Otho   

to the town of Aquinum, to give encouragement there; and proceeding
then to choose which of the magistrates should go with him to the
war, he named amongst the rest Lucius, Vitellius's brother, without
distinguishing him by any new marks either of his favour or displeasure.
He also took the greatest precautions for Vitellius's wife and mother,
that they might be safe, and free from all apprehension for themselves.
He made Flavius Sabinus, Vespasian's brother, governor of Rome, either
in honour to the memory of Nero, who had advanced him formerly to
that command, which Galba had taken away, or else to show his confidence
in Vespasian by his favour to his brother.
After he came to Brixillum, a town of Italy near the Po, he stayed
behind himself, and ordered the army to march under the conduct of
Marius Celsus, Suetonius Paulinus, Gallus, and Spurina, all men of
experience and reputation, but unable to carry their own plans and
purposes into effect, by reason of the ungovernable temper of the
army, which would take orders from none but the emperor whom they
themselves had made their master. Nor was the enemy under much better
discipline, the soldiers there also being haughty and disobedient
upon the same account, but they were more experienced and used to
hard work; whereas Otho's men were soft from their long easy living
and lack of service, having spent most of their time in the theatres
and at state shows and on the stage; while moreover they tried to
cover their deficiencies by arrogance and vain display, pretending
to decline their duty, not because they were unable to do the thing
commanded, but because they thought themselves above it. So that Spurina
had like to have been cut in pieces for attempting to force them to
their work; they assailed him with insolent language, accusing him
of a design to betray and ruin Caesar's interest; nay, some of them
that were in drink forced his tent in the night, and demanded money
for the expenses of their journey, which they must at once take, they
said, to the emperor, to complain of him.
However, the contemptuous treatment they met with at Placentia did
for the present good service to Spurina, and to the cause of Otho.
For Vitellius's men marched up to the walls, and upbraided Otho's
upon the ramparts, calling them players, dancers, idle spectators
of Pythian and Olympic games, but novices in the art of war, who never
so much as looked on at a battle; mean souls, that triumphed in the
beheading of Galba, an old man unarmed, but had no desire to look
real enemies in the face. Which reproaches so inflamed them that they
kneeled at Spurina's feet, entreated him to give his orders, and assured
him no danger or toil should be too great or too difficult for them.
Whereupon when Vitellius's forces made a vigorous attack on the town,
and brought up numerous engines against the walls, the besieged bravely
repulsed them, and, repelling the enemy with great slaughter, secured
the safety of a noble city, one of the most flourishing places in
Italy.
Besides, it was observed that Otho's officers were much more inoffensive,
both towards the public and to private men, than those of Vitellius;
among whom was Caecina, who used neither the language nor the apparel
of a citizen, an overbearing, foreign-seeming man, of gigantic stature,
and always dressed in trews and sleeves, after the manner of the Gauls,
whilst he conversed with Roman officials and magistrates. His wife,
too, travelled along with him, riding in splendid attire on horseback,
with a chosen body of cavalry to escort her. And Fabius Valens, the
other general, was so rapacious that neither what he plundered from
enemies, nor what he stole or got as gifts and bribes from his friends
and allies, could satisfy his wishes. And it was said that it was
in order to have time to raise money that he had marched so slowly
that he was not present at the former attack. But some lay the blame
on Caecina, saying, that out of a desire to gain the victory by himself
before Fabius joined him, he committed sundry other errors of lesser
consequence, and by engaging unseasonably and when he could not do
so thoroughly, he very nearly brought all to ruin.
When he found himself beat off at Placentia, he set off to attack