well　be　who　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　triumph　without　toil　or
  danger　in　a　most　lucrative　war；　began　to　hanker　after　compaigns　and
  battles；　and　to　prefer　prize　money　to　pay。　They　had　long　endured　a
  service　which　the　character　of　the　country　and　of　the　climate　and
  the　rigours　of　military　discipline　rendered　at　once　unprofitable　and
  severe。　But　that　discipline；　inexorable　as　it　is　in　times　of　peace；　is
  relaxed　by　civil　strife；　when　on　both　sides　are　found　the　agents　of
  corruption；　and　treachery　goes　unpunished。　They　had　men；　arms　and
  horses；　more　than　enough　for　all　purposes　of　utility　and　show；　but
  before　the　war　they　had　been　acquainted　only　with　the　companies　and
  squadrons　of　their　own　force；　as　the　various　armies　were　separated
  from　each　other　by　the　limits　of　their　respective　provinces。　But　the
  legions；　having　been　concentrated　to　act　against　Vindex；　and　having
  thus　learnt　to　measure　their　own　strength　against　the　strength　of
  Gaul；　were　now　on　the　lookout　for　another　war　and　for　new　conflicts。
  They　called　their　neighbours；　not　〃allies〃　as　of　old；　but　〃the
  enemy〃　and　〃the　vanquished。〃　Nor　did　that　part　of　Gaul　which　borders
  on　the　Rhine　fail　to　espouse　the　same　cause；　and　to　the　bitterest
  hostility　in　inflaming　the　army　against　the　Galbianists；　that　being
  the　name；　which　in　their　contempt　for　Vindex　they　had　given　to　the
  party。　The　rage　first　excited　against　the　Sequani　and　Aedui　extended
  to　other　states　in　proportion　to　their　wealth；　and　they　revelled　in
  imagination　on　the　storm　of　cities；　the　plunder　of　estates；　the　sack
  of　dwelling…houses。　But；　besides　the　rapacity　and　arrogance　which
  are　the　special　faults　of　superior　strength；　they　were　exasperated
  by　the　bravadoes　of　the　Gallic　people；　who　in　a　spirit　of　insult　to
  the　army　boasted　of　how　they　had　been　relieved　by　Galba　from　a
  fourth　part　of　their　tribute；　and　had　received　grants　from　the
  State。　There　was　also　a　report；　ingeniously　spread　and　recklessly
  believed；　to　the　effect　that　the　legions　were　being　decimated；　and　all
  the　most　energetic　centurions　dismissed。　From　all　quarters　arrived　the
  most　alarming　tidings。　The　reports　from　the　capital　were　unfavourable；
  while　the　disaffection　of　the　colony　of　Lugdunum；　which　obstinately
  adhered　to　Nero；　gave　rise　to　a　multitude　of　rumours。　But　it　was　in
  the　army　itself；　in　its　hatreds；　its　fears；　and　even　in　the　security
  with　which　a　review　of　its　own　strength　inspired　it；　that　there　was
  the　most　abundant　material　for　the　exercise　of　imagination　and
  credulity。
  Just　before　December　1　in　the　preceding　year；　Aulus　Vitellius　had
  visited　Lower　Germany；　and　had　carefully　inspected　the　winter　quarters
  of　the　legions。　Many　had　their　rank　restored　to　them；　sentences　of
  degradation　were　cancelled；　and　marks　of　disgrace　partially　removed。
  In　most　cases　he　did　but　court　popularity；　in　some　he　exercised　a
  sound　discretion；　making　a　salutary　change　from　the　meanness　and
  rapacity　which　Fonteius　Capito　had　shown　in　bestowing　and
  withdrawing　promotion。　But　he　seemed　a　greater　personage　than　a　simple
  consular　legate；　and　all　his　acts　were　invested　with　an　unusual
  importance。　Though　sterner　judges　pronounced　Vitellius　to　be　a　man
  of　low　tastes；　those　who　were　partial　to　him　attributed　to　geniality
  and　good　nature　the　immoderate　and　indiscriminate　prodigality；　with
  which　he　gave　away　what　was　his　own；　and　squandered　what　did　not
  belong　to　him。　Besides　this；　men　themselves　eager　for　power　were　ready
  to　represent　his　very　vices　as　virtues。　As　there　were　in　both　armies
  many　of　obedient　and　quiet　habits；　so　there　were　many　who　were　as
  unprincipled　as　they　were　energetic；　but　distinguished　above　all　for
  boundless　ambition　and　singular　daring　were　the　legates　of　the
  legions；　Fabius　Valens　and　Alienus　Caecina。　One　of　these　men；
  Valens；　had　taken　offence　against　Galba；　under　the　notion　that　he
  had　not　shewn　proper　gratitude　for　his　services　in　discovering　to
  him　the　hesitation　of　Verginius　and　crushing　the　plans　of　Capito。　He
  now　began　to　urge　Vitellius　to　action。　He　enlarged　on　the　zeal　of
  the　soldiery。　〃You　have；〃　he　said；　〃everywhere　a　great　reputation；　you
  will　find　nothing　to　stop　you　in　Hordeonius　Flaccus；　Britain　will　be
  with　you；　the　German　auxiliaries　will　follow　your　standard。　All　the
  provinces　waver　in　their　allegiance。　The　Empire　is　held　on　the
