had　restored　the　fortunes　of　the　party；　and　his　victory　had　reversed
  the　unfavourable　rumours　occasioned　by　his　tardy　advance。　The　entire
  army　too　of　Lower　Germany　was　attached　to　him；　this　circumstance；　it
  is　thought；　first　made　the　allegiance　of　Caecina　waver。
  Much　however　as　Vitellius　indulged　his　generals；　his　soldiers
  enjoyed　yet　greater　licence。　Every　one　chose　his　own　service。
  However　unfit；　he　might；　if　he　preferred　it；　be　enrolled　among　the
  soldiers　of　the　capital。　Soldiers　again　of　good　character　were
  allowed；　if　they　so　wished；　to　remain　with　the　legions；　or　in　the
  cavalry；　and　this　was　the　choice　of　many　who　were　worn　out　with
  disease；　or　who　shrank　from　the　unhealthiness　of　the　climate。　But
  the　main　strength　of　the　legions　and　cavalry　was　drafted　from　them；
  while　the　old　glory　of　the　Praetorian　camp　was　destroyed　by　these
  20；000　men　indiscriminately　taken　rather　than　chosen　out　of　the
  whole　army。　While　Vitellius　was　haranguing　the　troops；　the　men
  called　out　for　the　execution　of　Asiaticus；　and　of　Flavius　and　Rufinus；
  the　Gallic　chieftains；　because　they　had　fought　for　Vindex。　He　never
  checked　these　cries；　for　to　say　nothing　of　the　cowardice　natural　to
  that　feeble　soul；　he　was　aware　that　the　distribution　of　a　donative　was
  imminent；　and；　having　no　money；　he　lavished　everything　else　on　the
  soldiers。　A　contribution　in　the　form　of　a　tax　was　exacted　from　the
  freedmen　of　former　Emperors　in　proportion　to　the　number　of　their
  slaves。　Vitellius　himself；　thinking　only　how　to　squander；　was　building
  a　stable　for　his　charioteers；　was　filling　the　circus　with　shows　of
  gladiators　and　wild　beasts；　and　fooling　away　his　money　as　if　he　had
  the　most　abundant　supplies。
  Moreover　Caecina　and　Valens　celebrated　the　birthday　of　Vitellius
  by　exhibiting　in　every　quarter　of　the　city　shows　of　gladiators　on　a
  vast　and　hitherto　unparalleled　scale。　He　pleased　the　most　infamous
  characters；　but　utterly　disgusted　all　the　respectable　citizens；　by
  building　altars　in　the　Campus　Martius；　and　performing　funeral　rites　to
  Nero。　Victims　were　slaughtered　and　burnt　in　the　name　of　the　State；　the
  pile　was　kindled　by　the　Augustales；　an　order　of　the　priesthood
  dedicated　by　the　Emperor　Tiberius　to　the　Julian　family；　just　as
  Romulus　had　dedicated　one　to　king　Tatius。　Within　four　months　from
  the　victory　of　Bedriacum；　Asiaticus；　the　Emperor's　freedman；　was
  rivalling　the　Polycleti；　the　Patrobii；　and　all　the　old　hateful
  names。　No　one　sought　promotion　in　that　court　by　integrity　or
  diligence；　the　sole　road　to　power　was　to　glut　the　insatiable　appetites
  of　Vitellius　by　prodigal　entertainments；　extravagance；　and　riot。　The
  Emperor　himself；　thinking　it　enough　to　enjoy　the　present；　and
  without　a　thought　for　the　future；　is　believed　to　have　squandered
  nine　hundred　million　sesterces　in　a　very　few　months。　Rome；　as
  miserable　as　she　was　great；　afflicted　in　one　year　by　an　Otho　and　a
  Vitellius；　what　with　the　Vinii；　the　Fabii；　the　Iceli；　and　the
  Asiatici；　passed　through　all　vicissitudes　of　infamy；　till　there　came
  Mucianus　and　Marcellus；　and　different　men　rather　than　a　different
  morality。
  The　first　revolt　of　which　Vitellius　received　tidings　was　that　of　the
  3rd　legion；　despatches　having　been　sent　by　Aponius　Saturninus　before
  he　too　attached　himself　to　the　party　of　Vespasian。　Aponius；　however；
  agitated　by　the　unexpected　occurrence；　had　not　written　all　the
  particulars；　and　flattering　friends　softened　down　its　import。　〃It
  was；〃　they　said；　〃a　mutiny　of　only　a　single　legion；　the　loyalty　of　the
  other　armies　was　unshaken。〃　Vitellius　in　addressing　the　soldiers　spoke
  to　the　same　effect。　He　inveighed　against　the　lately　disbanded
  Praetorians；　and　asserted　that　false　rumours　were　circulated　by
  them；　and　that　there　was　no　fear　of　a　civil　war。　The　name　of　Vespasian
  he　suppressed；　and　soldiers　were　dispersed　through　the　city　to　check
  the　popular　gossip。　This　more　than　anything　else　kept　these　rumours
  alive。
  Nevertheless　Vitellius　summoned　auxiliary　troops　from　Germany；
  Britain；　and　Spain；　tardily；　however；　and　with　an　attempt　to　conceal
  his　necessities。　The　legates　and　the　provinces　were　equally　slow。
  Hordeonius　Flaccus；　who　was　beginning　to　suspect　the　Batavians；　feared
  that　he　should　have　a　war　on　his　own　hands；　and　Vettius　Bolanus　had　in
  Britain　a　province　never　very　quiet；　and　both　these　officers　were
