otho-第3章

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were　sufficiently　provided　with　all　necessaries；　but　the　others；　being
in　an　enemy's　country；　must　needs　be　exceedingly　straitened　in　a
little　time。　Marius　Celsus　was　of　Paulinus's　opinion；　Annius　Gallus；
being　absent　and　under　the　surgeon's　hands　through　a　fall　from　his
horse；　was　consulted　by　letter；　and　advised　Otho　to　stay　for　those
legions　that　were　marching　from　Moesia。　But　after　all　he　did　not
follow　the　advice；　and　the　opinion　of　those　that　declared　for　a　battle
prevailed。
　　There　are　several　reasons　given　for　this　determination；　but　the　most
apparent　is　this；　that　the　praetorian　soldiers；　as　they　are　called；
who　serve　as　guards；　not　relishing　the　military　discipline　which
they　now　had　begun　a　little　more　to　experience；　and　longing　for
their　amusements　and　unwarlike　life　among　the　shows　of　Rome；　would　not
be　commanded；　but　were　eager　for　a　battle；　imagining　that　upon　the
first　onset　they　should　carry　all　before　them。　Otho　also　himself　seems
not　to　have　shown　the　proper　fortitude　in　bearing　up　against　the
uncertainty；　and；　out　of　effeminacy　and　want　of　use；　had　not
patience　for　the　calculations　of　danger；　and　was　so　uneasy　at　the
apprehension　of　it　that　he　shut　his　eyes；　and　like　one　going　to　leap
from　a　precipice；　left　everything　to　fortune。　This　is　the　account
Secundus　the　rhetorician；　who　was　his　secretary；　gave　of　the　matter。
But　others　would　tell　you　that　there　were　many　movements　in　both
armies　for　acting　in　concert；　and　if　it　were　possible　for　them　to
agree；　then　they　should　proceed　to　choose　one　of　their　most
experienced　officers　that　were　present；　if　not；　they　should　convene
the　senate；　and　invest　it　with　the　power　of　election。　And　it　is　not
improbable　that；　neither　of　the　emperors　then　bearing　the　title　having
really　any　reputation；　such　purposes　were　really　entertained　among　the
genuine；　serviceable；　and　sober…minded　part　of　the　soldiers。　For
what　could　be　more　odious　and　unreasonable　than　that　the　evils　which
the　Roman　citizens　had　formerly　thought　it　so　lamentable　to　inflict
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