ogether,
exhibiting the attitudes and movements of men in battle; at last part
gave way, and the rest pressed on in pursuit, and all moved away to
the west. It happened that about the same time Batakes, the priest of
the Great Mother, came from Pessinus,[83] and reported that the
goddess from her shrine had declared to him that victory and the
advantage in war would be on the side of the Romans. The Senate
accepted the announcement and voted a temple to be built to the
goddess in commemoration of the anticipated victory; but when Batakes
presented himself to the popular assembly with the intention of making
the same report there, Aulus Pompeius, one of the tribunes, stopped
him, calling him an impostor, and contumeliously driving him from the
Rostra; which however contributed to gain most credit for the man's
assertions. For on the separation of the assembly, Aulus had no sooner
returned to his house than he was seized with so violent a fever that
he died within seven days; and the matter was notorious all through
Rome and the subject of much talk.

XVIII. Now Marius keeping quiet, the Teutones attempted to storm his
camp, but as many of them were struck by the missiles from the rampart
and some lost their lives, they resolved to march forward with the
expectation of safely crossing the Alps. Accordingly taking their
baggage, they passed by the Roman camp. Then indeed some notion could
be formed of their numbers by the length of their line and the time
which they took to march by; for it is said that they continued to
move past the encampment of Marius for six days without interruption.
As they passed along, they asked the Romans with a laugh, if they had
any message to send to their wives, for they should soon be with them.
When the barbarians had marched by and advanced some distance, Marius
also broke up his camp and followed close after them, always halting
near the enemy, but carefully fortifying his camp and making his
position strong in front, so that he could pass the night in safety.
Thus advancing, the two armies came to the Aquae Sextiae,[84] from which
a short march would bring them into the region of the Alps.
Accordingly Marius prepared for battle here, and he selected a
position which was strong enough, but ill-supplied with water, with a
view, as it is said, of thereby exciting his soldiers to come to an
engagement. However this may be, when some of them were complaining
and saying they should suffer