M. SALVIUS, a Roman emperor, born in the year 32, and of a family which claimed descent from the ancient kings of Etruria. Being among the number of Nero's favourites, he was raised to the highest offices of the state, and made governor of Pannonia, by the interest of Seneca, who wished to remove him from Rome, lest Nero's love for Poppea should prove his ruin. After Nero's death, Otho conciliated the favour of Galba, the new emperor; but when he failed to gain his point, and Galba refused to adopt him as his successor, he resolved to make himself absolute, without any regard to the age or dignity of his benefactor. The great debts which he had contracted encouraged his avarice; and having procured the assassination of Galba, he made himself emperor. He was acknowledged by the senate and the Roman people; but the sudden revolt of Vitellius in Germany rendered his situation very precarious, and it was resolved that their respective pretensions to the empire should be decided by arms. Otho obtained three victories; but in a general engagement near Brixellum, his forces were defeated, and he stabbed himself when all hopes of success had vanished. This happened in the thirty-seventh year of his age, after a reign of about three months. It has been justly observed, that the last moments of Otho's life were those of a philosopher. He comforted his soldiers, who lamented his fortune, expressing his concern for their safety; and he observed, that it was better one man should die than that all should be involved in ruin on account of his obstinacy. His nephew was deeply affected, and feared exceedingly the resentment of the conqueror; but Otho comforted him by observing that Vitellius would be kind and affectionate to his friends and relations, since, in the time of their greatest enmity, the mother of Vitellius had received the most friendly treatment at his hands. He also burned all letters which, by falling into the hands of Vitellius, might provoke his resentment against those who had favoured the cause of an unfortunate aspirant to empire. These noble and humane sentiments in a man who was the associate of Nero's disgraceful pleasures, and who had stained his hands with the blood of his master, have appeared to some wonderful, and have passed with others for mere craft and policy, rather than the suggestions of a naturally virtuous and benevolent heart. His father was a favourite of Claudius.