they only knew it to be a received law among all nations, that the conqueror hath a right to whatever he can acquire: and that the Romans themselves had no other pretensions to most of the countries they had subdued, than what was founded on the sword. That they had however, a great veneration for the Roman people, on account of their virtue and bravery; in consideration of which, although they knew not what it was to fear, they consented to leave the Norici in peace, and to employ their valour in some other quarter, where they could do it without incurring the displeasure of the common-wealth.” Satisfied with so moderate an answer, the consul suffered them quietly to remove; but when the Cimbri were retired into Dalmatia, and expected nothing less than hostilities from the Romans: a party of these commanded by Carbo, surprised them by night, asleep and unarmed. These brave warriors full of indignation, flew to their arms, and defended themselves with so much intrepidity, that they wrested the victory out of their enemies hands, and forced them to seek their safety by flight. But although the Romans almost all escaped the vengeance of their enemies, this defeat was not the less fatal to the republic; for the splendour
