in　the　winter　quarters；　and　the　conscription　throughout　Gaul　was
  hastily　proceeded　with；　in　order　that　the　muster　rolls　of　the
  legions　which　remained　behind　might　be　filled　up。　The　defence　of　the
  bank　of　the　Rhine　was　entrusted　to　Hordeonius　Flaccus。　Vitellius
  himself　added　to　his　own　army　8000　men　of　the　British　conscription。　He
  had　proceeded　a　few　days'　march；　when　he　received　intelligence　of
  the　victory　at　Bedriacum；　and　of　the　termination　of　the　war　through
  Otho's　death。　He　called　an　assembly；　and　heaped　praises　on　the
  valour　of　the　soldiers。　When　the　army　demanded　that　he　should　confer
  equestrian　rank　on　Asiaticus　his　freedman；　he　checked　the
  disgraceful　flattery。　Then；　with　his　characteristic　fickleness；　in　the
  privacy　of　a　banquet　he　granted　the　very　distinction　which　he　had
  publicly　refused；　and　honoured　with　the　ring　of　Knighthood　this　same
  Asiaticus；　a　slave　of　infamous　character；　ever　seeking　power　by
  unprincipled　intrigues。
  About　the　same　time　news　came　to　Vitellius　that　the　procurator
  Albinus　had　fallen；　and　that　both　the　provinces　of　Mauritania　had
  declared　for　him。　Lucceius　Albinus；　whom　Nero　had　appointed　to　the
  government　of　Mauritania　Caesariensis；　to　which　Galba　had　subsequently
  added　the　charge　of　the　province　of　Tingitana；　had　the　disposal　of
  no　contemptible　force。　He　had　with　him　19　cohorts　of　infantry；　5
  squadrons　of　cavalry；　and　a　vast　number　of　Moors；　a　force　trained　to
  war　by　robbery　and　plunder。　When　Galba　had　fallen；　he　was　strongly
  disposed　in　favour　of　Otho。　He　even　looked　beyond　Africa　and
  threatened　Spain；　which　is　separated　from　it　only　by　a　narrow
  strait。　This　alarmed　Cluvius　Rufus；　who　ordered　the　10th　legion　to
  approach　the　coast；　as　if　he　intended　to　send　them　across。　Some　of　the
  centurions　were　sent　on　before　to　gain　for　Vitellius　the　good…will
  of　the　Moors。　This　was　no　difficult　task；　as　the　fame　of　the　German
  army　was　great　in　the　provinces。　Besides　this；　a　report　was　circulated
  that　Albinus；　scorning　the　title　of　procurator；　was　assuming　the
  insignia　of　royalty　and　the　name　of　Juba。
  The　tide　of　feeling　turned；　and　Asinius　Pollio；　one　of　the　stanchest
  friends　of　Albinus；　prefect　of　one　of　the　squadrons　of　cavalry；　with
  Festus　and　Scipio；　prefects　of　two　infantry　cohorts；　were　killed。
  Albinus　himself；　who　was　sailing　from　the　province　Tingitana　to
  Mauritania　Caesariensis；　was　murdered　as　he　reached　the　shore。　His
  wife　threw　herself　in　the　way　of　the　murderers　and　was　killed　with
  him。　Vitellius　made　no　inquiries　into　what　was　going　on。　He
  dismissed　matters　of　even　the　greatest　importance　with　brief
  hearing；　and　was　quite　unequal　to　any　serious　business。　He　directed
  the　army　to　proceed　by　land；　but　sailed　himself　down　the　river　Arar。
  His　progress　had　nothing　of　imperial　state　about　it；　but　was　marked　by
  the　poverty　of　his　former　condition；　till　Junius　Blaesus；　governor
  of　Gallia　Lugdunensis；　a　man　of　noble　birth；　whose　munificence　was
  equal　to　his　wealth；　furnished　him　with　suitable　attendance；　and
  escorted　him　with　a　splendid　retinue；　a　service　which　was　of　itself
  displeasing；　though　Vitellius　masked　his　dislike　under　servile
  compliments。　At　Lugdunum　the　generals　of　the　two　parties；　the
  conquerors　and　the　conquered；　were　waiting　for　him。　Valens　and　Caecina
  he　put　by　his　own　chair　of　state；　after　celebrating　their　praises
  before　a　general　assembly。　He　then　ordered　the　whole　army　to　come
  and　greet　his　infant　son；　he　brought　him　out；　wrapped　in　a　military
  cloak；　and　holding　him　in　his　arms；　gave　him　the　title　of　Germanicus
  and　surrounded　him　with　all　the　insignia　of　the　imperial　rank。　It
  was　an　extravagant　distinction　for　a　day　of　prosperity；　but　it
  served　as　a　consolation　in　adversity。
  Then　the　bravest　centurions　among　the　Othonianists　were　put　to
  death。　This；　more　than　anything　else；　alienated　from　Vitellius　the
  armies　of　Illyricum。　At　the　same　time　the　other　legions；　influenced　by
  the　contagion　of　example；　and　by　their　dislike　of　the　German　troops；
  were　meditating　war。　Vitellius　detained　Suetonius　Paullinus　and
  Licinus　Proculus　in　all　the　wretchedness　of　an　odious　imprisonment；
  when　they　were　heard；　they　resorted　to　a　defence；　necessary　rather
  than　honourable。　They　actually　claimed　the　merit　of　having　been
  traitors；　attributing　to　their　own　dishonest　counsels　the　long　march
  before　the　battle；　the　fatigue　of　Otho's　troops；　the　entanglement　of
