[284] Otho held the fleets.
[285] He means that they would be, if they took his advice and retired across the Po to the south bank.
[286] According to the rumours quoted in chap. [46] they were already at Aquileia, near Venice, but Suetonius, whose father was at this time a tribune in the Thirteenth, says that they heard of Otho's death before arriving at Aquileia.
[287] Brescello.
[288] No one knew for certain who was in command. We are told in chap. [39] that he left Titianus in nominal command, though the real authority lay with Proculus.
[289] Macer's, see chap. [23].
[291] i.e. of Macer's gladiators on one bank and the detachment employed by Caecina for bridge-building, &c., on the other. The main armies were Otho's at Bedriacum and Vitellius' at Cremona.
[292] i.e. from the Germans who were trying to board or sink them.