approached the Roman camp with a fmall party of horfe, to challenge Marius, and to agree with him on a day and place of action. Marius anfwered, that although it was not the cuftom of the Romans to confult their enemies on this fubject, he would notwithstanding for once oblige them, and therefore appointed the next day but one, and the plain of Verceil for their meeting. At the time appointed, the two armies marched thither; the Ro- mans ranged themfelves in two wings: Ca- tulus commanded a body of twenty thou- fand men, and Sylla was in the number of his officers. The Cimbri formed with their infantry an immenfe fquare batallion: their cavalry, confifting of fifteen thousand men, was magnificently mounted; each foldier bore upon his helmet the head of fome favage beaft, with its mouth gaping wide; an iron cuirafs covered his body, and he carried a long halberd in his hand. of The extreme heat of the weather was very fa- vourable to the Romans. They had been careful to get the fun on their backs; while the Cimbri little accuftomed to its violence, had it in their faces. Befides this, the duft hid from the eyes of the Romans the aftonishing multitude of their enemies, fo that they fought with the more confidence, and of courfe more courage. The
