I. Orig., to put to death on the cross, to crucify (only in eccl. Lat.), Lact. Mort. Pers. 2, 1.—
II. In gen., to put to the rack, to torture, torment (freq. and class., esp. in the signif. B.).
A. Physically: “cum vigiliis et fame cruciaretur,” Cic. Fin. 2, 20, 65: “tribunos militum verberatos servilibusque omnibus suppliciis cruciatos trucidando occidit,” Liv. 29, 18, 14 Drak. N. cr.: “cum cruciabere dirae Sanguine serpentis,” Ov. M. 2, 651: “cruciataque diris Corpora tormentis,” id. ib. 3, 694 al.: “qui advehuntur quadrupedanti crucianti canterio,” i. e. torturing the rider by its uneasy motion, Plaut. Capt. 4, 2, 34.—
2. Transf. of inanimate things: “terra ferro, ligno, igni, lapide, fruge omnibus cruciatur horis,” Plin. 2, 63, 63, § 157; so, “aes cruciatur in primis accensumque restinguitur sale,” id. 33, 3, 20, § 65.—
B. Mentally.
(α).
Act.: “graviter adulescentulum,” Ter. Heaut. 5, 5, 1; id. Eun. 2, 3, 93; Hor. S. 1, 10, 78 al.: “officii me deliberatio cruciat cruciavitque adhuc,” Cic. Att. 8, 15, 2: “ut ipsus sese cruciat aegritudine!” Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 89: “ne crucia te, obsecro, anime mi,” Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 15; cf. Hor. S. 1, 2, 22: “quos major sollicitudo cruciat,” Just. 6, 3, 9: “illud me cruciat, quod, etc.,” Mart. 11, 94, 5. —So pass.: “tanto dolore cruciatus est,” Just. 12, 13, 9.—
(β).
Medial (only in Plaut. and Ter.), to afflict one's self, to grieve, be afflicted: “ut miserae matres cruciantur!” Plaut. Truc. 2, 5, 2; cf.: “crucior miser,” Ter. And. 5, 2, 10; with acc. and inf.: “crucior me lapidem non habere, ut, etc.,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 4, 68; Ter. Heaut. 4, 2, 6; and with acc. of neutr. pron.: “istuc crucior, a viro me tali abalienarier,” Plaut. Mil. 4, 8, 11; id. Trin. 5, 2, 46.
