15when antonius heard of this he determined to attack the enemy while they were still at variance and their forces divided. the vitellian generals would soon recover their authority and the troops their discipline, and confidence would come if the two divisions were allowed to join. he guessed also that fabius valens had already started from rome and would hasten his march when he heard of caecina's 25treachery. valens was loyal to vitellius and an experienced soldier. there was good reason, besides, to fear an attack on the side of raetia from an immense force of german irregulars. vitellius had already summoned auxiliaries from britain, gaul, and spain in sufficient numbers to blight their chances utterly, had not antonius in fear of this very prospect forestalled the victory by hurriedly forcing an engagement. in two days he marched his whole force from verona to bedriacum.56 on the next day57 he left his legions behind to fortify the camp, and sent out his auxiliary infantry into territory belonging to cremona, to taste the joys of plundering their compatriots under pretext of collecting supplies. to secure greater freedom for their depredations, he himself advanced at the head of four thousand cavalry eight miles along the road from bedriacum. the scouts, as is usual, turned their attention further afield.
16about eleven in the morning a mounted scout galloped up with the news that the enemy were at hand; there was a small body in advance of the rest, but the noise of an army in movement could be heard over the country-side. while antonius was debating what he ought to do, arrius varus, who was greedy to distinguish himself, galloped out with the keenest of the troopers and charged the vitellians, inflicting only slight loss; for, on the arrival of reinforcements, the tables were turned and those who had been hottest in pursuit were now hindmost in the rout. their 26haste had no sanction from antonius, who had foreseen what would happen. encouraging his men to engage with brave hearts, he drew off the cavalry on to each flank and left a free passage in the centre to receive varus and his troopers. orders were sent to the legions to arm and signals were displayed to the foraging party, summoning them to cease plundering and join the battle by the quickest possible path. meanwhile varus came plunging in terror into the middle of their ranks, spreading confusion among them. the fresh troops were swept back along with the wounded, themselves sharing the panic and sorely embarrassed by the narrowness of the road.
17in all the confusion of the rout antonius never for a moment forgot what befitted a determined general and a brave soldier. staying the panic-stricken, checking the fugitives, wherever the fight was thickest, wherever he saw a gleam of hope, he schemed, he fought, he shouted, always conspicuous to his own men and a mark for the enemy. at last, in the heat of his impatience, he thrust through with a lance a standard-bearer, who was in full flight, then seized the standard and turned it against the enemy. whereupon for very shame a few of his troopers, not more than a hundred, made a stand. the nature of the ground helped them. the road there was narrower; a stream barred their way, and the bridge was broken; its depth was uncertain and the steep banks checked their flight. thus necessity or chance restored their fallen fortunes. forming in close order, they received 27the vitellians' reckless and disordered charge, and at once flung them into confusion. antonius pressed hard on the fugitives and cut down all who blocked his path. the others followed each his inclination, rifling the dead, capturing prisoners, seizing arms and horses. meanwhile, summoned by their shouts of triumph, those who had just now been in full flight across the fields came hurrying back to share the victory.
18four miles from cremona they saw the standards of the rapax and italian legions gleaming in the sun. they had marched out thus far under cover of their cavalry's original success. when fortune turned against them, they neither opened their ranks to receive the routed troops nor marched out to attack the enemy, who were wearied with fighting and their long pursuit. while all went well the vitellians did not miss their general, but in the hour of danger they realized their loss. the victorious cavalry came charging into their wavering line, and at the same time vipstanus messala arrived with the moesian auxiliaries and a good number of men from the legions, who had kept up with the pace of their forced march.58 these combined forces broke the opposing column, and the proximity of cremona's sheltering walls gave the vitellians more hope of refuge and less stomach for resistance.
