Histories 2.53

1His origin was from the town of Ferentium, his father of consular rank, his grandfather of praetorian; 1his mother's family was not equal to theirs, but not without distinction. 1His boyhood and youth were such as we have shown. 1By two deeds, one most shameful, the other noble, he has earned from posterity as much good repute as bad. 1Though I should think it far from the dignity of the work I have undertaken to collect fabulous tales and delight the minds of readers with fictions, yet I would not dare to deny credit to what is commonly reported and handed down. 1On the day when the battle was being fought at Bedriacum, the local people relate, a bird of unfamiliar appearance settled in a much-frequented grove near Regium Lepidum, and was not afterwards frightened or driven off by gatherings of men or by birds flying around it, until Otho had killed himself; 1then it vanished from sight: and those who reckoned the times found that the beginning and end of the marvel coincided with Otho's death.