miles　distant；　and　on　the　chances　of　defection。　The　soldiers　were
  dissatisfied　with　this　prospect；　and　wished　for　victory　rather　than
  for　peace。　They　would　not　even　await　the　arrival　of　their　own　legions；
  whom　they　looked　upon　as　sharers　in　the　spoil　rather　than　in　the
  dangers　of　the　campaign。　Antonius　summoned　them　to　an　assembly；　and
  explained　to　them　that　Vitellius　had　still　forces；　which　would　waver
  in　their　loyalty　if　they　had　time　to　reflect；　but　would　be　fierce　foes
  if　driven　to　despair。　〃The　opening　of　a　civil　war　must；〃　he　said；
  〃be　left　to　chance；　the　final　triumph　is　perfected　by　wise　counsels
  and　skill。　The　fleet　of　Misenum　and　the　fairest　portion　of　Campania
  have　already　revolted；　and　out　of　the　whole　world　Vitellius　has
  nothing　left　but　the　country　between　Tarracina　and　Narnia。　From　our
  victory　at　Cremona　sufficient　glory　has　accrued　to　us；　and　from　the
  destruction　of　that　city　only　too　much　disgrace。　Let　us　not　be　eager
  to　capture　rather　than　to　preserve　the　capital。　Greater　will　be　our
  reward；　far　higher　our　reputation；　if　we　secure　without　bloodshed
  the　safety　of　the　Senate　and　of　the　people　of　Rome。〃　By　this　and
  similar　language　their　impatience　was　allayed。
  Soon　after；　the　legions　arrived。　Alarmed　by　the　report　of　this
  increase　to　the　army；　the　Vitellianist　cohorts　began　to　waver；　no
  one　urged　them　to　fight；　many　urged　them　to　change　sides；　each　more
  eager　than　the　other　to　hand　over　his　company　or　troop；　a　present　to
  the　conqueror；　and　a　source　of　future　advantage　to　himself。　From　these
  men　it　was　ascertained　that　Interamna；　situated　in　the　adjoining
  plain；　was　occupied　by　a　garrison　of　400　cavalry。　Varus　was　at　once
  dispatched　with　a　lightly　equipped　force；　and　cut　to　pieces　a　few
  who　attempted　to　resist；　the　greater　number　threw　down　their　arms；　and
  begged　for　quarter。　Some　fled　back　into　the　camp；　and　spread　panic
  everywhere　by　exaggerated　reports　of　the　courage　and　strength　of　the
  enemy；　seeking　thus　to　mitigate　the　disgrace　of　having　lost　the
  position。　Among　the　Vitellianists　treason　went　unpunished；　all　loyalty
  was　subverted　by　the　rewards　of　desertion；　and　nothing　was　left　but
  emulation　in　perfidy。　There　were　numerous　desertions　among　the
  tribunes　and　centurions；　the　common　soldiers　remained　obstinately
  faithful　to　Vitellius；　till　Priscus　and　Alfenius；　deserting　the　camp
  and　returning　to　Vitellius；　relieved　all　from　any　shame　they　might
  feel　at　being　traitors。
  About　the　same　time　Fabius　Valens　was　put　to　death　while　in
  confinement　at　Urbinum。　His　head　was　displayed　to　the　Vitellianist
  cohort；　that　they　might　not　cherish　any　further　hope；　for　they
  generally　believed　that　Valens　had　made　his　way　into　Germany；　and
  was　there　bringing　into　the　field　veteran　as　well　as　newly　levied
  armies。　The　bloody　spectacle　reduced　them　to　despair；　and　it　was
  amazing　how　the　army　of　Vespasian　welcomed　in　their　hearts　the
  destruction　of　Valens　as　the　termination　of　the　war。　Valens　was　a
  native　of　Anagnia；　and　belonged　to　an　Equestrian　family；　he　was　a
  man　of　loose　character；　but　of　no　small　ability；　who　sought　to　gain　by
  profligacy　a　reputation　for　elegance。　In　the　theatricals　performed
  by　young　men　during　the　reign　of　Nero；　at　first　apparently　from
  compulsion；　afterwards　of　his　own　free　choice；　he　repeatedly　acted
  in　the　farces；　with　more　cleverness　than　propriety。　While　legate　of
  a　legion；　he　first　supported；　then　slandered；　Verginius。　Fonteius
  Capito　he　murdered；　either　after　he　had　corrupted　him；　or　because　he
  had　failed　to　do　so。　Though　a　traitor　to　Galba　he　was　loyal　to
  Vitellius；　and　gained　a　lustre　from　the　perfidy　of　others。
  Finding　all　their　hopes　cut　off；　the　troops　of　Vitellius；
  intending　to　pass　over　to　the　side　of　the　conqueror；　but　to　do　so　with
  honour；　marched　down　with　their　standards　and　colours　into　the
  plains　beneath　Narnia。　The　army　of　Vespasian；　prepared　and　equipped　as
  if　for　action；　was　drawn　up　in　dense　array　on　both　sides　of　the
  road。　The　Vitellianists　were　received　between　the　two　columns；　when
  they　were　thus　surrounded；　Antonius　addressed　them　kindly。　One
  division　was　ordered　to　remain　at　Narnia；　another　at　Interamna；　with
  them　were　left　some　of　the　victorious　legions；　which　would　not　be
  formidable　to　them　if　they　remained　quiet；　but　were　strong　enough　to
  crush　all　turbulence。　At　the　same　time　Primus　and　Varus　did　not
