[
78]
The first detachment had a prosperous voyage. The
next one
encountered a storm and those who reached land went home immediately, as
they did not relish the prospect of fighting their fellow-citizens. When the
rest learned this they refused to cross to Liburnia. Cinna was angry and
called them to an assembly in order to coerce them. They, angry also and
ready to defend themselves, assembled. One of the lictors, who was clearing
the road for Cinna, struck somebody who was in the way and one of the
soldiers struck the lictor. Cinna ordered the arrest of the offender,
whereupon a clamor rose on all sides, stones were thrown at him, and those
who were near him drew their swords and stabbed him. So Cinna also perished
during his consulship. Carbo recalled those who had been sent over by ship
to Liburnia. As he was solicitous about the present state of things, he did
not go back to the city, although the tribunes summoned him with urgency to
hold an election for the choice of a colleague. When they threatened to
reduce him to the rank of a private citizen he came back and ordered the
holding of the consular election, but as the omens were unfavorable he
postponed it to another day. When that day came lightning struck the temples
of Luna and of Ceres; so the augurs prorogued the comitia beyond the summer
solstice, and Carbo remained the sole consul.