mounted　on　their　horses；　made　for　the　city　and　the　palace。
  Otho　was　giving　a　crowded　entertainment　to　the　most　distinguished
  men　and　women　of　Rome。　In　their　alarm　they　doubted　whether　this　was
  a　casual　outbreak　of　the　soldiers；　or　an　act　of　treachery　in　the
  Emperor；　and　whether　to　remain　and　be　arrested　was　a　more　perilous
  alternative　than　to　disperse　and　fly。　At　one　time　making　a　show　of
  courage；　at　another　betrayed　by　their　terror；　they　still　watched　the
  countenance　of　Otho。　And；　as　it　happened；　so　ready　were　all　to
  suspect；　Otho　felt　as　much　alarm　as　he　inspired。　Terrified　no　less
  by　the　Senate's　critical　position　than　by　his　own；　he　had　forthwith
  despatched　the　prefects　of　the　Praetorian　Guard　to　allay　the　fury　of
  the　soldiery；　and　he　now　ordered　all　to　leave　the　banquet　without
  delay。　Then　on　all　sides　officers　of　state　cast　aside　the　insignia
  of　office；　and　shunned　the　retinues　of　their　friends　and　domestics；
  aged　men　and　women　wandered　in　the　darkness　of　night　about　the　various
  streets　of　the　city；　few　went　to　their　homes；　most　sought　the　houses
  of　friends；　or　some　obscure　hiding…place　in　the　dwelling　of　their
  humblest　dependents。
  The　rush　of　the　soldiers　was　not　even　checked　by　the　doors　of　the
  palace。　They　burst　in　upon　the　banquet　with　loud　demands　that　Otho
  should　shew　himself。　They　wounded　the　tribune；　Julius　Martialis；　and
  the　prefect；　Vitellius　Saturninus；　who　sought　to　stem　the　torrent。
  On　every　they　brandished　their　swords；　and　menaced　the　centurions
  and　tribunes　at　one　moment；　the　whole　Senate　at　another。　Their　minds
  were　maddened　by　a　blind　panic；　and；　unable　to　single　out　any　one
  object　for　their　fury；　they　sought　for　indiscriminate　vengeance。　At
  last　Otho；　regardless　of　his　imperial　dignity；　stood　up　on　a　couch；
  and　by　dint　of　prayers　and　tears　contrived　to　restrain　them。　Reluctant
  and　guilty；　they　returned　to　the　camp。　The　next　day　the　houses　were
  closed　as　they　might　be　in　a　captured　city。　Few　of　the　citizens
  could　be　seen　in　the　streets；　the　populace　were　dejected；　the　soldiers
  walked　with　downcast　looks；　and　seemed　gloomy　rather　than　penitent。
  Licinius　Proculus　and　Plotius　Firmus；　the　prefects；　addressed　the
  companies　in　the　gentler　or　harsher　terms　that　suited　their　respective
  characters。　The　end　of　these　harangues　was　that　5000　sesterces　were
  paid　to　each　soldier。　Then　did　Otho　venture　to　enter　the　camp；　the
  tribunes　and　centurions　surrounded　him。　They　had　thrown　aside　the
  insignia　of　their　rank；　and　they　demanded　release　from　the　toils　and
  perils　of　service。　The　soldiers　felt　the　reproach；　returning　to
  their　duty；　they　even　demanded　the　execution　of　the　ringleaders　in　the
  riot。
  Otho　was　aware　how　disturbed　was　the　country；　and　how　conflicting
  the　feelings　of　the　soldiery；　the　most　respectable　of　whom　cried　out
  for　some　remedy　for　the　existing　licence；　while　the　great　mass
  delighted　in　riot　and　in　an　empire　resting　on　popularity；　and　could　be
  most　easily　urged　to　civil　war　by　indulgence　in　tumult　and　rapine。
  At　the　same　time　he　reflected　that　power　acquired　by　crime　could　not
  be　retained　by　a　sudden　assumption　of　the　moderation　and　of　the
  dignity　of　former　times；　yet　he　was　alarmed　by　the　critical　position
  of　the　capital　and　by　the　perils　of　the　Senate。　Finally；　he
  addressed　the　troops　in　these　terms：　〃Comrades；　I　am　not　come　that　I
  may　move　your　hearts　to　love　me；　or　that　I　may　rouse　your　courage；
  love　and　courage　you　have　in　superfluous　abundance。　I　am　come　to
  pray　you　to　put　some　restraint　on　your　valour；　some　check　on　your
  affection　for　me。　The　origin　of　the　late　tumult　is　to　be　traced　not　to
  rapacity　or　disaffection；　feelings　which　have　driven　many　armies
  into　civil　strife；　much　less　to　any　shrinking　from；　or　fear　of　danger。
  It　was　your　excessive　affection　for　me　that　roused　you　to　act　with
  more　zeal　than　discretion。　For　even　honourable　motives　of　action；
  unless　directed　by　judgment；　are　followed　by　disastrous　results。　We
  are　now　starting　for　a　campaign。　Does　the　nature　of　things；　does　the
  rapid　flight　of　opportunities；　admit　of　all　intelligence　being
  publicly　announced；　of　every　plan　being　discussed　in　the　presence　of
  all？　It　is　as　needful　that　the　soldiers　should　be　ignorant　of　some
  things　as　that　they　should　know　others。　The　general's　authority；　the
  stern　laws　of　discipline；　require　that　in　many　matters　even　the
