“Vitellius tum ipse, ut forte meministī, ē Germāniā nōndum pervēnerat nec proeliō interfuit. Cum autem Rōmam iter faciēns in hās regiōnēs esset prōgressus, ac sepulchrum Othōnis vidēre vellet, Cremōnēnsēs, ārīs exstrūctīs caesīsque victimīs,[1] laurū rosāque[2] viam cōnstrāvērunt, quasi rēx ille esset Persārum.
“Cuius adūlātiōnis[3] oppidānī īnfēlīcēs posteā poenās maximās dedērunt. Nam ubi Vespasiānus, ā mīlitibus suīs imperātor salūtātus, in Ītaliam cōpiās praemīsit, cum hīs ad Cremōnam congressī, Vitelliānī fugātī sunt, et sē recēpērunt in urbem; hostēs autem sub moenibus necessāriō cōnstitērunt.
“Ibi dubitābant paulisper utrum urbs sine morā oppugnārētur[4] necne. Tum factus est impetus ācerrimus, cui Vitelliānī et oppidānī fortiter restitērunt. Sed frūstrā; nam brevī īnfulās[5] et rāmōs oleae[6] ē mūrō ostendere coāctī sunt.
“Quō animadversō, Antōnius Prīmus, quī cōpiās Vespasiānī dūcēbat, tēla suōrum inhibērī iussit, ac Vitelliānī victī signa et aquilās maestī extulērunt. Quōs tamen Antōnius clēmenter adlocūtus[7] est, etsī dē oppidānīs nihil certī[8] prōmīsit.
“Ipsīus mīlitēs, praedae cupiditāte commōtī, sē in urbem nōn statim immissōs[9] molestē[10] iam ferēbant, cum rēs fortuīta clādem imminentem Cremōnēnsibus miserīs accelerāvit.
“Nam Antōnius, quī ad sanguinem abluendum[11] balneās petierat, aquae tepōrem[12] cāsū[13] incūsāvit. Cumque servus respon-
- ↑ victima, -ae, f., victim.
- ↑ rosa, -ae, f., rose; the sing. is here used collectively.
- ↑ adūlātiō, -ōnis, f., flattery, adulation. The gen. in the text modifies poenās; trans., ‘for.’
- ↑ oppugnō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus, tr., attack.
- ↑ īnfula, -ae, f., fillet.
- ↑ olea, -ae, f., olive tree. The things mentioned in the text are tokens of surrender.
- ↑ adloquor, -loquī, -locūtus sum, tr., address.
- ↑ certī: partit. gen.
- ↑ immissōs (sc. esse), had … been let loose.
- ↑ molestē, adv. with irritation; molestē ferre, be indignant, be aggrieved (that).
- ↑ abluō, -luere, -luī, -lūtus, tr., wash off.
- ↑ tepor, -ōris, m., lukewarmness.
- ↑ cāsū: i.e., forte; trans. the phrase, ‘chanced to.’