  precarious　tenure　of　an　aged　life；　and　must　shortly　pass　into　other
  hands。　You　have　only　to　open　your　arms；　and　to　meet　the　advances　of
  fortune。　It　was　well　for　Verginius　to　hesitate；　the　scion　of　a　mere
  Equestrian　family；　and　son　of　a　father　unknown　to　fame：　he　would
  have　been　unequal　to　empire；　had　he　accepted　it；　and　yet　been　safe
  though　he　refused　it。　But　from　the　honours　of　a　father　who　was
  thrice　consul；　was　censor　and　colleague　of　Caesar；　Vitellius　has
  long　since　derived　an　imperial　rank；　while　he　has　lost　the　security
  that　belongs　to　a　subject。〃
  These　arguments　roused　the　indolent　temper　of　the　man；　yet　roused
  him　rather　to　wish　than　to　hope　for　the　throne。　Meanwhile　however　in
  Upper　Germany　Caecina；　young　and　handsome；　of　commanding　stature；
  and　of　boundless　ambition；　had　attracted　the　favour　of　the　soldiery　by
  his　skilful　oratory　and　his　dignified　mien。　This　man　had；　when
  quaestor　in　Baetica；　attached　himself　with　zeal　to　the　party　of　Galba；
  who　had　appointed　him；　young　as　he　was；　to　the　command　of　a　legion；
  but；　it　being　afterwards　discovered　that　he　had　embezzled　the　public
  money；　Galba　directed　that　he　should　be　prosecuted　for　peculation。
  Caecina；　grievously　offended；　determined　to　throw　everything　into
  confusion；　and　under　the　disasters　of　his　country　to　conceal　his
  private　dishonour。　There　were　not　wanting　in　the　army　itself　the
  elements　of　civil　strife。　The　whole　of　it　had　taken　part　in　the　war
  against　Vindex；　it　had　not　passed　over　to　Galba　till　Nero　fell；　even
  then　in　this　transference　of　its　allegiance　it　had　been　anticipated　by
  the　armies　of　Lower　Germany。　Besides　this；　the　Treveri；　the
  Lingones；　and　the　other　states　which　Galba　had　most　seriously
  injured　by　his　severe　edicts　and　by　the　confiscation　of　their
  territory；　were　particularly　close　to　the　winter…quarters　of　the
  legions。　Thence　arose　seditious　conferences；　a　soldiery　demoralized　by
  intercourse　with　the　inhabitants　of　the　country；　and　tendencies　in
  favour　of　Verginius；　which　could　easily　be　to　the　profit　of　any
  other　person。
  The　Lingones；　following　an　old　custom；　had　sent　presents　to　the
  legions；　right　hands　clasped　together；　an　emblem　of　friendship。
  Their　envoys；　who　had　assumed　a　studied　appearance　of　misery　and
  distress；　passed　through　the　headquarters　and　the　men's　tents；　and
  complaining；　now　of　their　own　wrongs；　now　of　the　rewards　bestowed　on
  the　neighbouring　states；　and；　when　they　found　the　soldiers'　ears
  open　to　their　words；　of　the　perils　and　insults　to　which　the　army
  itself　was　exposed；　inflamed　the　passions　of　the　troops。　The　legions
  were　on　the　verge　of　mutiny；　when　Hordeonius　Flaccus　ordered　the
  envoys　to　depart；　and　to　make　their　departure　more　secret；　directed
  them　to　leave　the　camp　by　night。　Hence　arose　a　frightful　rumour；
  many　asserting　that　the　envoys　had　been　killed；　and　that；　unless　the
  soldiers　provided　their　own　safety；　the　next　thing　would　be；　that
  the　most　energetic　of　their　number；　and　those　who　had　complained　of
  their　present　condition；　would　be　slaughtered　under　cover　of　night；
  when　the　rest　of　the　army　would　know　nothing　of　their　fate。　The
  legions　then　bound　themselves　by　a　secret　agreement。　Into　this　the
  auxiliary　troops　were　admitted。　At　first　objects　of　suspicion；　from
  the　idea　that　their　infantry　and　cavalry　were　being　concentrated　in
  preparation　for　an　attack　on　the　legions；　these　troops　soon　became
  especially　zealous　in　the　scheme。　The　bad　find　it　easier　to　agree
  for　purposes　of　war　than　to　live　in　harmony　during　peace。
  Yet　it　was　to　Galba　that　the　legions　of　Lower　Germany　took　the
  oath　of　fidelity　annually　administered　on　the　first　of　January。　It　was
  done；　however；　after　long　delay；　and　then　only　by　a　few　voices　from
  the　foremost　ranks；　while　the　rest　preserved　an　absolute　silence；
  every　one　waiting　for　some　bold　demonstration　from　his　neighbour；　in
  obedience　to　that　innate　tendency　of　men；　which　makes　them　quick　to
  follow　where　they　are　slow　to　lead。　And　even　in　the　various　legions
  there　was　a　difference　of　feeling。　The　soldiers　of　the　1st　and　of
  the　5th　were　so　mutinous；　that　some　of　them　threw　stones　at　the　images
  of　Galba。　The　15th　and　16th　legions　ventured　on　nothing　beyond
  uproar　and　threatening　expressions。　They　were　on　the　watch　for
  something　that　might　lead　to　an　outbreak。　In　the　Upper　army；
  however；　the　4th　and　13th　legions；　which　were　sta