the　danger　of　another　made　him　tremble　for　himself；　and；　lest　he　might
  seem　to　have　helped　the　accused；　he　precipitated　his　fall。
  Upon　this；　Vitellius；　who；　besides　fearing　Dolabella；　hated　him；
  because　he　had　married　Petronia；　his　former　wife；　summoned　him　by
  letter；　and　at　the　same　time　gave　orders　that；　without　passing　along
  the　much　frequented　thoroughfare　of　the　Flaminian　road；　he　should　turn
  aside　to　Interamna；　and　there　be　put　to　death。　This　seemed　too　tedious
  to　the　executioner；　who　in　a　road…side　tavern　struck　down　his
  prisoner；　and　cut　his　throat。　The　act　brought　great　odium　upon　the　new
  reign；　and　was　noted　as　the　first　indication　of　its　character。
  Triaria's　recklessness　was　rendered　more　intolerable　by　an　immediate
  contrast　with　the　exemplary　virtue　of　Galeria；　the　Emperor's　wife；　who
  took　no　part　in　these　horrors；　and　with　Sextilia；　the　mother　of　the
  two　Vitellii；　a　woman　equally　blameless；　and　of　the　old　type　of
  character。　She　indeed　is　said　to　have　exclaimed　on　receiving　the　first
  letter　from　her　son；　〃I　am　the　mother；　not　of　Germanicus；　but　of
  Vitellius。〃　And　in　after　days　no　seductions　of　fortune；　no　flattery
  from　the　State；　could　move　her　to　exultation；　it　was　only　the
  misfortunes　of　her　family　that　she　felt。
  M。　Cluvius　Rufus；　who　had　left　his　government　in　Spain；　came　up　with
  Vitellius　after　his　departure　from　Lugdunum。　He　wore　a　look　of　joy　and
  congratulation；　but　he　was　anxious　at　heart；　for　he　knew　that　he　was
  the　object　of　accusations。　Hilarius；　the　Emperor's　freedman；　had
  indeed　brought　this　charge　against　him；　that　on　hearing　of　the　contest
  for　the　throne　between　Vitellius　and　Otho；　he　had　made　an　attempt　to
  secure　power　for　himself；　and　to　obtain　possession　of　Spain；　and
  that　with　this　view　he　had　not　headed　his　passports　with　the　name　of
  any　Emperor。　Some　extracts　from　the　speeches　of　Rufus　he　represented
  as　insulting　to　Vitellius；　and　intended　to　win　popularity　for　himself。
  So　strong；　however；　was　the　influence　of　Cluvius；　that　Vitellius
  actually　ordered　the　freedman　to　be　punished。　Cluvius　was　attached
  to　the　Emperor's　retinue；　Spain　however　was　not　taken　from　him；　he
  still　governed　the　province　though　not　resident；　as　L。　Arruntius　had
  done　before　him；　whom　Tiberius　Caesar　detained　at　home；　because　he
  feared　him；　it　was　not　from　any　apprehension　that　Vitellius　kept
  Cluvius　with　him。　The　same　compliment　was　not　paid　to　Trebellius
  Maximus。　He　had　fled　from　Britain　because　of　the　exasperation　of　the
  soldiery。　Vettius　Bolanus；　who　was　then　accompanying　the　Emperor；
  was　sent　to　succeed　him。
  Vitellius　was　troubled　by　the　spirit　of　the　vanquished　legions；
  which　was　anything　but　broken。　Scattered　through　all　parts　of　Italy；
  and　mingled　with　the　conquerors；　they　spoke　the　language　of　enemies。
  The　soldiers　of　the　14th　legion　were　peculiarly　furious。　They　said
  that　they　had　not　been　vanquished；　that　at　the　battle　of　Bedriacum
  only　the　veterans　had　been　beaten；　and　that　the　strength　of　the　legion
  had　been　absent。　It　was　resolved　that　these　troops　should　be　sent　back
  to　Britain；　from　which　province　Nero　had　summoned　them；　and　that　the
  Batavian　cohorts　should　in　the　meantime　be　quartered　with　them；
  because　there　was　an　old　feud　between　them　and　the　14th。　In　the
  presence　of　such　animosities　between　these　armed　masses；　harmony　did
  not　last　long。　At　Augusta　of　the　Taurini　it　happened　that　a　Batavian
  soldier　fiercely　charged　some　artisan　with　having　cheated　him；　and
  that　a　soldier　of　the　legion　took　the　part　of　his　host。　Each　man's
  comrades　gathered　round　him；　from　words　they　came　to　blows；　and　a
  fierce　battle　would　have　broken　out；　had　not　two　Praetorian　cohorts
  taken　the　side　of　the　14th；　and　given　confidence　to　them；　while　they
  intimidated　the　Batavians。　Vitellius　then　ordered　that　these　latter
  troops　should　be　attached　to　his　own　force；　in　consideration　of
  their　loyalty；　and　that　the　legion　should　pass　over　the　Graian　Alps；
  and　then　take　that　line　of　road；　by　which　they　would　avoid　passing
  Vienna；　for　the　inhabitants　of　that　place　were　also　suspected。　On
  the　night　of　the　departure　of　the　legion；　a　part　of　the　Colonia
  Taurina　was　destroyed　by　the　fires　which　were　left　in　every　direction。
  This　loss；　like　many　of　the　evils　of　war；　was　forgotten　in　the　greater
  disasters　which　happened　to　other　cities。　When　the　14th　had　made　the