  wavering　in　their　allegiance。　Spain　too；　which　then　was　without　a
  governor　of　consular　rank；　showed　no　alacrity。　The　legates　of　the
  three　legions；　equal　in　authority；　and　ready；　while　Vitellius　was
  prosperous；　to　vie　in　obedience；　stood　aloof　with　one　consent　from　his
  falling　fortunes。　In　Africa；　the　legion；　and　the　auxiliary　infantry
  levied　by　Clodius　Macer　and　soon　after　disbanded　by　Galba；　again
  entered　the　service　at　the　order　of　Vitellius；　while　all　the　rest　of
  the　youth　promptly　gave　in　their　names。　Vitellius　had　ruled　that
  province　as　proconsul　with　integrity　and　popularity；　Vespasian's
  government　had　been　infamous　and　odious。　The　allies　formed　conjectures
  accordingly　as　to　the　manner　in　which　each　would　reign；　but　the　result
  contradicted　them。
  At　first　Valerius　Festus；　the　legate；　loyally　seconded　the　zeal　of
  the　provincials。　Soon　he　began　to　waver；　supporting　Vitellius　in　his
  public　dispatches　and　edicts；　Vespasian　in　his　secret
  correspondence；　and　intending　to　hold　by　the　one　or　the　other
  according　as　they　might　succeed。　Some　soldiers　and　centurions；
  coming　through　Rhaetia　and　Gaul；　were　seized　with　letters　and　edicts
  from　Vespasian；　and　on　being　sent　to　Vitellius　were　put　to　death。
  More；　however；　eluded　discovery；　escaping　either　through　the
  faithful　protection　of　friends　or　by　their　own　tact。　Thus　the
  preparations　of　Vitellius　became　known；　while　the　plans　of　Vespasian
  were　for　the　most　part　kept　secret。　At　first　the　supineness　of
  Vitellius　was　in　fault；　afterwards　the　occupation　of　the　Pannonian
  Alps　with　troops　stopped　all　intelligence。　And　on　the　sea　the
  prevalent　Etesian　winds　favoured　an　eastward　voyage；　but　hindered
  all　return。
  At　length　Vitellius；　appalled　by　the　irruption　of　the　enemy　and　by
  the　menacing　intelligence　from　every　quarter；　ordered　Caecina　and
  Valens　to　take　the　field。　Caecina　was　sent　on　in　advance；　Valens；
  who　was　just　recovering　from　a　severe　illness；　was　delayed　by
  weakness。　Far　different　was　the　appearance　of　the　German　army　as　it
  marched　out　of　the　capital。　All　strength　had　departed　from　their
  bodies；　all　energy　from　their　spirits。　Slowly；　and　with　thin　ranks；
  the　column　moved　along；　their　weapons　feebly　grasped；　their　horses
  spiritless。　The　soldiers；　impatient　of　the　heat；　the　dust；　and　the
  weather；　in　proportion　as　they　were　less　capable　of　enduring　toil；
  were　more　ready　for　mutiny。　All　this　was　aggravated　by　the　old
  vanity　of　Caecina；　and　by　the　indolence　that　had　of　late　crept　over
  him；　presuming　on　the　excessive　favour　of　fortune；　he　had　abandoned
  himself　to　luxury。　Perhaps　he　meditated　perfidy；　and　it　was　part　of
  his　policy　to　enervate　the　courage　of　the　army。　Many　believe　that
  his　fidelity　had　been　shaken　by　the　suggestions　of　Flavius　Sabinus；
  who　employed　Rubrius　Gallus　as　the　bearer　of　communications　intimating
  that　the　conditions　of　desertion　would　be　held　binding　by　Vespasian。
  At　the　same　time　he　was　reminded　of　his　hatred　and　jealousy　of
  Fabius　Valens。　Being　inferior　to　his　rival　in　influence　with
  Vitellius；　he　should　seek　to　secure　favour　and　power　with　the　new
  Emperor。
  Caecina；　having　embraced　Vitellius　and　received　tokens　of　high
  distinction；　left　him；　and　sent　a　detachment　of　cavalry　to　occupy
  Cremona。　It　was　followed　by　the　veteran　troops　of　the　4th；　10th；　and
  16th　legions；　by　the　5th　and　22nd　legions；　and　the　rear　was　brought
  up　by　the　21st　（the　Rapax）　and　the　first　Italian　legion　with　the
  veteran　troops　of　three　British　legions；　and　a　chosen　body　of
  auxiliaries。　After　the　departure　of　Caecina；　Valens　sent　a　despatch　to
  the　army　which　had　been　under　his　own　command　with　directions　that
  it　should　wait　for　him　on　the　road；　such；　he　said；　was　his　arrangement
  with　Caecina。　Caecina；　however；　being　with　the　army　in　person；　and
  consequently　having　greater　influence；　pretended　that　this　plan　had
  been　changed；　so　that　the　gathering　forces　of　the　enemy　might　be　met
  with　their　whole　strength。　Orders　were　therefore　given　to　the
  legions　to　advance　with　all　speed　upon　Cremona；　while　a　portion　of　the
  force　was　to　proceed　to　Hostilia。　Caecina　himself　turned　aside　to
  Ravenna；　on　the　pretext　that　he　wished　to　address　the　fleet。　Soon；
  however；　he　sought　the　retirement　of　Patavium；　there　to　concert　his
  treachery。　Lucilius　Bassus；　who　had　been　promoted　by　Vitellius　from
  the　command　of　a　squadron　of　cavalry