from　the　rampart。　The　entire　space　between　the　camp　and　the　walls　of
  Cremona　was　filled　with　slain。
  Difficulties　of　another　kind　presented　themselves　in　the　lofty　walls
  of　the　town；　its　stone　towers；　its　iron…barred　gates；　in　the
  garrison　who　stood　brandishing　their　weapons；　in　its　numerous
  population　devoted　to　the　interests　of　Vitellius；　and　in　the　vast
  conflux　from　all　parts　of　Italy　which　had　assembled　at　the　fair
  regularly　held　at　that　time。　The　besieged　found　a　source　of　strength
  in　these　large　numbers；　the　assailants　an　incentive　in　the　prospect　of
  booty。　Antonius　gave　orders　that　fire　should　instantly　be　set　to　the
  finest　buildings　without　the　city；　to　see　whether　the　inhabitants　of
  Cremona　might　not　be　induced　by　the　loss　of　their　property　to　transfer
  their　allegiance。　Some　houses　near　the　walls；　which　overtopped　the
  fortifications；　he　filled　with　the　bravest　of　his　soldiers；　who；　by
  hurling　beams；　tiles；　and　flaming　missiles；　dislodged　the　defenders
  from　the　ramparts。
  The　legions　now　began　to　form　themselves　into　a　〃testudo；〃　and　the
  other　troops　to　discharge　volleys　of　stones　and　darts；　when　the
  courage　of　the　Vitellianists　began　to　flag。　The　higher　their　rank；　the
  more　readily　they　succumbed　to　fortune；　fearing　that　when　Cremona
  had　fallen　quarter　could　no　longer　be　expected；　and　that　all　the
  fury　of　the　conqueror　would　be　turned；　not　on　the　penniless　crowd；　but
  on　the　tribunes　and　centurions；　by　whose　slaughter　something　was　to　be
  gained。　The　common　soldiers；　careless　of　the　future　and　safer　in　their
  obscurity；　still　held　out。　Roaming　through　the　streets　or　concealed　in
  the　houses；　they　would　not　sue　for　peace　even　when　they　had
  abandoned　the　contest。　The　principal　officers　of　the　camp　removed
  the　name　and　images　of　Vitellius；　Caecina；　who　was　still　in
  confinement；　they　released　from　his　chains；　imploring　him　to　plead
  their　cause。　When　he　haughtily　rejected　their　suit；　they　entreated　him
  with　tears；　and　it　was　indeed　the　last　aggravation　of　misery；　that
  many　valiant　men　should　invoke　the　aid　of　a　traitor。　Then　they
  displayed　from　the　walls　the　olive　branches　and　chaplets　of
  suppliants；　and　when　Antonius　had　ordered　that　the　discharge　of
  missiles　should　cease；　they　brought　out　the　eagles　and　standards。　Then
  followed；　with　eyes　bent　on　the　ground；　a　dismal　array　of　unarmed　men。
  The　conquerors　had　gathered　round；　at　first　they　heaped　reproaches
  on　them　and　pointed　at　them　their　weapons；　then　seeing　how　they
  offered　their　cheeks　to　insulting　blows；　how；　with　all　their　high
  spirit　departed；　they　submitted；　as　vanquished　men；　to　every
  indignity；　it　suddenly　occurred　to　their　recollection；　that　these　were
  the　very　soldiers　who　but　shortly　before　had　used　with　moderation
  their　victory　at　Bedriacum。　Yet；　when　Caecina　the　consul；
  conspicuous　in　his　robes　of　state　and　with　his　train　of　lictors；
  came　forward　thrusting　aside　the　crowd；　the　victors　were　fired　with
  indignation；　and　reproached　him　with　his　tyranny；　his　cruelty；　and；　so
  hateful　are　such　crimes；　even　with　his　treason。　Antonius　checked　them；
  gave　him　an　escort；　and　sent　him　to　Vespasian。
  Meanwhile　the　population　of　Cremona　was　roughly　handled　by　the
  soldiers；　who　were　just　beginning　a　massacre；　when　their　fury　was
  mitigated　by　the　entreaties　of　the　generals。　Antonius　summoned　them　to
  an　assembly；　extolled　the　conquerors；　spoke　kindly　to　the　conquered；
  but　said　nothing　either　way　of　Cremona。　Over　and　above　the　innate　love
  of　plunder；　there　was　an　old　feud　which　made　the　army　bent　on　the
  destruction　of　the　inhabitants。　It　was　generally　believed　that　in
  the　war　with　Otho；　as　well　as　in　the　present；　they　had　supported　the
  cause　of　Vitellius。　Afterwards；　when　the　13th　legion　had　been　left
  to　build　an　amphitheatre；　with　the　characteristic　insolence　of　a
  city　population；　they　had　wantonly　provoked　and　insulted　them。　The
  ill…feeling　had　been　aggravated　by　the　gladiatorial　show　exhibited
  there　by　Caecina；　by　the　circumstance　that　their　city　was　now　for
  the　second　time　the　seat　of　war；　and　by　the　fact　that　they　had
  supplied　the　Vitellianists　with　provisions　in　the　field；　and　that　some
  of　their　women；　taken　by　party…zeal　into　the　battle；　had　there　been
  slain。　The　occurrence　of　the　fair　filled　the　colony；　rich　as　it　always
  was；　with　an　appearance　of　still　greater　wealth。　The　other　generals
