otho-第3节

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upon　each　other　for　the　sake　of　a　Sylla　or　a　Marius；　a　Caesar　or　a
Pompey；　should　now　be　undergone　anew；　for　the　object　of　letting　the
empire　pay　the　expenses　of　the　gluttony　and　intemperance　of　Vitellius；
or　the　looseness　and　effeminacy　of　Otho？　It　is　thought　that　Celsus；
upon　such　reflections；　protracted　the　time　in　order　to　a　possible
accommodation；　and　that　Otho　pushed　on　things　to　an　extremity　to
prevent　it。
　　He　himself　returned　to　Brixillum；　which　was　another　false　step；　both
because　he　withdrew　from　the　combatants　all　the　motives　of　respect　and
desire　to　gain　his　favour　which　his　presence　would　have　supplied；
and　because　he　weakened　the　army　by　detaching　some　of　his　best　and
most　faithful　troops　for　his　horse　and　foot　guards。
　　About　the　same　time　also　happened　a　skirmish　on　the　Po。　As　Caecina
was　laying　a　bridge　over　it；　Otho's　men　attacked　him；　and　tried　to
prevent　it。　And　when　they　did　not　succeed；　on　their　putting　into　their
boats　torchwood；　with　a　quantity　of　sulphur　and　pitch；　the　wind　on　the
river　suddenly　caught　their　material　that　they　had　prepared　against
the　enemy；　and　blew　it　into　a　light。　First　came　smoke；　and　then　a
clear　flame；　and　the　men；　getting　into　great　confusion　and　jumping
overboard；　upset　the　boats；　and　put　themselves　ludicrously　at　the
mercy　of　their　enemies。　Also　the　Germans　attacked　Otho's　gladiators
upon　a　small　island　in　the　river；　routed　them；　and　killed　a　good　many。
　　All　which　made　the　soldiers　at　Bedriacum　full　of　anger；　and
eagerness　to　be　led　to　battle。　So　Proculus　led　them　out　of　Bedriacum
to　a　place　fifty　furlongs　off；　where　he　pitched　his　camp　so　ignorantly
and　with　such　a　ridiculous　want　of　foresight　that　the　soldiers
suffered　extremely　for　want　of　water；　though　it　was　the　spring　time；
and　the　plains　all　around　were　full　of　running　streams　and　rivers　that
never　dried　up。　The　next　day　he　proposed　to　attack　the　enemy；　first
making　a　march　of　not　less　than　a　hundred　furlongs；　but　to　this
Paulinus　objected；　saying　they　ought　to　wait；　and　not　immediately
after　a　journey　engage　men　who　would　have　been　standing　in　their
arms　and　arranging　themselves　for　battle　at　their　leisure；　whilst　they
were　making　a　long　march；　with　all　their　beasts　of　burden　and　their
camp　followers　to　encumber　them。　As　the　generals　were　arguing　about
this　matter；　a　Numidian　courier　came　from　Otho　with　orders　to　lose
no　time；　but　give　battle。　Accordingly　they　consented；　and　moved。　As
soon　as　Caecina　had　notice；　he　was　much　surprised；　and　quitted　his
post　on　the　river　to　hasten　to　the　camp。　In　the　meantime；　the　men
had　armed　themselves　mostly；　and　were　receiving　the　word　from
Valens；　so　while　the　legions　took　up　their　position；　they　sent　out　the
best　of　their　horse　in　advance。
　　Otho's　foremost　troops；　upon　some　groundless　rumour；　took　up　the
notion　that　the　commanders　on　the　other　side　would　come　over；　and
accordingly；　upon　their　first　approach；　they　saluted　them　with　the
friendly　title　of　fellow…soldiers。　But　the　others　returned　the
compliment　with　anger　and　disdainful　words；　which　not　only
disheartened　those　that　had　given　the　salutation；　but　excited
suspicions　of　their　fidelity　amongst　the　others　on　their　side；　who　had
not。　This　caused　a　confusion　at　the　very　first　onset。　And　nothing　else
that　followed　was　done　upon　any　plan；　the　baggage…carriers；　mingling
up　with　the　fighting　men；　created　great　disorder　and　division；　as　well
as　the　nature　of　the　ground；　the　ditches　and　pits　in　which　were　so
many　that　they　were　forced　to　break　their　ranks　to　avoid　and　go
round　them；　and　so　to　fight　without　order；　and　in　small　parties。　There
were　but　two　legions；　one　of　Vitellius's　called　The　Ravenous；　and
another　of　Otho's；　called　The　Assistant；　that　got　out　into　the　open
outspread　level　and　engaged　in　proper　form；　fighting；　one　main　body
against　the　other；　for　some　length　of　time。　Otho's　men　were　strong　and
bold；　but　had　never　been　in　battle　before；　Vitellius's　had　seen　many
wars；　but　were　old　and　past　their　strength。　So　Otho's　legion　charged
boldly；　drove　back　their　opponents；　and　took　the　eagle；　killing　pretty
nearly　every　man　in　the　first　rank；　till　the　others；　full　of　rage
and　shame；　returned　the　charge；　slew　Orfidius；　the　commander　of　the
legion；　and　took　several　standards。　Varus　Alfenus；　with　his　Batavians；
who　are　the　natives　of　an　island　of　the　Rhine；　and　are　esteemed　the
best　of　the　German　horse；　fell　upon　the　gladiators；　who　had　a
reputation　both　for　valour　and　skill　in　fighting。　Some　few　of　these
did　their　duty；　but　the　greatest　part　of　them　made　towards　the
