1But the first day was spent in a headlong rush rather than with the skills of a veteran army: they came up to the walls exposed and careless, heavy with food and wine. 1In that struggle a very beautiful amphitheatre, situated outside the walls, burned down, set on fire either by the attackers, while they hurled torches, shot and fire-missiles at the besieged, or by the besieged, while they threw them back. 1The townspeople, prone to suspicion, believed that fuel for the fire had been treacherously brought in by certain people from neighbouring colonies out of envy and rivalry, because no building in Italy was so capacious. 1By whatever chance it happened, while worse things were feared it was thought a slight matter; when security was restored, they grieved as if they could have suffered nothing more grievous.
1However, Caecina was driven back with much bloodshed among his men, and the night was spent in preparing siege works. 1The Vitellians got ready mantlets, hurdles and sheds for undermining the walls and protecting the attackers, the Othonians stakes and huge masses of stone, lead and bronze for breaking through and crushing the enemy. 1On both sides there was shame, on both sides a thirst for glory, and contrasting exhortations, as one side extolled the strength of the legions and the German army, the other the honour of the city soldiery and the praetorian cohorts; 1the former abused the latter as idle, lazy soldiers corrupted by the circus and the theatres, the latter abused the former as foreigners and outsiders.
1At the same time, as they extolled or blamed Otho and Vitellius, they spurred one another on with insults more abundant than praises.