Select Observations of Roman Emperors 2, Part 1 · Emperor 8
Choyce Observations OF SALVIVS OTHO.
TAcitus and Suetonius observe, that his Father was so like unto Tiberius, that most men held him to be his own Son.
Tam non absimilis facie Tiberio principi fuit,Sueton. ut plerique procreatum ex eo crederent.
He was of a mean and low stature, he had feeble feet,Galericulus capiti propter raritatem capillorum adaptatus. Sueton. and crooked shankes. He wore by reason of his thinne hair a perruck or counterfeit cap of false hair, so fitted and fastened to his head, that any man would have taken it for his own. He was wont to shave, and besmear his face every day all over with soaked bread; this bread was made of Bean and Rice flower, of the finest Wheat also; a Depilatory to keep hair from growing, especially being wet and soaked in some juyce or liquor appropriate thereto, as the blood of Bats, Froggs, or the Tunie-fish: to this effeminacy of Otho alludeth the Satyricall Poet in this Verse,
Et pressum in faciem digitis extendere panem.Iuvenal.
Which devise he took to at first, when the down began to bud forth, because he would never have a beard.
He was of a noble house (saith Plutarch), His Mothers side was more noble then his Fathers.but ever given to sensuality and pleasure from his Cradle: insomuch as his Father swinged him and soundly for it.Vita omni turpis, maximè adolescentiâ. He used night-walking, and as he met any one either feeble or cupshotten, hee would catch hold of him,Aurel. Vict. lay him upon a Souldiers Gabardine,Suetonius. and so tosse and hoist him up in the Aire.
Pueritiam in curiose, Tacit. l. 1. Hist.adolescentiam petulanter egerat. He spent his tender yeares without regard of his honour, his youth afterwards in all dissolute disorder.
He repaired often to his Glasse to see his face,Suetonius. that he might keep it clean.
He was one of Nero's chief Minions and Favourites,Similitudo morum parit amicitiam, likenesse is the cause of liking. such was the congruence of their humours and dispositions.
Gratus Neroni aemulatione luxus.
He was in grace with Nero through emulation of vice.Tacit. l. 1. Hist.
Neroni criminosè familiaris, Aurel. Vict. Otho flagrantissinnis in amiciti… Nerenis habeb… tur.He was sinfully familiar with Nero. He was privie and party to all his Counsels and secret designes; to avert all manner of suspicion, that very day which Nero had appointed for the murthering of his Mother,Tacit. Annal. l. 13. he entertained them both at supper with most exquisite Dainties,Sueton. and the kindest welcome that might be.
He subscribed Nero's name unto his Letters Patents,Suetonius. till the Noble men of Rome misliked it.Plutarch.
Frustrà moritur Nero,Tacitus Hist. lib. 1. si Otho vivit.
He strove by gifts,Adorare vulgus. ja…ere oscula, & omnia frevit…ter pro Im… erio. and all other meanes to oblige the Souldiers unto him before he was Emperour, and to winne their hearts by fair promises; he protested before them all assembled together,Tacit. Hist. l. 1. that himself would have and hold no more then just that which they would leave for him.Hee worshipped the people, dispensed frequently his courtesies and plausibilities▪ crouched and accommodated himself to the basest routs, that thereby he might creep into an usurped honour. One calleth him the Roman Absalom.
Cui uni apud Militem fides, dum & ipse non nisi Militibus credit. The Souldiers onelyonly trusted him, because he trusted none else.
All of them together put up a petition to him, and besought him to command their persons, whilest they had one drop of blood left in their bodies to do him service. But amongst others, there was a poor Souldier drawing out his sword, said unto him, Know, O Caesar, that all my Companions are determined to dye in this sort for thee,Tacit. l. 2. Hist. and so slew himself.
Rebus prosperis …certus,Plutarch. & inter adversa melior.Tacitus.
A man in prosperity uncertainly carried, and governing himself in adversity.
Duo omnium mortalium impudicitiâ,Tacitus. l. 1. Hist. ignaviâ, luxuri… deterrimi, velut ad perdendum Imperium fataliter electi, saith Tacitus of Otho and Vitellius.
Two of all mortall men the most detestable creatures in slothfulnesse, incontinency, and wastfull life, fatally elected to ruine the Empire.
But though in the first Book of Tacitus his History they are both compared as like, in opposition to a good Prince; yet in his second book they are opposed the one to the other as unlike, with notes of distinction. Vitellii ignavae voluptates, Othonis flagrantissimae libidines. Vitellius ventre & gulâ sibi ipsi hostis; Vitellius a Drunkard and Glutton, Otho a wanton and licentious liver.Otho luxi…, saevitiâ, audaciâ, Reipublicae exitiosior ducebatur; of the one side, an ill mind in a man of nothing, and of the other, an ill mind joyned with courage and edge.
The drowsie Pleasures of Vitellius were feared lesse then the burning lusts of Otho. Plutarch.Vitellius in excesse of Belly-chear was an enemy to himself; Otho in riot, cruelty, audaciousnesse, reputed more dangerous to the state.
It was hard to judge which of them two was most licentiously given,Plutarch. most effeminate, least skilfull, poorer, or most indebted, before he was Emperour.
Magna & misera civitas eodem anno Othonem Vitelliumque passa. Tacit. l. 2. Hist.A great and miserable City, which in the same year supported an Otho and a Vitellius.
We may learn by Otho (saith Sir Henry Savil) that the fortune of a rash man is Torre…ti similis, which ariseth at an instant, and falls in a moment.
Alii diutius Imperium tenuerunt, Tacit. l. 2. Hist.nemo tam fortiter reliquerit; it was his own speech, Others have kept the Empire longer, none hath ever so valiantly left it.
Plura de extremis loqui pars ignaviae est.Tacit. l. 2. Hist.
He thought it a part of dastardy to speak too much of death.
When he saw his side the weaker and going to the walls,Irent properè, ne remorando iram victoris exasperarent. he counselled his Souldiers to provide for their safety by hying them to the winner.Tacit. Hist. l. 2.
He slew himself with his own hands, but slept so soundly the night before,Plutarch reporteth the like of Cato. that the Groomes of his Chamber heard him snort.
Many of his Souldiers who were present about him,Plutarch. when with plentifull teares they had kissed his hands and feet as hee lay dead,Suetonius. and commended him withall for a most valiant man,Aurel. Vict. and the onelyonly Emperour that ever was; presently in the place, and not farre from the funerall fire killed themselves. Many of them also who were absent, hearing of the newes of his end, for very grief of heart ran with their weapons one at another to death.
Most men who in his life-time cursed and detested him,He lived not much more honestly then Nero, but dyed farre more honourably. when hee was dead highly praised him; so as it was a common and rife speech, that Galba was by him slain, not so much for that he affected to be Soveraigne Ruler, as because he desired to recover the state of the Republick, and the freedome that was lost.
His saying was, Melius est unum pro multis, quam pro uno multos mori; An excellent and worthy speech of an Emperour, preferring the Publick good before his own private; Sic imperium quod maximo scelere invaserat, maxima virtute deposuit, as Xiphilinus noteth out of Dion.
He dyed but 37. yeares old saith Plutarch; More suo Tranquillus annum inchoatum propleno numerat. Nam alii 37. solum vixisse aiunt. Casaub. Ani…advers.38. say Eutropius, and Suetonius; and was Emperour but three moneths, Plutarch; three moneths and five dayes, Tertullian; four moneths, Aurelius Victor. He dyed in the 59. day of his Empire, saith Eutropius; 95. saith Suetonius.Sueton.