perhaps；　Vespasian　may　show　a　more　lofty　spirit；　Vespasian；　who　was
  a　dependant　of　Vitellius；　when　Vitellius　was　the　colleague　of
  Claudius。　If　you　would　act　as　becomes　the　censorship；　the
  thrice…repeated　consulate　of　your　father；　and　all　the　honours　of
  your　illustrious　house；　let　despair　at　any　rate　arm　you　to
  courageous　action。　The　troops　are　still　firm；　and　among　the　people
  there　is　abundant　zeal。　Lastly；　nothing　can　happen　to　us　more　terrible
  than　that　upon　which　we　are　voluntarily　rushing。　If　we　are
  conquered；　we　must　die；　we　must　die；　if　we　capitulate。　All　that
  concerns　us　is　this；　shall　we　draw　our　last　breath　amidst　scorn　and
  insult；　or　in　a　valiant　struggle？〃
  The　ears　of　Vitellius　were　deaf　to　manly　counsels。　His　whole　soul
  was　overwhelmed　by　a　tender　anxiety；　lest　by　an　obstinate　resistance
  he　might　leave　the　conqueror　less　mercifully　disposed　to　his　wife
  and　children。　He　had　also　a　mother　old　and　feeble；　but　she；　expiring　a
  few　days　before；　escaped　by　her　opportune　death　the　ruin　of　her　house；
  having　gained　from　the　Imperial　dignity　of　her　son　nothing　but
  sorrow　and　a　good　name。　On　the　18th　of　December；　after　hearing　of
  the　defection　of　the　legion　and　the　auxiliary　infantry　which　had
  surrendered　at　Narnia；　he　left　the　palace；　clad　in　mourning　robes；　and
  surrounded　by　his　weeping　household。　With　him　went　his　little　son；
  carried　in　a　litter；　as　though　in　a　funeral　procession。　The
  greetings　of　the　people　were　flattering；　but　ill…suited　to　the　time；
  the　soldiers　preserved　an　ominous　silence。
  There　could　hardly　be　a　man　so　careless　of　human　interests　as　not　to
  be　affected　by　this　spectacle。　There　was　the　Roman　Emperor；　lord　but　a
  few　days　before　of　the　whole　human　race；　leaving　the　seat　of　his
  power；　and　passing　through　the　midst　of　his　people　and　his　capital；　to
  abdicate　his　throne。　Men　had　never　before　seen　or　heard　of　such　an
  event。　Caesar；　the　Dictator；　had　fallen　by　sudden　violence；　Caligula
  by　secret　treason。　The　shades　of　night　and　the　obscurity　of　a　rural
  hiding…place　had　veiled　the　flight　of　Nero。　Piso　and　Galba　had；　it
  might　be　said；　fallen　in　battle。　In　an　assembly　of　his　own　people；　and
  in　the　midst　of　his　own　soldiers；　with　the　very　women　of　his　family
  looking　on；　Vitellius　stood　and　spoke　a　few　words　suitable　to　the
  sad　conjuncture。　〃He　gave　way；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　sake　of　peace；　for
  the　sake　of　his　country；　let　them　only　remember　him；　and　think　with
  compassion　of　his　brother；　of　his　wife；　of　his　young　and　innocent
  children。〃　At　the　same　time　he　held　out　his　son；　commending　him
  first　to　individual　bystanders；　then　to　the　whole　assembly。　At　last；
  unable　to　speak　for　weeping；　he　unfastened　the　dagger　from　his　side；
  and　offered　it　to　the　Consul；　Caecilius　Simplex；　who　was　standing　by
  him；　as　if　to　indicate　that　he　surrendered　the　power　of　life　and　death
  over　the　citizens。　The　Consul　rejecting　it；　and　those　who　were
  standing　by　in　the　assembly　shouting　remontrance；　he　departed；　as　if
  with　the　intention　of　laying　aside　the　emblems　of　Imperial　power　in
  the　Temple　of　Concord；　and　of　betaking　himself　to　his　brother's　house。
  Louder　shouts　here　met　him　from　the　crowd；　which　hindered　him　from
  entering　a　private　house；　and　invited　him　to　return　to　the　palace。
  Every　other　route　was　closed；　and　the　only　one　open　was　one　which
  led　into　the　Via　Sacra。　Then　in　utter　perplexity　he　returned　to　the
  palace。　The　rumour　that　he　had　renounced　the　Imperial　dignity　had
  preceded　him　thither；　and　Flavius　Sabinus　had　sent　written　orders　to
  the　tribunes　of　the　cohorts　to　keep　their　soldiers　under　restraint。
  Then；　as　if　the　whole　State　had　passed　into　the　hands　of
  Vespasian；　the　leading　men　of　the　Senate；　many　of　the　Equestrian
  order；　with　all　the　city　soldiery　and　the　watch；　thronged　the　dwelling
  of　Sabinus。　Intelligence　was　there　brought　to　him　of　the　enthusiasm　of
  the　populace　and　of　the　threatening　attitude　of　the　German　cohorts。　He
  had　now　gone　too　far　to　be　able　to　retreat；　and　every　one；　fearing　for
  himself；　should　the　Vitellianists　come　upon　them　while　they　were
  scattered　and　comparatively　weak；　urged　him；　in　spite　of　his
  reluctance；　to　hostilities。　As　usually　happens；　however；　in　such
  cases；　all　gave　the　advice；　but　few　shared　the　risk。　The　armed　retinue
  which　was　escorting　Sabinus　was　met；　as　it　was　coming　down　by　the　Lake
