I.to make satisfaction, amends, atonement for a crime or a criminal; to purify any thing defiled with crime; to atone for, to expiate, purge by sacrifice (freq. and class.; syn.: pio, lustro, placo, paco).
I. Relig. t. t.
A. Lit.: “SACRVM COMMISSVM QVOD NEQVE EXPIARI POTERIT, IMPIE COMMISSVM ESTO: QVOD EXPIARI POTERIT, PVBLICI SACERDOTES EXPIANTO,” Cic. Leg. 2, 9, 21: “scelus,” Hor. C. 1, 2, 29; cf.: “tua scelera di immortales in nostros milites expiaverunt,” i. e. have avenged, Cic. Pis. 35, 85: “in iis sine illius suffimentis expiati sumus,” id. Leg. 1, 14, 40; cf.: “imperatum patri, ut filium expiaret pecunia publica,” Liv. 1, 26, 12: “aliquem,” Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 34: “puerum lustralibus salivis,” Pers. 2, 33: “quae violata sunt, expiabuntur,” Cic. Att. 1, 17, 7; cf.: “expiandum forum Romanum a nefarii sceleris vestigiis,” id. Rab. Perd. 4, 11; id. Phil. 1, 12, 30.—
B. To avert an omen or sign, i. e. to prevent the evil indicated by it: “quae di significent, quemadmodum ea procurentur atque expientur,” Cic. Div. 2, 63, 139: “prodigia quae neque hostiis neque votis piare fas habet gens superstitioni obnoxia,” Tac. H. 5, 13 init.: “arma nondum expiatis uncta cruoribus,” Hor. C. 2, 1, 5: “dira detestatio nulla expiatur victima,” id. Epod. 5, 90 et saep.—
II. Transf., beyond the relig. sphere.
A. To atone for, make amends for, repair, make good: “haec superioris aetatis exempla expiata Saturnini atque Gracchorum casibus docet,” Caes. B. C. 1, 7, 5: “malam potentiam servili supplicio,” Tac. H. 4, 11: “legatorum injurias regisque caedem,” Liv. 1, 14, 3: “errorem,” Plin. Ep. 8, 10, 1 et saep.: “incommodum virtute,” Caes. B. G. 5, 52 fin.: “cladem victoriis,” Flor. 1, 12.—
B. To appease (very rare): “a me etiam poenas expetistis, quibus conjuratorum manes mortuorum expiaretis,” Cic. Pis. 7, 16: “tutelam navis,” Petr. 105: “iram,” Sen. Oet. 857.
