxiety, lest he should listen to the sugges- tions of some who encom^aged him to take the govern- ment upon him, having, at present, besides the command of a large and warlike armj^, the new honors of the defeat of Vindex and the subjugation of one considerable part of the Roman empire, namely, the entire Gaul, which had seemed shaking about upon the verge of. open revolt. Nor had any man indeed a greater name and reputation than Virginius, who had taken a part of so much consequence in the deliverance of the empire at. once from a cruel tyranny and a GalUc war. But he, standing to his first resolves, reserved to the senate the power of electing an emperor. Yet when it was now man- ifest that Nero was dead, the soldier's pressed him hard to it, and one of the tribunes, entering his tent with his drawn sword, bade him either take the government or that. But after Fabius Valens, having the command of one legion, had first sworn fealty to Galba, and letters from Rome came with tidings of the resolves of th6 senate, at last with much ado he persuaded the army to declare Galba emperor. And when Flaccus Hordeonius came by Galba's commission as his successor, he handed over to him his forces, and went himself to meet Galba on his way, and VOL. V. 30