Hist. 2.101.1Prīma Vitelliō tertiae legiōnis dēfectiō nūntiātur, missīs ab Aponiō Sāturnīnō epistulīs, antequam is quoque Vespasiānī partibus adgregārētur;The first news brought to Vitellius was the revolt of the Third Legion, in a letter sent by Aponius Saturninus before he too joined Vespasian's party; Hist. 2.101.1sed neque Aponius cūncta, ut trepidāns rē subitā, perscrīpserat, et amīcī adūlantēs mollius interpretābantur: ūnīus legiōnis eam sēditiōnem, cēterīs exercitibus cōnstāre fidem.but neither had Aponius written out everything in full, panicking as he was at the sudden event, and his flattering friends interpreted it more gently: it was the mutiny of one legion; the other armies stood firm in their loyalty. Hist. 2.101.1In hunc modum etiam Vitellius apud mīlitēs disseruit, praetōriānōs nūper exauctōrātōs īnsectātus, ā quibus falsōs rūmōrēs dispergī, nec ūllum cīvīlis bellī metum adsevērābat, suppressō Vespasiānī nōmine et vagīs per urbem mīlitibus quī sermōnēs populī coercērent.In this fashion Vitellius too spoke to the soldiers, attacking the praetorians recently discharged, by whom, he insisted, false rumours were being spread, and declaring that there was no fear of civil war, while Vespasian's name was suppressed and soldiers roamed the city to curb the talk of the people.
Hist. 2.101.1Id praecipuum alimentum fāmae erat.That was the chief nourishment of rumour.