CINNA CINNABAR 599 from the Pali, for instance the Elu Atuvdvas, or comments on Buddha's life and doctrines. The Bana are sermons of Buddha. There are very many books on botanical medicine, many on astronomy, some of a rhetorical and poeti- cal character, a few historical and lexicological. The Rajavali (raja, king, and dvali, line), a history of the kings of Ceylon, translated by Albert Johnston, Joinville, Davis, and Mahony, and the Amaracosha (amara, immortal, and Icosha, issue, bud, &c.), or in Cingalese Amara- sinha (the author's name), a dictionary, with a copious Cingalese commentary, are Sanskrit works. See also Singaahche Taal Konst (Grammar), by J. Ruell, Amsterdam, 1708) ; a short grammar by David Wilkins (in the pre- face to Chamberlayne), who obtained the pro- nunciation from Pieter Croenenburg ; "Diction- ary of English-Cingalese and Cingalese-Eng- lish," by the Rev. B. Clough (2 vols., Colombo, 1821-'30) ; Mahavansa, an epos in Pali, trans- lated by Tumour ; Essai sur le Pali, la langue sacree de la presqu'ile du Gauge, by E. Burnouf and Christian Lassen (Paris, 1826). CIMA, Lucius Cornelius, a Roman consul, killed at Brundusium in 84 B. C. He was the son of Lucius Cornelius Cinna, who was consul in 127. Although a patrician by birth, he belonged to the party of Marius and the plebeians. When the election for consuls came on at Rome in 88, the power of Sulla was in the ascendancy, and he favored the election of Nonius and Ser- vius Sulpicius. The people nevertheless elect- ed Cinna and Cneius Octavius. One of Cin- na's first acts after entering into office was to induce the tribune M. Virgilius to prefer charges against Sulla. But Sulla disregarded them, and went on with his preparations for the Mithridatic war. Before setting out for it he obtained from Cinna a promise that he would not during his absence attempt any change in the constitution. No sooner had Sulla depart- ed, however, than Cinna endeavored to obtain the passage of the Sulpician law for the incor- poration among the 35 tribes of those of the allies who had been made Roman citizens. This was a measure which if adopted would have strengthened the power of the plebeians. The consuls resorted to force for the purpose of carrying it through ; but they were resisted by Octavius, and after a severe conflict in the forum they were defeated and driven out of the city. The senate passed a decree depri- ving Cinna of his citizenship and of his office as consul. Cinna appealed to the new citizens of Italy, and organized an army. Marius re- ceived intelligence of what had taken place and returned from Africa. Cinna and Marius to- gether prosecuted the war with great energy. The corn ships were captured and the supplies of food destined for Rome were cut off. The senate was obliged to yield, and sent a deputa- tion to Cinna and Marius, inviting them into Rome. Cinna received the deputation with courtesy, sitting in his chair of office, Marius standing by in ominous silence. They after- ward entered the city with their guards. Mari- us showed much greater resentment than Cin- na. His guards killed every one they met whom Marius did not salute. Great numbers of the patricians were slain. Marius and Cin- na proclaimed themselves consuls for the fol- lowing year, 86. Eighteen days after the commencement of their term Marius suddenly died of pleurisy, and Cinna chose Lucius Vale- rius Flaccus as his colleague. Flaccus was sent into Asia to oppose Sulla, and was murdered there. For the year 85 Cinna selected for his colleague Cneius Papirius Carbo. Cinna and Carbo called on the new citizens throughout Italy for men, money, and provisions with which to carry on the war against Sulla. The senate endeavored to stop these proceedings, but though Cinna and Carbo professed to be willing to obey the senate, they in fact went on with their preparations for war, and pro- claimed themselves consuls for another year. They resolved to transport an army into Greece and encounter Sulla there, and had embarked one detachment when the soldiers mutinied and Cinna was killed. Cinna at the time had every reason to anticipate success, as he and his colleague were supported by the new citi- zens, and they had an army very much larger than that with which Sulla a short time after- ward landed at Brundusium. CIMABAR. According to Pliny, this is an Indian name given to a mixture of the blood of the dragon and elephant, and to other sub- stances which produce a similar color. It was afterward applied to the common ore of mer- cury, the sulphuret, on account of its blood-red color. The ancient Romans were probably acquainted with this ore of mercury, for the mines of Almaden, near Cordova in Spain, which still produce it, are known to have been worked nearly 3,000 years ago ; and both Pliny and Vitruvius refer to the ore of mercury in amalgamating gold. The name is also given to an artificial preparation, identical in compo- sition with the ore. Cinnabar consists of 1 atom of mercury, the chemical equivalent of which is 200, and 1 atom of sulphur, 32 ; or per cent., 86-2 of mercury and 13 -8 of sulphur. It forms beds and veins in the upper secondary and old- er stratified rocks, and is also met with in gran- ite and porphyry. The strata near the veins often contain the ore disseminated through them. It crystallizes in rhombohedral forms, possesses an adamantine lustre, and a brilliant red color, passing from cochineal to ruby red. Its hardness is from 2 to 2 '5 ; its specific gravi- ty is 8-998. It sublimes at a red heat, and without decomposition if protected from the air ; and when mixed with iron or lime in re- torts, the sulphur is retained and the mercury volatilized. When finely ground, it becomes of | a very lively red, and in this condition is known j as vermilion. The most important mines of native cinnabar are those of Almaden, already i referred to, of New Almaden in California, of
- Idria in Austria, and of Huanca Velica in Peru.