  were　unnoticed；　Antonius　from　his　success　and　high　reputation　was
  observed　of　all。　He　had　hastened　to　the　baths　to　wash　off　the　blood；
  and　when　he　found　fault　with　the　temperature　of　the　water；　an　answer
  was　heard；　〃that　it　would　soon　be　warm　enough。　Thus　the　words　of　a
  slave　brought　on　him　the　whole　odium　of　having　given　the　signal　for
  firing　the　town；　which　was　indeed　already　in　flames。
  Forty　thousand　armed　men　burst　into　Cremona；　and　with　them　a　body　of
  sutlers　and　camp…followers；　yet　more　numerous　and　yet　more　abandoned
  to　lust　and　cruelty。　Neither　age　nor　rank　were　any　protection　from
  indiscriminate　slaughter　and　violation。　Aged　men　and　women　past
  their　prime；　worthless　as　booty；　were　dragged　about　in　wanton
  insult。　Did　a　grown　up　maiden　or　youth　of　marked　beauty　fall　in
  their　way；　they　were　torn　in　pieces　by　the　violent　hands　of　ravishers；
  and　in　the　end　the　destroyers　themselves　were　provoked　into　mutual
  slaughter。　Men；　as　they　carried　off　for　themselves　coin　or
  temple…offerings　of　massive　gold；　were　cut　down　by　others　of
  superior　strength。　Some；　scorning　what　met　the　eye；　searched　for
  hidden　wealth；　and　dug　up　buried　treasures；　applying　the　scourge　and
  the　torture　to　the　owners。　In　their　hands　were　flaming　torches；　which；
  as　soon　as　they　had　carried　out　the　spoil；　they　wantonly　hurled　into
  the　gutted　houses　and　plundered　temples。　In　an　army　which　included
  such　varieties　of　language　and　character；　an　army　comprising　Roman
  citizens；　allies；　and　foreigners；　there　was　every　kind　of　had　a　law　of
  his　own；　and　nothing　was　forbidden。　For　four　days　Cremona　satisfied
  the　plunderers。　When　all　things　else；　sacred　and　profane；　were
  settling　down　into　the　flames；　the　temple　of　Mephitis　outside　the
  walls　alone　remained　standing；　saved　by　its　situation　or　by　divine
  interposition。
  Such　was　the　end　of　Cremona；　286　years　after　its　foundation。　It
  was　built　in　the　consulship　of　Tiberius　Sempronius　and　Cornelius
  Scipio；　when　Hannibal　was　threatening　Italy；　as　a　protection　against
  the　Gauls　from　beyond　the　Padus；　or　against　any　other　sudden　invader
  from　the　Alps。　From　the　number　of　settlers；　the　conveniences
  afforded　by　the　rivers；　the　fertility　of　the　soil；　and　the　many
  connexions　and　intermarriages　formed　with　neighbouring　nations；　it
  grew　and　flourished；　unharmed　by　foreign　enemies；　though　most
  unfortunate　in　civil　wars。　Ashamed　of　the　atrocious　deed；　and　aware　of
  the　detestation　which　it　was　inspiring；　Antonius　issued　a
  proclamation；　that　no　one　should　detain　in　captivity　a　citizen　of
  Cremona。　The　spoil　indeed　had　been　rendered　valueless　to　the
  soldiers　by　a　general　agreement　throughout　Italy；　which　rejected
  with　loathing　the　purchase　of　such　slaves。　A　massacre　then　began；　when
  this　was　known；　the　prisoners　were　secretly　ransomed　by　their
  friends　and　relatives。　The　remaining　inhabitants　soon　returned　to
  Cremona；　the　temples　and　squares　were　restored　by　the　munificence　of
  the　burghers；　and　Vespasian　gave　his　exhortations。
  The　soil　poisoned　with　blood　forbade　the　enemy　to　remain　long　by　the
  ruins　of　the　buried　city。　They　advanced　to　the　third　milestone；　and
  gathered　the　dispersed　and　panic…stricken　Vitellianists　round　their
  proper　standards。　The　vanquished　legions　were　then　scattered
  throughout　Illyricum；　for　civil　war　was　not　over；　and　they　might
  play　a　doubtful　part。　Messengers　carrying　news　of　the　victory　were
  then　despatched　to　Britain　and　to　Spain。　Julius　Calenus；　a　tribune；
  was　sent　to　Gaul；　and　Alpinius　Montanus；　prefect　of　a　cohort；　to
  Germany；　as　the　one　was　an　Aeduan；　the　other　a　Trever；　and　both　were
  Vitellianists；　they　would　be　a　proof　of　the　success。　At　the　same
  time　the　passes　of　the　Alps　were　occupied　with　troops；　for　it　was
  suspected　that　Germany　was　arming　itself　to　support　Vitellius。
  A　few　days　after　the　departure　of　Caecina；　Vitellius　had　hurried
  Fabius　Valens　to　the　seat　of　war；　and　was　now　seeking　to　hide　his
  apprehensions　from　himself　by　indulgence。　He　made　no　military
  preparation；　he　did　not　seek　to　invigorate　the　soldiers　by　encouraging
  speeches　or　warlike　exercises；　he　did　not　keep　himself　before　the　eyes
  of　the　people。　Buried　in　the　shades　of　his　gardens；　like　those
  sluggish　animals　which；　if　you　supply　them　with　food；　lie　motionless
  and　torpid；　he　had　dismissed　with　the　same　forgetfulness　the　past；　the
  present；　and　the　future。