the claim to the country by a battle.  Marius replied, that the Romans never took advice of their enemies as to fighting; however, he would gratify the Cimbri in this matter, and accordingly they agreed on the third day from the present, and the battle-field was to be the plain of Vercellae[96], which was suited for the Roman cavalry, and would give the Cimbri full room for their numbers.  When the appointed day came, the Romans prepared for battle with the enemy.  Catulus[97] had twenty-two thousand three hundred men, and Marius thirty-two thousand, which were distributed on each flank of Catulus, who occupied the centre, as Sulla[98] has recorded, who was in the battle.  Sulla also says, that Marius expected that the line would be engaged chiefly at the extremities and on the wings, and with the view of appropriating the victory to his own soldiers, and that Catulus might have no part in the contest, and not come to close quarters with the enemy, he took advantage of the hollow front of the centre, which usually results when the line is extended, and accordingly divided and placed his forces as already stated.  Some writers say that Catulus himself also made a statement to the like effect, in his apology about the battle, and accused Marius of want of good faith to him.  The infantry of the Cimbri marched slowly from their fortified posts in a square, each side of which was thirty stadia:  the cavalry, fifteen thousand in number, advanced in splendid style, wearing helmets which resembled in form the open mouths of frightful beasts and strange-shaped heads, surmounted by lofty crests of feathers, which made them appear taller; they had also breastplates of iron and white glittering shields.  Their practice was to discharge two darts,[99] and then closing with the enemy, to use their large heavy swords.

XXVI.  On this occasion the enemy’s cavalry did not advance straight against the Romans, but deviating to the right they attempted to draw the Romans little by little in that direction, with the view of attacking them when they had got them between themselves and their infantry, which was on the left.  The Roman generals perceived the manoeuvre, but they could not stop their soldiers, for there was a cry from some one that the enemy was flying, and immediately the whole army rushed to the pursuit.  In the meantime the barbarian infantry advanced like a huge sea in motion.  Then Marius, washing his hands and raising them to heaven, vowed a hecatomb to the gods; and Catulus also in like manner raising his hands, vowed to consecrate[100] the fortune of that day.  It is said that when Marius had sacrificed and had inspected the victims, he cried out with a loud voice, “Mine is the Victory.”  When the attack had commenced, an incident happened to Marius which may be considered as a divine retribution, as Sulla says.  An immense cloud of dust being raised, as was natural, and having covered the two armies, it happened that Marius, rushing to the pursuit with his men after him, missed the