Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/482

 474 GALEA. mation came to Galba from his agents; and taking alarm at this, and fearing that he might be despised not only for his old age, but also for want of issue, he determined to adopt some young man of distinction, and declare him his successor. There was at this time in the city Marcus Otho, a person of fair extraction, but from his childhood one of the few most debauched, voluptuous, and luxurious livers in Rome. And as Homer gives Paris in several places the title of " fair Helen's love," making a woman's name the glory and addition to his, as if he had nothing else to distinguish him, so Otho was renowned in Rome for nothing more than his marriage with Poppaea, whom Nero had a passion for when she was Crispinus's wife. But being as yet respectful to his own wife, and standing in awe of his mother, he engaged Otho underhand to solicit her. For Nero lived familiarly with Otho, whose prodigaUty won his favor, and he was well pleased when he took the freedom to jest upon him as mean and penurious. Thus when Nero one day perfumed himself with some rich essence and favored Otho with a sprinkle of it, he, enter- taining Nero next day, ordered gold and silver pipes to disperse the like on a sudden freely, like water, through- out the room. As to Poppaja, he was beforehand with Nero, and first seducing her himself, then, with the hope of Nero's favor, he prevailed with her to part with her husband, and brought her to his own house as his wife, and was not content afterwards to have a share in her, but grudged to have Nero for a claimant, Popptea her- self, they say, being rather pleased than otherwise with this jealousy ; she sometimes excluded Nero, even when Otho was not present, either to prevent his getting tired speaking of armies at a' distance. Southern Germany (the Rhine The legions under Vitellius may from Basle to Mayence), Vitellius very well be meant. Flaccus com- in the Lower, at Cologne, manded those in the Upper or