river；　and；　falling　in　with　some　cohorts　stationed　there；　were　cut
off。　But　none　behaved　so　ill　as　the　praetorians；　who；　without　ever
so　much　as　meeting　the　enemy；　ran　away；　broke　through　their　own　body
that　stood；　and　put　them　into　disorder。　Notwithstanding　this；　many
of　Otho's　men　routed　those　that　were　opposed　to　them；　broke　right　into
them；　and　forced　their　way　to　the　camp　through　the　very　middle　of
their　conquerors。
　　As　for　their　commanders；　neither　Proculus　nor　Paulinus　ventured　to
reenter　with　the　troops；　they　turned　aside；　and　avoided　the
soldiers；　who　had　already　charged　the　miscarriage　upon　their　officers。
Annius　Gallus　received　into　the　town　and　rallied　the　scattered
parties；　and　encouraged　them　with　an　assurance　that　the　battle　was　a
drawn　one　and　the　victory　had　in　many　parts　been　theirs。　Marius
Celsus；　collecting　the　officers；　urged　the　public　interest；　Otho
himself；　if　he　were　a　brave　man；　would　not；　after　such　an　expense　of
Roman　blood；　attempt　anything　further；　especially　since　even　Cato
and　Scipio；　though　the　liberty　of　Rome　was　then　at　stake；　had　been
accused　of　being　too　prodigal　of　so　many　brave　men's　lives　as　were
lost　in　Africa；　rather　than　submit　to　Caesar　after　the　battle　of
Pharsalia　had　gone　against　them。　For　though　all　persons　are　equally
subject　to　the　caprice　of　fortune；　yet　all　good　men　have　one　advantage
she　cannot　deny；　which　is　this；　to　act　reasonably　under　misfortunes。
　　This　language　was　well　accepted　amongst　the　officers；　who　sounded
the　private　soldiers；　and　found　them　desirous　of　peace；　and　Titianus
also　gave　directions　that　envoys　should　be　sent　in　order　to　a
treaty。　And　accordingly　it　was　agreed　that　the　conference　should　be
between　Celsus　and　Gallus　on　one　part；　and　Valens　with　Caecina　on
the　other。　As　the　two　first　were　upon　their　journey；　they　met　some
centurions；　who　told　them　the　troops　were　already　in　motion；
marching　for　Bedriacum；　but　that　they　themselves　were　deputed　by　their
generals　to　carry　proposals　for　an　accommodation。　Celsus　and　Gallus
expressed　their　approval；　and　requested　them　to　turn　back　and　carry
them　to　Caecina。　However；　Celsus；　upon　his　approach；　was　in　danger
from　the　vanguard；　who　happened　to　be　some　of　the　horse　that　had
suffered　at　the　ambush。　For　as　soon　as　they　saw　him；　they　hallooed；
and　were　coming　down　upon　him；　but　the　centurions　came　forward　to
protect　him；　and　the　other　officers　crying　out　and　bidding　them
desist；　Caecina　came　up　to　inform　himself　of　the　tumult；　which　he
quieted；　and　giving　a　friendly　greeting　to　Celsus；　took　him　in　his
company　and　proceeded　towards　Bedriacum。　Titianus；　meantime；　had
repented　of　having　sent　the　messengers；　and　placed　those　of　the
soldiers　who　were　more　confident　upon　the　walls　once　again；　bidding
the　others　also　go　and　support　them。　But　when　Caecina　rode　up　on　his
horse　and　held　out　his　hand；　no　one　did　or　said　to　the　contrary；　those
on　the　walls　greeted　his　men　with　salutations；　others　opened　the　gates
and　went　out；　and　mingled　freely　with　those　they　met；　and　instead　of
acts　of　hostility；　there　was　nothing　but　mutual　shaking　of　hands　and
congratulations；　every　one　taking　the　oaths　and　submitting　to
Vitellius。

　　This　is　the　account　which　the　most　of　those　that　were　present　at　the
battle　give　of　it；　yet　own　that　the　disorder　they　were　in；　and　the
absence　of　any　unity　of　action；　would　not　give　them　leave　to　be
certain　as　to　particulars。　And　when　I　myself　travelled　afterwards　over
the　field　of　battle；　Mestrius　Florus；　a　man　of　consular　degree；　one　of
those　who　had　been；　not　willingly；　but　by　command；　in　attendance　on
Otho　at　the　time；　pointed　out　to　me　an　ancient　temple；　and　told　me；
that　as　he　went　that　way　after　the　battle；　he　observed　a　heap　of
bodies　piled　up　there　to　such　a　height　that　those　on　the　top　of　it
reached　the　pinnacles　of　the　roof。　How　it　came　to　be　so；　he　could
neither　discover　himself　nor　learn　from　any　other　person；　as　indeed；
he　said；　in　civil　wars　it　generally　happens　that　greater　numbers　are
killed　when　an　army　is　routed；　quarter　not　being　given；　because
captives　are　of　no　advantage　to　the　conquerors；　but　why　the
carcasses　should　be　heaped　up　after　that　manner　is　not　easy　to
determine。
　　Otho；　at　first；　as　it　frequently　happens；　received　some　uncertain
rumours　of　the　issue　of　the　battle。　But　when　some　of　the　wounded
that　returned　from　the　field　informed　him　rightly　of　it；　it　is　not；
indeed；　so　much　to　be　wondered　at　that　his　friends　should　bid　him
not　give　all　up　as　lost　or　let　his　courage　sink；　but　the　feeling　shown
by　the　soldiers　is　something　that　exceeds　all　belief。　There　was　not
one　of　them　would　either