  the　line　with　the　baggage…wagons；　and　many　circumstances　which　were
  really　accidental。　Vitellius　gave　them　credit　for　perfidy；　and
  acquitted　them　of　the　crime　of　loyalty。　Salvius　Titianus；　the
  brother　of　Otho；　was　never　in　any　peril；　for　his　brotherly　affection
  and　his　apathetic　character　screened　him　from　danger。　Marius　Celsus
  had　his　consulship　confirmed　to　him。　It　was　commonly　believed；
  however；　and　was　afterwards　made　a　matter　of　accusation　in　the
  Senate　against　Caecilius　Simplex；　that　he　had　sought　to　purchase
  this　honour；　and　with　it　the　destruction　of　Celsus。　Vitellius　refused；
  and　afterwards　bestowed　on　Simplex　a　consulship　that　had　not　to　be
  bought　with　crime　or　with　money。　Trachalus　was　protected　against　his
  accusers　by　Galeria　the　wife　of　Vitellius。
  Amid　the　adventures　of　these　illustrious　men；　one　is　ashamed　to
  relate　how　a　certain　Mariccus；　a　Boian　of　the　lowest　origin；
  pretending　to　divine　inspiration；　ventured　to　thrust　himself　into
  fortune's　game；　and　to　challenge　the　arms　of　Rome。　Calling　himself　the
  champion　of　Gaul；　and　a　God　（for　he　had　assumed　this　title）；　he　had
  now　collected　8000　men；　and　was　taking　possession　of　the
  neighbouring　villages　of　the　Aedui；　when　that　most　formidable　state
  attacked　him　with　a　picked　force　of　its　native　youth；　to　which
  Vitellius　attached　some　cohorts；　and　dispersed　the　crowd　of
  fanatics。　Mariccus　was　captured　in　the　engagement；　and　was　soon
  after　exposed　to　wild　beasts；　but　not　having　been　torn　by　them　was
  believed　by　the　senseless　multitude　to　be　invulnerable；　till　he　was
  put　to　death　in　the　presence　of　Vitellius。
  No　further　severities　were　exercised　on　the　persons　of　the
  opposite　faction；　or　with　property　in　any　case；　the　wills　of　those　who
  had　fallen　fighting　for　Otho　were　held　to　be　valid；　and　with　those　who
  died　intestate；　the　law　was　carried　out。　Assuredly；　could　Vitellius
  have　bridled　his　luxurious　tastes；　no　one　need　have　dreaded　his
  rapacity。　He　had　a　scandalous　and　insatiable　passion　for　feasts；　the
  provocatives　of　gluttony　were　conveyed　to　him　from　the　capital　and
  from　Italy；　till　the　roads　from　both　seas　resounded　with　traffic；
  the　leading　men　of　the　various　states　were　ruined　by　having　to　furnish
  his　entertainments；　and　the　states　themselves　reduced　to　beggary；
  the　soldiers　fast　degenerated　from　their　old　activity　and　valour；
  through　habitual　indulgence　and　contempt　of　their　leader。　He　sent　on
  before　him　to　the　capital　an　edict；　by　which　he　postponed　his
  acceptance　of　the　title　of　Augustus　and　refused　that　of　Caesar；　though
  he　relinquished　nothing　of　his　actual　power。　The　astrologers　were
  banished　from　Italy。　The　Roman　Knights　were　forbidden；　under　severe
  penalties；　to　degrade　themselves　by　appearing　in　public
  entertainments；　or　in　the　arena。　Former　Emperors　had　encouraged　the
  practice　by　bribes；　or　more　frequently　enforced　it　by　compulsion；
  and　many　of　the　towns　and　colonies　had　vied　with　each　other　in
  attracting　by　large　pay　the　most　profligate　of　the　youth。
  Vitellius；　however；　when　his　brother　joined　him；　and　when　those
  who　are　skilled　in　the　arts　of　despotism　began　to　creep　into　his
  confidence；　grew　more　arrogant　and　cruel。　He　ordered　the　execution
  of　Dolabella；　whose　banishment　by　Otho　to　the　Colonia　Aquinas　I　have
  before　mentioned。　Dolabella；　on　hearing　of　the　death　of　Otho；　had
  entered　the　capital。　Plancius　Varus；　who　had　filled　the　office　of
  praetor；　and　had　been　one　of　Dolabella's　intimate　friends；　founded
  on　this　a　charge；　which　he　laid　before　Flavius　Sabinus；　prefect　of　the
  city；　implying　that　Dolabella　had　escaped　from　custody；　and　had
  offered　to　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　vanquished　party；　and　he
  also　alleged　that　the　cohort　stationed　at　Ostia　had　been　tampered
  with。　Of　these　grave　accusations　he　brought　no　proof　whatever；　and
  then　repenting；　sought；　when　the　crime　had　been　consummated；　a
  pardon　which　could　be　of　no　avail。　Flavius　Sabinus　hesitating　to　act
  in　a　matter　of　such　importance；　Triaria；　the　wife　of　Lucius　Vitellius；
  with　unfeminine　ferocity；　warned　him　not　to　seek　a　reputation　for
  clemency　by　imperilling　the　Emperor。　Sabinus　was　naturally　of　a　mild
  disposition；　but　under　the　pressure　of　fear　was　easily　swayed；　here；
  the　danger　of　another　made　him　tremble　for　himself；　and；　lest　he　might
  seem　to　have　helped　the　accu