The detestation which these actions excited, pre pared the public mind for the overthrow of Nero's power. Julius Vindex, who commanded the Roman legions in Gaul, impelled only by his hatred of tyran ny, openly raised the standard of revolt; and when he heard that Nero had offered a reward of ten millions of sesterces for his head, he boldly replied, ever brings me Nero's head shall have the possession of mine." This daring and disinterested leader pro claimed Sergius Galba emperor. Galba, venerable by his age, and pre-eminent for wisdom and courage, was then governor. of Spain; and though he was at first unwilling to occupy such a dangerous elevation, yet he was induced to join his forces with those of Vindex.
No sooner did Nero hear of Galba's resolution, than he rent his garments, and swore that he was undone. He threatened to massacre all the governors of pro vinces, to murder every Gaul, to poison the senate, burn the city, and turn adrift the lions among the people. The absurdity of these threats was equalled only by the folly which was exhibited in his prepa rations to execute them. Instead of raising armies, and providing for their equipment, he constructed waggons for the easy conveyance of his musical instru ments. and he equipped his concubines in the drapery of Amazons. The spirit of insurrection in the mean time was quickly propagated among the legions in Germany, Africa, and Lusitania. Virginius Rufus, who commanded on the Upper Rhine, hesitated for a while to take any active part, and during that time his legions without his knowledge attacked and de feated the Gauls with great slaughter. Mortified at this circumstance, Vindex put himself to death; hut distressing as this event was to the insurgents, it was attended with no general consequences. Nero had so completely abandoned his cause, that he pro vided himself with poison, and prepared to make his escape to Egypt. His confidential servants were sent off to equip a fleet at Ostia; but when Nero requested the tribunes and centurions to accompany him, he could not find a single person to follow his fortunes. Agitated and perplexed, he retired to his couch; but waking in the middle of the night, and finding that his guards had deserted him, he sent for his friends to obtain their advice. No friend, however, was to be found. lie went from house to house; but every door was shut against him. He besought one of his gladia tors to take away his life; but no hand would raise itself to despatch the low and despicable tyrant. With out a friend, and unable to find even an enemy, he was on the eve of plunging himself into the Tiber, when Phaon, one of his freedmen offered him his country house as a place of refuge. Nero gratefully accepted the offer, and, attended by four of his domestics on horseback, he made many escapes, and at last reached the back of Phaon's house, which he entered by a small hole in the wall. When Nero was here reposing
upon a wretched pallet, and sustaining himself with brown bread and a cup of water, the senate were de claring Galba emperor, and condemning their oppres sor to suffer the rigour of the ancient laws. When he learned from one of Phaon's slaves that he was thus to die, and that he was to be scourged to death with his body naked, and his head fixed to a pillory; and when he heard the soldiers actually approaching to the house, he planted a dagger at his throat, and contriv ed, with the aid of his secretary, Epaphroditus, to in flict a mortal wound. One of the centurions attempted in vain to stop the blood with his cloak; and Nero ex pired in the 32d year of his age, and the 14th of his reign.
Although Galba obtained the imperial power under circumstances the most favourable, yet being in the 72d year of his age, he wanted that strength of frame which the arduous duties of his situation so- imperi ously demanded. An attempt to assassinate him, and a partial revolt in his own army, conspired with the death of Vindex, to make him repent of his elevation; and it is said that he seriously thought of putting an end to his existence. When he heard, however, of the death of Nero, he assumed the title and badges of power.
During Galba's journey towards Rome, an event occurred which displayed the severity more than the justice of the emperor. A body of sailors, to whom Nero had promised certain advantages, assembled round Galba about three miles from Rome, to request a fulfilment of that promise, and urging it in a disre spectful manner, and even taking up arms, Galba dis persed them with a body of horse, and killed no fewer than 7000. When Galba was settled in Rome, he be gan by dismissing the German cohort, by replenish ing the exhausted exchequer, and by putting down those vices which had polluted the preceding reign. Under the system of economy which was now pursued, many acts of meanness and even of avarice were ob served; and the people, accustomed to partake in the splendid shows and prodigalities of their emperors, had neither virtue to admire, nor patience to endure, the retrenchments of Galba. His popularity was slightly retrieved by the public execution of Locusta, and various other instruments of Nero's cruelty, who were dragged in fetters through the city; but this act of justice was again neutralized by the pardon of Ti gellinus and Helotus, who are said to have procured it by bribes of enormous magnitude, even though the people cried aloud for vengeance upon those atrocious murderers.