  centurions　and　tribunes　shall　only　receive　orders。　If；　whenever　orders
  are　given；　individuals　may　ask　questions；　obedience　ceases；　and　all
  command　is　at　an　end。　Will　you　in　the　field　too　snatch　up　your　arms　in
  the　dead　of　night？　Shall　one　or　two　worthless　and　drunken　fellows；　for
  I　cannot　believe　that　more　were　carried　away　by　the　frenzy　of　the　late
  outbreak；　imbrue　their　hands　in　the　blood　of　centurions　and
  tribunes；　and　burst　into　the　tent　of　their　Emperor？
  〃You　indeed　did　this　to　serve　me；　but　in　the　tumult；　the　darkness；
  and　the　general　confusion；　an　opportunity　may　well　occur　that　may　be
  used　against　me。　If　Vitellius　and　his　satellites　were　allowed　to
  choose；　what　would　be　the　temper　and　what　the　thoughts　with　which　they
  would　curse　us？　What　would　they　wish　for　us　but　mutiny　and　strife；
  that　the　private　should　not　obey　the　centurion；　nor　the　centurion
  the　tribune；　that　thus　we　should　rush；　horse　and　foot　together；　on　our
  own　destruction？　Comrades；　it　is　by　obeying；　not　by　questioning　the
  orders　of　commanders；　that　military　power　is　kept　together。　And　that
  army　is　the　most　courageous　in　the　moment　of　peril；　which　is　the
  most　orderly　before　the　peril　comes。　Keep　you　your　arms　and　your
  courage；　leave　it　to　me　to　plan；　and　to　guide　your　valour。　A　few
  were　in　fault；　two　will　be　punished。　Let　all　the　rest　blot　out　the
  remembrance　of　that　night　of　infamy。　Never　let　any　army　hear　those
  cries　against　the　Senate。　To　clamour　for　the　destruction　of　what　is
  the　head　of　the　Empire；　and　contains　all　that　is　distinguished　in
  the　provinces；　good　God！　it　is　a　thing　which　not　even　those　Germans；
  whom　Vitellius　at　this　very　moment　is　rousing　against　us；　would　dare
  to　do。　Shall　any　sons　of　Italy；　the　true　youth　of　Rome；　cry　out　for
  the　massacre　of　an　order；　by　whose　splendid　distinctions　we　throw　into
  the　shade　the　mean　and　obscure　faction　of　Vitellius？　Vitellius　is
  the　master　of　a　few　tribes；　and　has　some　semblance　of　an　army。　We　have
  the　Senate。　The　country　is　with　us；　with　them；　the　country's
  enemies。　What！　do　you　imagine　that　this　fairest　of　cities　is　made　up
  of　dwellings　and　edifices　and　piles　of　stones？　These　dumb　and
  inanimate　things　may　be　indifferently　destroyed　and　rebuilt。　The
  eternal　duration　of　empire；　the　peace　of　nations；　my　safety　and　yours；
  rest　on　the　security　of　the　Senate。　This　order　which　was　instituted
  under　due　auspices　by　the　Father　and　Founder　of　the　city；　and　which
  has　lasted　without　interruption　and　without　decay　from　the　Kings
  down　to　the　Emperors；　we　will　bequeath　to　our　descendants；　as　we
  have　inherited　it　from　our　ancestors。　For　you　give　the　state　its
  Senators；　and　the　Senate　gives　it　its　Princes。〃
  This　speech；　which　was　meant　to　touch　and　to　calm　the　feelings　of
  the　soldiers；　and　the　moderate　amount　of　severity　exercised　（for
  Otho　had　ordered　two　and　no　more　to　be　punished）；　met　with　a
  grateful　acceptance；　and　for　the　moment　reduced　to　order　men　who　could
  not　be　coerced。　Yet　tranquillity　was　not　restored　to　the　capital；
  there　was　still　the　din　of　arms　and　all　the　sights　of　war；　and　the
  soldiers；　though　they　made　no　concerted　disturbance；　had　dispersed
  themselves　in　disguise　about　private　houses；　and　exercised　a　malignant
  surveillance　over　all　whom　exalted　rank；　or　distinction　of　any　kind；
  exposed　to　injurious　reports。　Many　too　believed　that　some　of　the
  soldiers　of　Vitellius　had　come　to　the　capital　to　learn　the　feelings　of
  the　different　parties。　Hence　everything　was　rife　with　suspicion；　and
  even　the　privacy　of　the　family　was　hardly　exempt　from　fear。　It　was
  however　in　public　that　most　alarm　was　felt；　with　every　piece　of
  intelligence　that　rumour　brought；　men　changed　their　looks　and　spirits；
  anxious　not　to　appear　discouraged　by　unfavourable　omens；　or　too　little
  delighted　by　success。　When　the　Senate　was　summoned　to　the　Chamber；
  it　was　hard　for　them　to　maintain　in　all　things　a　safe　moderation。
  Silence　might　seem　contumacious；　and　frankness　might　provoke
  suspicion；　and　Otho；　who　had　lately　been　a　subject；　and　had　used　the
  same　language；　was　familiar　with　flattery。　Accordingly；　they　discussed
  various　motions　on　which　they　had　put　many　constructions。　Vitellius
  they　called　a　public　enemy　and　a　traitor　to　his　country；　the　more
  prudent　contenting　themselves　with　hackneyed　terms　of　abuse；　though
  some　threw　out　reproaches　founded　in　truth；　yet　o