He governed the province during eight years, his administration being of an
uncertain and capricious character. At first he was active, vigorous, and indeed
excessively severe, in the punishment of offenders. For, a money-dealer having
committed some fraud in the way of his business, he cut off his hands, and
nailed them to his counter. Another, who had poisoned an orphan, to whom he was
guardian, and next heir to the estate, he crucified. On this delinquent
imploring the protection of the law, and crying out that he was a Roman citizen,
he affected to afford him some alleviation, and to mitigate his punishment, by a
mark of honour, ordered a cross, higher than usual, and painted white, to be
erected for him But by degrees he gave himself up to a life of indolence and
inactivity, from the fear of giving Nero any occasion of jealousy, and because,
as he used to say, " Nobody was obliged to render an account of their leisure
hours." He was holding a court of justice on the circuit at New Carthage,Now Carthagena. when he received intelligence of the
insurrection in Gaul;A.U.C. 821 and while the lieutenant of Aquitania was soliciting his assistance,
letters were brought from Vindex, requesting him " to assert the rights of
mankind, and put himself at their head to relieve them from the tyranny of
Nero." Without any long demur, he accepted the invitation, from a mixture of
fear and hope. For he had discovered that private orders had been sent by Nero
to his procurators in the province to get him dispatched; and he was encouraged
to the enterprise, as well by several auspices and omens, as by the prophecy of
a young woman of good family. The more so, because the priest of Jupiter at
Clunia, Now
Corunna. admonished by
a dream, had discovered in the recesses of the temple some verses similar to
those in which she had delivered her prophecy. These had also been uttered by a
girl under divine inspiration, about two hundred years before. The import of the
verses was, "That in time, Spain should
give the world a lord and master."
Taking his seat on the tribunal, therefore, as if there was no other business
than the manumitting of slaves, he had the effigies of a number of persons who
had been condemned and put to death by Nero, set up before him, whilst a noble
youth stood by, who had been banished, and whom he had purposely sent for from
one of the neighbouring Balearic isles; and lamenting the condition of the
times, and being thereupon unanimously saluted by the title of Emperor, he
publicly declared himself "only the lieutenant of the senate and people of
Rome." Then shutting the courts,
he levied legions and auxiliary troops among the provincials, besides his
veteran army consisting of one legion, two wings of horse, and three cohorts.
Out of the military leaders most distinguished for age and prudence, he formed a
kind of senate, with whom to advise upon all matters of importance, as often as
occasion should require. He likewise chose several young men of the equestrian
order, who were to be allowed the privilege of wearing the gold ring, and, being
called " The Reserve," should mount guard before his bed-chamber, instead of the
legionary soldiers. He likewise issued proclamations throughout the provinces of
the empire, exhorting all to rise in arms unanimously, and aid the common cause,
by all the ways and means in their power. About the same time, in fortifying a
town, which he had pitched upon as a military post, a ring was found, of antique
workmanship, in the stone of which was engraved the goddess Victory with a
trophy. Presently after, a ship of Alexandria arrived at Dertosa,Tortosa, on the Ebro. loaded with arms, without any person to steer
it, or so much as a single sailor or passenger on board. From this incident,
nobody entertained the least doubt but the war upon which they were entering was
just and honourable, and favoured likewise by the gods; when all on a sudden the
whole design was exposed to failure. One of the two wings of horse, repenting of
the violation of their oath to Nero, attempted to desert him upon his approach
to the camp, and were with some difficulty kept in their duty. And some slaves
which had been presented to him by a freedman of Nero's, on purpose to murder
him, had like to have killed him as he went through a narrow passage to the
bath. Being overheard to encourage one another not to lose the opportunity, they
were called to an account concerning it; and recourse being had to the torture,
a confession was extorted from them.
These dangers were followed by the death of Vindex, at which being extremely
discouraged, as if fortune had quite forsaken him, he had thoughts of putting an
end to his own life; but receiving advice by his messengers from Rome that Nero was slain, and that all had
taken an oath to him as emperor, he laid aside the title of lieutenant, and took
upon him that of Caesar. Putting himself upon his march in his general's cloak,
and a dagger hanging from his neck before his breast, he did not resume the use
of the toga. until Nymphidius Sabinus, prefect of the pretorian guards at
Rome, with the two lieutenants,
Fonteius Capito in Germany, and
Claudius Macer in Africa, who opposed
his advancement, were all put down.
Rumours of his cruelty and avarice had reached the city before his arrival; such
as that he had punished some cities of Spain and Gaul, for
not joining him readily, by the imposition of heavy taxes, and some by levelling
their walls; and had put to death the governors and procurators with their wives
and children: likewise that a golden crown, of fifteen pounds weight, taken out
of the temple of Jupiter, with which he
was presented by the people of Tarracona, he had melted down, and had exacted
from them three ounces which were wanting in the weight. This report of him was
confirmed and increased, as soon as he entered the town. For some seamen who had
been taken from the fleet, and enlisted among the troops by Nero, he obliged to
return to their former condition; but they refusing to comply, and obstinately
clinging to the more honourable service under their eagles and standards, he not
only dispersed them by a body of horse, but likewise decimated them. He also
disbanded a cohort of Germans, which had been formed by the preceding emperors,
for their body guard, and upon many occasions found very faithful; and sent them
back into their own country, without giving them any gratuity, pretending that
they were more inclined to favour the advancement of Cneius Dolabella, near
whose gardens they encamped, than his own. The following ridiculous stories were
also related of him; but whether with or without foundation, I know not; such
as, that when a more sumptuous entertainment than usual was served up, he
fetched a deep groan; that when one of the stewards presented him with an
account of his expenses, he reached fim a dish of legumes from his table as a
reward for his care and diligence; and when Canus, the piper, had played much to
his satisfaction, he presented him, with his own hand, five denarii taken out of
his pocket.