Amid the confusion of this sudden panic somebody invented a story 42 that Vitellius’ army had abandoned his cause, whereupon an unwarrantable glee relaxed their efforts.  It was never fully known whether this report was spread by Vitellian scouts or whether it was started on Otho’s side, either by treachery or chance.  Losing all their thirst for battle the Othonians actually broke into a cheer.  The enemy answered with angry shouts, and most of Otho’s soldiers, having no idea what caused the cheering, feared treachery.  At this point the Vitellian line charged.  They were fresh, and in good order, stronger and more numerous.  However, the Othonians, despite their disorder, fewer numbers, and fatigue, offered a stubborn resistance.  The ground was encumbered with orchards and vineyards, and the character of the battle varied accordingly.  They fought now from a distance, now at close quarters, and charged sometimes in detachment, sometimes in column.[301] On the raised high-road they fought hand to hand, using the weight of their bodies and their shields.  They gave up throwing their javelins and cut through helmet and breastplate with sword and axe.  Each man knew his foe; they were in view of the other troops;[302] and they fought as if the whole issue of the war depended on them.

It happened that two legions met in the open fields between the 43 high road and the Po.  These were:  for Vitellius the Twenty-first, commonly called Rapax,[303] a regiment of old renown; and for Otho the First Adiutrix,[304] which had never been in battle before, but was full of spirit and eager to win its first laurels.  Their charge overthrew the front ranks of the Twenty-first, and they carried off its eagle.  Fired with indignation, the Twenty-first rallied and charged the front of the enemy, killing the commanding officer, Orfidius Benignus, and capturing many of their colours.

On the other flank the Fifth[305] drove the Thirteenth[306] off the field.  The Fourteenth[307] were surrounded by the numbers that attacked them.  Otho’s generals had long ago fled.  Caecina and Valens began to bring up the reserves to the support of their men, and, as a fresh reinforcement, there arrived Varus Alfenus[308] with his Batavians.  They had routed the gladiators[309] by confronting them and cutting them to pieces in the river before their transports could land, and flushed by their victory came charging in upon the flank of the enemy.

Their centre broken, the Othonians fled in disorder, making for 44 Bedriacum.  The distance was immense;[310] the road encumbered with heaps of dead.  This made the slaughter all the greater, for in civil war captives cannot be turned to profit.[311] Suetonius Paulinus and Licinius Proculus avoided the camp at Bedriacum by diverse routes.  Vedius Aquila, who commanded the Thirteenth legion, was so paralysed by fear that he allowed himself to fall into the hands of the indignant troops.  It was still broad daylight