down.  Now and then they would shout in unison on one side the name of Vespasian and on the other that of Vitellius, and again they would challenge each other with abuse and praise of the two men.  At intervals one soldier would have a private chat with an opponent:—­“Comrade, fellow-citizen, what are we doing?  Why are we fighting?  Come over to my side.”  “Oh, no, you come to my side.”  But what is there surprising about this, considering that when the women of the city in the course of the night brought food and drink to give to the soldiers of Vitellius, the latter after eating and drinking themselves passed the supplies on to their antagonists?  One of them would call out the name of his adversary (for they practically all knew one another and were well acquainted) and would say:  “Comrade, take and eat this.  I give you not a sword, but bread.  Take and drink:  I hold toward you not a shield but a cup.  For whether you kill me or I you, this will afford us a more comfortable leave-taking, and will save from feebleness and weakness the hand with which either you cut me down or I you.  These are the consecrated offerings that Vitellius and Vespasian give us while we are yet alive, that they may sacrifice us to the corpses of the past.”  That would be the style of their conversation, after which they would rest a while, eat a bit, and then renew the battle.  Soon they would stop again, and then once more join in conflict.

[Sidenote:—­14—­] It went on this way the whole night through till dawn broke.  At that time two men of the Vespasian party wrought a notable achievement.  Their side was being severely damaged by an engine of some sort, and these two, seizing shields from among the spoils of the Vitellian faction, mingled with the opposing ranks, and made their way to the engine without its being noticed that they did not belong to that side.  Thus they managed to cut the ropes of the affair, so that not another missile could be discharged from it.  As the sun was rising the soldiers of the third legion, called the Gallic, that wintered in Syria but was now by chance in the party of Vespasian, suddenly according to custom saluted the Sun God.  The followers of Vitellius, suspecting that Mucianus had arrived, underwent a revulsion of feeling, and panic-stricken at the shout took to flight. (Another instance of how the smallest things can produce great alarm in men who are completely tired out).  They retired within the wall, from which they stretched forth their hands and made supplications.  As no one listened to them, they released the consul, and, having arrayed him in his robe of office with the fasces, then sent him as an intercessor.  Thus they obtained a truce, for Alienus because of his rank and the way he had been treated easily persuaded Primus to accept their submission.