Then
followed as great a burst of joy, though from a less worthy cause, when the
destruction of Tigellinus was achieved. Sophonius Tigellinus, a man of
obscure birth, steeped in infamy from his boyhood, and shamelessly
profligate in his old age, finding vice to be his quickest road to such
offices as the command of the watch and of the Prætorian Guard, and to
other distinctions due to merit, went on to practise cruelty, rapacity, and
all the crimes of maturer years. He perverted Nero to every kind of
atrocity; he even ventured on some acts without the Emperor's knowledge, and
ended by deserting and betraying him. Hence there was no criminal, whose
doom was from opposite motives more importunately demanded, as well by
those
OTHO'S CONDUCT; DEATH OF
TIGELLINUS |
who hated Nero, as by those who regretted him. During the
reign of Galba Tigellinus had been screened by the influence of Vinius, who
alleged that he had saved his daughter. And doubtless he had preserved her
life, not indeed out of mercy, when he had murdered so many, but to secure
for himself a refuge for the future. For all the greatest villains,
distrusting the present, and dreading change, look for private friendship to
shelter them from public detestation, caring not to be free from guilt, but
only to ensure their turn in impunity. This enraged the people more than
ever, the recent unpopularity of Vinius being superadded to their old hatred
against Tigellinus. They rushed from every part of the city into the palace
and forum, and bursting into the circus and theatre, where the mob enjoy a
special license, broke out into seditious clamours. At length Tigellinus,
having received at the springs of
Sinuessa a message
that his last hour was come, amid the embraces and caresses of his
mistresses and other unseemly delays, cut his throat with a razor, and
aggravated the disgrace of an infamous life by a tardy and ignominious
death.
