§6.1ὤνησε δὲ τὰ πράγματα καὶ Σπουρίναν ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα λοιδορία περὶ Πλακεντίαν γενομένη τῶν στρατιωτῶν, οἱ γὰρ Οὐϊτελλίου τοῖς τείχεσι προσβάλλοντες ἐχλεύαζον τοὺς Ὄθωνος ἑστῶτας παρὰ τὰς ἐπάλξεις, σκηνικοὺς καὶ πυρριχιστὰς καὶ Πυθίων καὶ Ὀλυμπίων θεωρούς, πολέμου δὲ καὶ στρατείας ἀπείρους καὶ ἀθεάτους ἀποκαλοῦντες, καὶ μέγα φρονοῦντας ἐπὶ τῷ γέροντος ἀνόπλου κεφαλὴν ἀποτεμεῖν, τὸν Γάλβαν λέγοντες, εἰς δὲ ἀγῶνα καὶ μάχην ἀνδρῶν οὐκ ἂν ἐκφανῶς καταβάντας.
But the abuse of the soldiers that took place near Placentia benefited the situation and Spurinna for the moment. For the soldiers of Vitellius, while attacking the walls, mocked those of Otho who stood by the battlements, calling them actors, dancers of the pyrrhic dance, and spectators of the Pythian and Olympic games, men inexperienced in war and service who had never seen a campaign, and who took great pride in having cut off the head of an unarmed old man (meaning Galba), but who would never openly descend into a contest and battle of men.
§6.2οὕτω γὰρ ἐταράχθησαν ὑπὸ τούτων τῶν ὀνειδῶν καὶ διεκάησαν ὥστε προσπεσεῖν τῷ Σπουρίνᾳ, δεόμενοι χρῆσθαι καὶ προστάττειν αὐτοῖς, οὐδένα κίνδυνον οὐδὲ πόνον ἀπολεγομένοις.
For they were so disturbed and inflamed by these insults that they threw themselves before Spurinna, begging him to employ them and give them orders, refusing no danger or toil.
ἰσχυρᾶς δὲ συστάσης τειχομαχίας καὶ μηχανημάτων πολλῶν προσαχθέντων ἐκράτησαν οἱ τοῦ Σπουρίνα, καὶ φόνῳ πολλῷ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀποκρουσάμενοι διετήρησαν ἔνδοξον πόλιν καὶ τῶν Ἰταλῶν οὐδεμιᾶς ἧττον ἀνθοῦσαν.
And when a fierce siege-battle arose and many engines were brought up, Spurinna’s men prevailed, and repulsing the enemy with great slaughter, they preserved an illustrious city, which was flourishing no less than any other in Italy.
§6.3ἦσαν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τῶν Οὐϊτελλίου στρατηγῶν οἱ Ὄθωνος ἐντυχεῖν ἀλυπότεροι καὶ πόλεσι καὶ ἰδιώταις ἐκείνων δὲ Κεκίνας μὲν οὔτε φωνὴν οὔτε σχῆμα δημοτικός, ἀλλʼ ἐπαχθὴς καὶ ἀλλόκοτος, σώματος μεγάλου, Γαλατικῶς ἀναξυρίσι καὶ χειρῖσιν ἐνεσκευασμένος, σημείοις καὶ ἄρχουσι Ῥωμαϊκοῖς διαλεγόμενος.
In other respects too, Otho’s generals were less oppressive for cities and private individuals to encounter than those of Vitellius. Of the latter, Caecina was neither popular in speech nor in appearance, but offensive and strange, being of huge stature, dressed in Gallic trousers and sleeves, and addressing Roman standards and officers.
§6.4καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα παρέπεμπον αὐτῷ λογάδην ἱππεῖς ὀχουμένην ἵππῳ κεκοσμημένην ἐπιφανῶς.
And his wife was escorted for him by a select body of cavalry, riding on a horse and conspicuously adorned.
Φάβιον δὲ Οὐάλεντα τὸν ἕτερον στρατηγὸν οὔτε ἁρπαγαὶ πολεμίων οὔτε κλοπαὶ καὶ δωροδοκίαι παρὰ συμμάχων ἐνεπίμπλασαν χρηματιζόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐδόκει διὰ τοῦτο βραδέως ὁδεύων ὑστερῆσαι τῆς προτέρας μάχης.
As for Fabius Valens, the other general, neither the plundering of enemies nor the thefts and bribes from allies could satisfy his greed for money, and indeed for this reason he was thought, by marching slowly, to have missed the first battle.
§6.5οἱ δὲ τὸν Κεκίναν αἰτιῶνται, σπεύδοντα τὴν νίκην ἑαυτοῦ γενέσθαι πρὶν ἐκεῖνον ἐλθεῖν, ἄλλοις τε μικροτέροις περιπεσεῖν ἁμαρτήμασι καὶ μάχην οὐ κατὰ καιρὸν οὐδὲ γενναίως συνάψαι, μικροῦ πάντα τὰ πράγματα διαφθείρασαν αὐτοῖς.
But others blame Caecina, because, in his eagerness to make the victory his own before Valens arrived, he fell into other minor errors and engaged in battle at an inopportune moment and not in a noble manner, which almost ruined all their fortunes.