that　the　wrongs；　the　resentments；　and　the　terrible　necessities　of
  former　times；　should　be　forgotten；　and　Mucianus　spoke　at　great
  length　in　favour　of　the　informers。　At　the　same　time　he　admonished　in
  gentle　terms　and　in　a　tone　of　entreaty　those　who　were　reviving
  indictments；　which　they　had　before　commenced　and　afterwards　dropped。
  The　Senators；　when　they　found　themselves　opposed；　relinquished　the
  liberty　which　they　had　begun　to　exercise。　That　it　might　not　be　thought
  that　the　opinion　of　the　Senate　was　disregarded；　or　that　impunity　was
  accorded　to　all　acts　done　in　the　days　of　Nero；　Mucianus　sent　back　to
  their　islands　two　men　of　Senatorial　rank；　Octavius　Sagitta　and
  Antistius　Sosianus；　who　had　quitted　their　places　of　banishment。
  Octavius　had　seduced　one　Pontia　Postumia；　and；　on　her　refusing　to
  marry　him；　in　the　frenzy　of　passion　had　murdered　her。　Sosianus　by
  his　depravity　had　brought　many　to　ruin。　Both　had　been　condemned　and
  banished　by　a　solemn　decision　of　the　Senate；　and；　though　others　were
  permitted　to　return；　were　kept　under　the　same　penalty。　But　this　did
  not　mitigate　the　hatred　felt　against　Mucianus。　Sosianus　and　Sagitta
  were　utterly　insignificant；　even　if　they　did　return；　but　men　dreaded
  the　abilities　of　the　informers；　their　wealth；　and　the　power　which　they
  exercised　in　many　sinister　ways。
  A　trial；　conducted　in　the　Senate　according　to　ancient　precedents；
  brought　into　harmony　for　a　time　the　feelings　of　its　members。　Manlius
  Patruitus；　a　Senator；　laid　a　complaint；　that　he　had　been　beaten　by　a
  mob　in　the　colony　of　Sena；　and　that　by　order　of　the　magistrates；
  that　the　wrong　had　not　stopped　here；　but　that　lamentations　and
  wailings；　in　fact　a　representation　of　funeral　obsequies；　had　been
  enacted　in　his　presence；　accompanied　with　contemptuous　and　insulting
  expressions　levelled　against　the　whole　Senate。　The　persons　accused
  were　summoned　to　appear；　and　after　the　case　had　been　investigated；
  punishment　was　inflicted　on　those　who　were　found　guilty。　A
  resolution　of　the　Senate　was　also　passed；　recommending　more　orderly
  behaviour　to　the　people　of　Sena。　About　the　same　time　Antonius　Flamma
  was　condemned　under　the　law　against　extortion；　at　the　suit　of　the
  people　of　Cyrene；　and　was　banished　for　cruel　practices。
  Amidst　all　this　a　mutiny　in　the　army　all　but　broke　out。　The　troops
  who；　having　been　disbanded　by　Vitellius；　had　flocked　to　support
  Vespasian；　asked　leave　to　serve　again　in　the　Praetorian　Guard；　and　the
  soldiers　who　had　been　selected　from　the　legions　with　the　same　prospect
  now　clamoured　for　their　promised　pay。　Even　the　Vitellianists　could　not
  be　got　rid　of　without　much　bloodshed。　But　the　money　required　for
  retaining　in　the　service　so　vast　a　body　of　men　was　immensely　large。
  Mucianus　entered　the　camp　to　examine　more　accurately　the　individual
  claims。　The　victorious　army；　wearing　their　proper　decorations　and
  arms；　he　drew　up　with　moderate　intervals　of　space　between　the
  divisions；　then　the　Vitellianists；　whose　capitulation　at　Bovillae　I
  have　already　related；　and　the　other　troops　of　the　party；　who　had
  been　collected　from　the　capital　and　its　neighbourhood；　were　brought
  forth　almost　naked。　Mucianus　ordered　these　men　to　be　drawn　up　apart；
  making　the　British；　the　German；　and　any　other　troops　that　there　were
  belonging　to　other　armies；　take　up　separate　positions。　The　very
  first　view　of　their　situation　paralyzed　them。　They　saw　opposed　to　them
  what　seemed　a　hostile　array；　threatening　them　with　javelin　and
  sword。　They　saw　themselves　hemmed　in；　without　arms；　filthy　and
  squalid。　And　when　they　began　to　be　separated；　some　to　be　marched　to
  one　spot；　and　some　to　another；　a　thrill　of　terror　ran　through　them
  all。　Among　the　troops　from　Germany　the　panic　was　particularly　great；
  for　they　believed　that　this　separation　marked　them　out　for
  slaughter。　They　embraced　their　fellow　soldiers；　clung　to　their
  necks；　begged　for　parting　kisses；　and　entreated　that　they　might　not　be
  deserted；　or　doomed　in　a　common　cause　to　suffer　a　different　lot。
  They　invoked　now　Mucianus；　now　the　absent　Emperor；　and；　as　a　last
  resource；　heaven　and　the　Gods；　till　Mucianus　came　forward；　and　calling
  them　〃soldiers　bound　by　the　same　oath　and　servants　of　the　same
  Emperor；〃　stopped　the　groundless　panic。　And　indeed　the　victorious　army
  seconded　the　tears　of　the　vanquished　with　their　approving　shouts。　This