  descent　on　the　other　side　of　the　Alps；　the　most　mutinous　among　them
  were　for　carrying　the　standards　to　Vienna。　They　were　checked；　however；
  by　the　united　efforts　of　the　better　disposed；　and　the　legion　was
  transported　into　Britain。
  Vitellius　found　his　next　cause　of　apprehension　in　the　Praetorian
  cohorts。　They　were　first　divided；　and　then　ordered；　though　with　the
  gratifying　compliment　of　an　honourable　discharge；　to　give　up　their
  arms　to　their　tribunes。　But　as　the　arms　Vespasian　gathered　strength；
  they　returned　to　their　old　service；　and　constituted　the　mainstay　of
  the　Flavianist　party。　The　first　legion　from　the　fleet　was　sent　into
  Spain；　that　in　the　peaceful　repose　of　that　province　their　excitement
  might　subside；　the　7th　and　11th　were　sent　back　to　their　winter
  quarters；　the；　13th　were　ordered　to　erect　amphitheatres；　for　both
  Caecina　at　Cremona；　and　Valens　at　Bononia；　were　preparing　to　exhibit
  shows　of　gladiators。　Vitellius　indeed　was　never　so　intent　on　the　cares
  of　Empire　as　to　forget　his　pleasures。
  Though　he　had　thus　quietly　divided　the　conquered　party；　there
  arose　a　disturbance　among　the　conquerors。　It　began　in　sport；　but　the
  number　of　those　who　fell　aggravated　the　horrors　of　the　war。
  Vitellius　had　sat　down　to　a　banquet　at　Ticinum；　and　had　invited
  Verginius　to　be　his　guest。　The　legates　and　tribunes　always　follow
  the　character　of　the　Emperor；　and　either　imitate　his　strictness；　or
  indulge　in　early　conviviality。　And　the　soldiers　in　like　manner　are
  either　diligent　or　lax　in　their　duty。　About　Vitellius　all　was　disorder
  and　drunkenness；　more　like　a　nocturnal　feast　and　revel　than　a　properly
  disciplined　camp。　Thus　it　happened　that　two　soldiers；　one　of　whom
  belonged　to　the　5th　legion；　while　the　other　was　one　of　the　Gallic
  auxiliaries；　challenged　each　other　in　sport　to　a　wrestling　match。
  The　legionary　was　thrown；　and　the　Gaul　taunted　him。　The　soldiers　who
  had　assembled　to　witness　the　contest　took　different　sides；　till　the
  legionaries　made　a　sudden　and　murderous　attack　on　the　auxiliary
  troops；　and　destroyed　two　cohorts。　The　first　disturbance　was　checked
  only　by　a　second。　A　cloud　of　dust　and　the　glitter　of　arms　were　seen　at
  a　distance。　A　sudden　cry　was　raised　that　the　14th　legion　had
  retraced　its　steps；　and　was　advancing　to　the　attack。　It　was　in　fact
  the　rearguard　of　the　army；　and　their　recognition　removed　the　cause
  of　alarm。　Meanwhile　a　slave　of　Verginius　happened　to　come　in　their
  way。　He　was　charged　with　having　designed　the　assassination　of
  Vitellius。　The　soldiers　rushed　to　the　scene　of　the　banquet；　and　loudly
  demanded　the　death　of　Verginius。　Even　Vitellius；　tremblingly　alive
  as　he　was　to　all　suspicions；　had　no　doubt　of　his　innocence。　Yet　he
  could　hardly　check　the　troops　when　they　clamoured　for　the　death　of　a
  man　of　consular　rank；　formerly　their　own　general。　Indeed　there　was
  no　one　who　was　more　frequently　the　object　of　all　kinds　of　outbreaks
  than　Verginius；　the　man　still　was　admired；　still　retained　his　high
  reputation；　but　they　hated　him　with　the　hatred　of　those　who　are
  despised。
  The　next　day　Vitellius；　after　giving　audience　to　the　envoys　from　the
  Senate　whom　he　had　ordered　to　wait　for　him　there；　proceeded　to　the
  camp；　and　actually　bestowed　high　praise　on　the　loyalty　of　the
  soldiers。　The　auxiliary　troops　loudly　complained　that　such　complete
  impunity；　such　privileged　arrogance；　was　accorded　to　the　legions。
  The　Batavian　cohorts　were　sent　back　to　Germany；　lest　they　should
  venture　on　further　violence。　Destiny　was　thus　simultaneously　preparing
  the　occasions　of　civil　and　of　foreign　war。　The　Gallic　auxiliaries　were
  sent　back　to　their　respective　states；　a　vast　body　of　men；　which　in　the
  very　earliest　stage　of　the　revolt　had　been　employed　to　make　an　idle
  show　of　strength。　Besides　this；　in　order　to　eke　out　the　Imperial
  resources；　which　had　been　impaired　by　a　series　of　bounties；　directions
  were　given　that　the　battalions　of　the　legions　and　the　auxiliary　forces
  should　be　reduced；　all　recruiting　being　forbidden。　Discharges　were
  offered　without　distinction。　This　measure　was　disastrous　to　the　State；
  and　distasteful　to　the　soldier；　who　found　that　the　same　duty　was
  distributed　among　a　smaller　number；　and　that　his　toils　and　risks
  came　round　in　a　more　frequent　succession。　Their　vigour　too　was
  undermined　by　luxury；　a　luxury　that　transgressed　our　ancient
  discipline　and　the　customs