  Fundanus；　by　some　of　the　most　determined　of　the　Vitellianists。　From
  this　unforeseen　collision　resulted　an　encounter　slight　indeed；　but
  terminating　favourably　for　the　Vitellianists。　In　the　hurry　of　the
  moment　Sabinus　adopted　the　safest　course　open　to　him；　and　occupied　the
  Capitol　with　a　miscellaneous　body　of　soldiery；　and　some　Senators　and
  Knights。　It　is　not　easy　to　give　the　names　of　these　persons；　since
  after　the　triumph　of　Vespasian　many　pretended　to　have　rendered　this
  service　to　his　party。　There　were　even　women　who　braved　the　dangers
  of　the　siege；　the　most　conspicuous　among　them　being　Verulana　Gratilla；
  who　was　taken　thither；　not　by　the　love　of　children　or　kindred；　but
  by　the　fascination　of　war。　The　Vitellianists　kept　but　a　careless　watch
  over　the　besieged；　and　thus　at　the　dead　of　night　Sabinus　was　able　to
  bring　into　the　Capitol　his　own　children　and　Domitian　his　brother's
  son；　and　to　send　by　an　unguarded　route　a　messenger　to　the　generals
  of　the　Flavianist　party；　with　information　that　they　were　besieged；　and
  that；　unless　succour　arrived；　they　must　be　reduced　to　distress。　The
  night　passed　so　quietly　that　he　might　have　quitted　the　place　without
  loss；　for；　brave　as　were　the　soldiers　of　Vitellius　in　encountering
  danger；　they　were　far　from　attentive　to　the　laborious　duties　of
  watching。　Besides　this；　the　sudden　fall　of　a　winter　storm　baffled　both
  sight　and　hearing。
  At　dawn　of　day；　before　either　side　commenced　hostilities；　Sabinus
  sent　Cornelius　Martialis；　a　centurion　of　the　first　rank；　to　Vitellius；
  with　instructions　to　complain　of　the　infraction　of　the　stipulated
  terms。　〃There　has　evidently；〃　he　said；　〃been　a　mere　show　and
  pretence　of　abdicating　the　Empire；　with　the　view　of　deceiving　a　number
  of　distinguished　men。　If　not；　why；　when　leaving　the　Rostra；　had　he
  gone　to　the　house　of　his　brother；　looking　as　it　did　over　the　Forum；
  and　certain　to　provoke　the　gaze　of　the　multitude；　rather　than　to　the
  Aventine；　and　the　family　house　of　his　wife？　This　would　have　befitted　a
  private　individual　anxious　to　shun　all　appearance　of　Imperial　power。
  But　on　the　contrary；　Vitellius　retraced　his　steps　to　the　palace；　the
  very　stronghold　of　Empire；　thence　issued　a　band　of　armed　men。　One　of
  the　most　frequented　parts　of　the　city　was　strewed　with　the　corpses
  of　innocent　persons。　The　Capitol　itself　had　not　been　spared。　〃I；〃　said
  Sabinus；　〃was　only　a　civilian　and　a　member　of　the　Senate；　while　the
  rivalry　of　Vitellius　and　Vespasian　was　being　settled　by　conflicts
  between　legions；　by　the　capture　of　cities；　by　the　capitulation　of
  cohorts；　with　Spain；　Germany；　and　Britain　in　revolt；　the　brother　of
  Vespasian　still　remained　firm　to　his　allegiance；　till　actually　invited
  to　discuss　terms　of　agreement。　Peace　and　harmony　bring　advantage　to
  the　conquered；　but　only　credit　to　the　conqueror。　If　you　repent　of　your
  compact；　it　is　not　against　me；　whom　you　treacherously　deceived；　that
  you　must　draw　the　sword；　nor　is　it　against　the　son　of　Vespasian；　who
  is　yet　of　tender　age。　What　would　be　gained　by　the　slaughter　of　one　old
  man　and　one　stripling？　You　should　go　and　meet　the　legions；　and　fight
  there　for　Empire；　everything　else　will　follow　the　issue　of　that
  struggle。〃　To　these　representations　the　embarrassed　Vitellius　answered
  a　few　words　in　his　own　exculpation；　throwing　all　the　blame　upon　the
  soldiers；　with　whose　excessive　zeal　his　moderation　was；　he　said；
  unable　to　cope。　He　advised　Martialis　to　depart　unobserved　through　a
  concealed　part　of　the　palace；　lest　he　should　be　killed　by　the
  soldiers；　as　the　negotiator　of　this　abhorred　convention。　Vitellius　had
  not　now　the　power　either　to　command　or　to　forbid。　He　was　no　longer
  Emperor；　he　was　merely　the　cause　of　war。
  Martialis　had　hardly　returned　to　the　Capitol；　when　the　infuriated
  soldiery　arrived；　without　any　leader；　every　man　acting　on　his　own
  impulse。　They　hurried　at　quick　march　past　the　Forum　and　the　temples
  which　hang　over　it；　and　advanced　their　line　up　the　opposite　hill　as
  far　as　the　outer　gates　of　the　Capitol。　There　were　formerly　certain
  colonnades　on　the　right　side　of　the　slope　as　one　went　up；　the
  defenders；　issuing　forth　on　the　roof　of　these　buildings；　showered
  tiles　and　stones　on　the　Vitellianists。　The　assailants　were　not　armed
  with　anything　but　swords；　and　it　seemed　too　tedious　to　send　for
  machines　and　missiles。　They　threw　lighted　brands　on　a　projecting
  colonnade；　and　follo