  terminated　the　proceedings　for　that　day。　But　when　Domitian　harangued
  them　a　few　days　afterwards；　they　received　him　with　increased
  confidence。　The　land　that　was　offered　them　they　contemptuously
  rejected；　and　begged　for　regular　service　and　pay。　Theirs　were
  prayers　indeed；　but　such　as　it　was　impossible　to　reject。　They　were
  therefore　received　into　the　Praetorian　camp。　Then　such　as　had
  reached　the　prescribed　age；　or　had　served　the　proper　number　of
  campaigns；　received　an　honourable　discharge；　others　were　dismissed　for
  misconduct；　but　this　was　done　by　degrees　and　in　detail；　always　the
  safest　mode　of　reducing　the　united　strength　of　a　multitude。
  It　is　a　fact　that；　whether　suggested　by　real　poverty　or　by　a　wish　to
  give　the　appearance　of　it；　a　proposition　passed　the　Senate　to　the
  effect　that　a　loan　of　sixty　million　sesterces　from　private　persons
  should　be　accepted。　Pompeius　Silvanus　was　appointed　to　manage　the
  affair。　Before　long；　either　the　necessity　ceased　or　the　pretence　was
  dropped。　After　this；　on　the　motion　of　Domitian；　the　consulships
  conferred　by　Vitellius　were　cancelled；　and　the　honours　of　a　censor's
  funeral　were　paid　to　Sabinus；　great　lessons　both　of　the　mutability
  of　fortune；　ever　bringing　together　the　highest　honours　and　the
  lowest　humiliations。
  About　the　same　time　the　proconsul　Lucius　Piso　was　murdered。　I
  shall　make　the　account　of　this　murder　as　exact　as　possible　by　first
  reviewing　a　few　earlier　circumstances；　which　have　a　bearing　on　the
  origin　and　motives　of　such　deeds。　The　legion　and　the　auxiliaries
  stationed　in　Africa　to　guard　the　frontiers　of　the　Empire　were　under
  the　proconsul's　authority　during　the　reigns　of　the　divine　Augustus　and
  Tiberius。　But　in　course　of　time　Caligula；　prompted　by　his　restless
  temper　and　by　his　fear　of　Marcus　Silanus；　who　then　held　Africa；　took
  away　the　legion　from　the　proconsul；　and　handed　it　over　to　a　legate
  whom　he　sent　for　that　purpose。　The　patronage　was　equally　divided
  between　the　two　officers。　A　source　of　disagreement　was　thus　studiously
  sought　in　the　continual　clashing　of　their　authority；　and　it　was
  further　developed　by　an　unprincipled　rivalry。　The　power　of　the　legates
  grew　through　their　lengthened　tenure　of　office；　and；　perhaps；
  because　an　inferior　feels　greater　interest　in　such　a　competition。
  All　the　more　distinguished　of　the　proconsuls　cared　more　for　security
  than　for　power。
  At　this　time　the　legion　in　Africa　was　commanded　by　Valerius
  Festus；　a　young　man　of　extravagant　habits　and　immoderate　ambition；　who
  was　now　made　uneasy　by　his　relationship　to　Vitellius。　Whether　this　man
  in　their　frequent　interviews　tempted　Piso　to　revolt；　or　whether　he
  resisted　such　overtures；　is　not　known　for　certain；　for　no　one　was
  present　at　their　confidential　meetings；　and；　after　Piso's　death；
  many　were　disposed　to　ingratiate　themselves　with　the　murderer。　There
  is　no　doubt　that　the　province　and　the　troops　entertained　feelings　of
  hostility　to　Vespasian；　and　some　of　the　Vitellianists；　who　had　escaped
  from　the　capital；　incessantly　represented　to　Piso　that　Gaul　was
  hesitating　and　Germany　ready　to　revolt；　that　his　own　position　was
  perilous；　and　that　for　one　who　in　peace　must　be　suspected；　war　was　the
  safer　course。　While　this　was　going　on；　Claudius　Sagitta；　prefect　of
  Petra's　Horse；　making　a　very　quick　passage；　reached　Africa　before
  Papirius；　the　centurion　despatched　by　Mucianus。　He　declared　that　an
  order　to　put　Piso　to　death　had　been　given　to　the　centurion；　and　that
  Galerianus；　his　cousin　and　son…in…law；　had　perished；　that　his　only
  hope　of　safety　was　in　bold　action；　that　in　such　action　two　paths
  were　open；　he　might　defend　himself　on　the　spot；　or　he　might　sail　for
  Gaul　and　offer　his　services　as　general　to　the　Vitellianist　armies。
  Piso　was　wholly　unmoved　by　this　statement。　The　centurion　despatched　by
  Mucianus；　on　landing　in　the　port　of　Carthage；　raised　his　voice；　and
  invoked　in　succession　all　blessings　on　the　head　of　Piso；　as　if　he　were
  Emperor；　and　bade　the　bystanders；　who　were　astonished　by　this　sudden
  and　strange　proceeding；　take　up　the　same　cry。　The　credulous　mob　rushed
  into　the　market…place；　and　demanded　that　Piso　should　shew　himself。
  They　threw　everything　into　an　uproar　with　their　clamorous　shouts　of
  joy；　careless　of　the　truth；　and　only　eager　to　flatter。　Piso；　acting　on
  the　information　of　Sagitta；　or；　perhaps；　from　natural　modesty；　would
  not　make　his