  neglect　to　forward　continual　messages　to　Vitellius；　offering　him
  personal　safety；　the　enjoyment　of　wealth；　and　a　quiet　retreat　in
  Campania；　provided　he　would　lay　down　his　arms　and　surrender　himself
  and　his　children　to　Vespasian。　Mucianus　also　wrote　to　him　to　the
  same　effect；　and　Vitellius　was　often　disposed　to　trust　these
  overtures；　and　even　discussed　the　number　of　his　household　and　the
  choice　of　a　residence　on　the　coast。　Such　a　lethargy　had　come　over
  his　spirit；　that；　had　not　others　remembered　he　had　been　an　Emperor；　he
  would　have　himself　forgotten　it。
  The　leading　men　in　the　State　had　secret　conferences　with　Flavius
  Sabinus；　prefect　of　the　city；　urging　him　to　secure　a　share　in　the
  credit　of　the　victory。　〃You　have；〃　they　said；　〃a　force　of　your　own
  in　the　city　cohorts；　the　cohorts　of　the　watch　will　not　fail　you；　and
  there　are　also　our　own　slaves；　there　is　the　prestige　of　the　party；
  there　is　the　fact　that　to　the　victorious　everything　is　easy。　You
  should　not　yield　the　glory　of　the　war　to　Antonius　and　Varus。　Vitellius
  has　but　a　few　cohorts；　and　they　are　alarmed　by　gloomy　tidings　from
  every　quarter。　The　feelings　of　the　people　are　easily　swayed；　and；　if
  you　put　yourself　at　their　head；　there　will　soon　be　the　same　flatteries
  ready　for　Vespasian。　Vitellius　even　in　prosperity　was　unequal　to　his
  position；　and　he　is　proportionately　unnerved　by　disaster。　The　merit　of
  having　finished　the　war　will　belong　to　him　who　may　have　possessed
  himself　of　the　capital。　It　would　well　become　Sabinus　to　keep　the
  Empire　for　his　brother；　and　Vespasian　equally　well；　to　count　his　other
  adherents　inferior　to　Sabinus。〃
  Old　and　infirm　as　he　was；　it　was　with　anything　but　eagerness　that　he
  listened　to　these　suggestions。　Some　indeed　assailed　him　with　dark
  insinuations；　implying　that　from　motives　of　envy　and　rivalry　he　was
  seeking　to　retard　the　elevation　of　his　brother。　It　was　true；　that
  while　both　were　in　a　private　station；　Flavius　Sabinus；　who　was　the
  elder；　was　the　superior　of　Vespasian　in　influence　and　in　wealth。　He
  was　believed　indeed　to　have　sustained　the　failing　credit　of　his
  brother；　while　taking　a　mortgage　of　his　house　and　lands；　and　hence；
  though　the　outward　appearance　of　harmony　was　preserved；　some　secret
  grudge　was　feared。　It　is　more　charitable　to　suppose　that　the　mild
  temper　of　the　man　shrank　from　bloodshed　and　slaughter；　and　that　for
  this　reason　he　had　held　frequent　conferences　with　Vitellius　to　discuss
  the　question　of　peace　and　the　cessation　of　hostilities　upon　certain
  conditions。　After　many　private　interviews；　they　finally；　so　report
  said；　ratified　an　agreement　in　the　temple　of　Apollo。　The　words　of
  their　conversation　had　two　witnesses　in　Cluvius　Rufus　and　Silius
  Italicus。　Their　looks　were　noted　by　the　more　distant　spectators；　the
  expression　of　Vitellius　was　abject　and　mean；　that　of　Sabinus　not
  triumphant；　but　rather　akin　to　pity。
  Could　Vitellius　have　swayed　the　feelings　of　his　partisans　as
  easily　as　he　had　himself　yielded；　the　army　of　Vespasian　might　have
  entered　the　capital　without　bloodshed。　But　the　more　loyal　his
  adherents；　the　more　did　they　protest　against　peace　and　negotiation。
  They　pointed　out　the　danger　and　disgrace　of　a　submission　in　which
  the　caprice　of　the　conqueror　would　be　their　sole　guarantee。　〃And
  Vespasian；〃　they　said；　〃is　not　so　arrogant　as　to　tolerate　such　a
  subject　as　Vitellius。　Even　the　vanquished　would　not　endure　it。　Their
  pity　would　be　dangerous　to　him。　You　certainly　are　an　old　man；　and　have
  had　enough　both　of　prosperity　and　of　adversity；　but　think　what　a　name；
  what　a　position；　you　will　leave　to　your　son　Germanicus。　Now　indeed
  they　promise　you　wealth；　and　a　large　establishment；　and　a　luxurious
  retreat　in　Campania；　but　when　Vespasian　has　once　seized　the　throne；
  neither　he；　nor　his　friends；　nor　even　his　armies；　will　feel　themselves
  secure　till　all　rivalry　has　been　extinguished。　Fabius　Valens；
  captive　as　he　was；　and　reserved　against　the　chance　of　disaster；　was
  yet　too　formidable　to　them；　and　certainly　Primus；　Fuscus；　and
  Mucianus；　who　exhibits　the　temper　of　his　party；　will　not　be　allowed
  power　over　Vitellius　except　to　put　him　to　death。　Caesar　did　not
  leave　Pompey；　Augustus　did　not　leave　Antony　in　safety；　though；
  perhaps；　Vespasian　may　show　a　more　lofty　spirit；　Vespasian；　who　was
  a　dependant　of　Vitellius；　when　Vitellius　was　the　colleague　o