1There was no further cruelty against those who had gone over or against anyone's property: the wills of those who had fallen in Otho's battle line, or else the law of intestacy, were upheld: in short, had he restrained his extravagance, you would not have feared his greed. 1His lust for feasting was foul and insatiable: provocations for his gluttony were carried from the city and Italy, and the roads from both seas resounded with the traffic; 1the leading men of the communities were drained by the costs of banquets; 1the communities themselves were laid waste; 1the soldiers were falling away from toil and courage through growing used to pleasures and through contempt for their leader.
1He sent ahead to the city an edict in which he postponed the title of Augustus and did not accept that of Caesar, though he took nothing away from his power. 1Astrologers were banished from Italy; 1strict provision was made that Roman knights should not disgrace themselves in the gladiatorial school and the arena. 1Earlier emperors had driven them to this by money and more often by force, and many towns and colonies vied with one another in luring with pay all the most depraved of their young men.