on, received him
with open arms, as if he had been sent them from heaven. It was no small
recommendation to their favour, that he was the son of a man who had been
thrice consul, was in the prime of life, and of an easy, prodigal
disposition. This opinion, which had been long entertained of him,
Vitellius confirmed by some late practices; having kissed all the common
soldiers whom he met with upon the road, and been excessively complaisant
in the inns and stables to the muleteers and travellers; asking them in a
morning, if they had got their breakfasts, and letting them see, by
belching, that he had eaten his.

VIII. After he had reached the camp, he denied no man any thing he asked
for, and pardoned all who lay under sentence for disgraceful conduct or
disorderly habits. Before a month, therefore, had passed, without regard
to the day or season, he was hurried by the soldiers out of his
bed-chamber, although it was evening, and he in an undress, and
unanimously saluted by the title of EMPEROR [705]. He was then carried
round the most considerable towns in the neighbourhood, with the sword of
the Divine Julius in his hand; which had been taken by some person out of
the temple of Mars, and presented to him when he was first saluted. Nor
did he return to the pretorium, until his dining-room was in flames from
the chimney's taking fire. Upon this accident, all being in
consternation, and considering it as an unlucky omen, he cried out,
"Courage, boys! it shines brightly upon us." And this was all he said to
the soldiers. The army of the Upper Province likewise, which had before
declared against Galba for the senate, joining in the proceedings, he very
eagerly accepted the cognomen of Germanicus, offered him by the unanimous
consent of both armies, but deferred assuming that of Augustus, and
refused for ever that of Caesar.

IX. Intelligence of Galba's death arriving soon after, when he had
settled his affairs in Germany he divided his troops into two bodies,
intending to send one of them before him against Otho, and to follow with
the other himself. The army he sent forward had a lucky omen; for,
suddenly, an eagle cams flying up to them on the right, and having
hovered (433) round the standards, flew gently before them on their road.
But, on the other hand, when he began his own march, all the equestrian
statues, which were erected for him in several places, fell suddenly down
with their legs broken; and the