How the Viciovs Siluius Otho, Emperour of Rome, slew hym selfe, The yeare of Christ 71.

Like will to like (for so the Prouerbe sayes)

Such are the men, as those with whom they vse:

The Goate with [the] Goate togeather is alwayes,

The Wolfe not of Wolfe doth fellowship refuse:[1030]

The crafty Foxe of Foxe the company doth chuse:[1031]

And euery liuing creature loues [of] his kinde,

As well as in shape, in qualityes of minde.[1032]

And yet all men that come in company,

Are not embued with qualities alike;

One loues song ma chaunce and melody,[1033]

Another is perhaps Melancholike,

Another fumishe is and Cholerike,

Another dull and sottishe in his sence,

And all (in some what) full of negligence.

Now then Complexion is somewhat in [the] case,

Concerning cheefe the disposition;

But yet the learned writers haue a place,

What maners alter our Complexion;

So some say also of correction:

And sure I thinke if that they say bee true,

I after was the worse for Nero and his crue.[1034]

His Courtisane brought mee in fauour furst,

Into his Court and fellowship I came;

To mee recount his vilanyes hee durst,

Not fit to tell, hee thought which had no shame;

I will no more recite of his defame:

The day was curst to mee which brought mee in,

At Neroe’s house, such infamy to winne.

But yet another did mee more infect,

Seleucus seene in Mathematiques well;

Hee of my birth a figure did erect,

Of many haps and chaunces hee did tell,

Incyted mee 'gaynst Galba to rebell,

Which[1035] warraunt if I would enuade the throne,

I might aloft with scepter sit alone.

Reuenge eke of Neroe’s death[1036] likewise,

Incyted mee his enemy to kill;

Then with my souldiers[1037] I did deuise,

The way t’accomplishe mine endeuour still,

Whom well I might perswade almost to any ill:

Eke so in deede the souldiers did him slay,

And brought to mee his head with them away.

I caused them to set it on a speare,

About the campe to beare it as a show,

To put the rest mine enemies in feare;

So they before their punishment might know;

Great giftes amongste the souldiers I bestow,

Wherewith they all in campe, with one assent,

To choose mee for their Cæsar, were content.

But now to hold it fast a worke of skill,

[The scepter caught, the same to hold, perdy,

Doth aske much arte, and labour aske it will,][1038]

Non minor est virtus, quam quærere, parta tueri.

The hawty seate hath many a greedy eye.

The election was mislikte, and in short space,

Vitellius sought to vndermine my grace.

In armes wee were, and hee mee batayle gaue,

First at Placentia, where I had the foyle;

Fro Bebriaque by force hee nexte mee draue,

And did mine army vanquishe quite, and spoyle:

There I not able farder to recoyle,

Dispayring quite, I wist to flye no way,

As Nero erst, with sword my selfe I slay:

[Such is the holde whereby false traytours stay.

A miroure here of mee behold you may,

Which for my pride, a purple price did pay:

By bloud who rose, by treason caught decay.]