I. As a suppliant.
A. In relig. lang., humiliation, a public prayer or supplication, an act of worship (mostly ante-Aug. and in prose after the Aug. period; not in Cic. or Cæs.; syn.: supplicatio, obsecratio): nunc pergam, ut suppliciis placans caelitum aras expleam, Att. ap. Non. 398, 19; cf.: “deos suppliciis, sumptu, votis, donis, Precibus plorans, obsecrans,” Afran. ib. 398, 22: “suppliciis votisque fatigare deos,” Liv. 27, 50, 5: “non votis neque suppliciis muliebribus auxilia deorum parantur,” Sall. C. 52, 29.—
2. Esp., a sacrificing, offering: “nihil ei (Jovi) acceptum est a perjuris supplicii,” offering, sacrifice, Plaut. Rud. prol. 25: “in suppliciis deorum magnifici,” Sall. C. 9, 2; id. J. 55, 1: “precibus suppliciisque deos placare,” Liv. 22, 57, 5; cf.: “quos (boves) ad deorum servant supplicia,” Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 10: “tum supplicia dis ludique magni ab senatu decernuntur,” Tac. A. 3, 64 Nipperd. ad loc.: “vannos onustas aromatis et hujuscemodi suppliciis congerunt,” App. M. 11, p. 265, 3; id. Dogm. Plat. 2, p. 16, 5: supplicia veteres quaedam sacrificia a supplicando vocabant, Fest. pp. 308 and 309 Müll. —
B. Transf., out of the relig. sphere, an humble entreaty or petition, a supplication in gen. (very rare): “Vagenses fatigati regis suppliciis,” Sall. J. 66, 2: “igitur legatos ad consulem cum suppliciis mittit, qui tantummodo ipsi liberisque vitam peterent,” id. ib. 46, 2.—
II. To receive punishment; hence, punishment, penalty, torture, torment, pain, distress, suffering (class. and freq.; usu. of the penalty of death; syn. poena).
(α).
Sing.: “dabitur pol supplicium mihi de tergo vestro,” Plaut. As. 2, 4, 75 sq.; cf.: “illi de me supplicium dabo,” Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 86; id. Eun. 1, 1, 24; Cat. 116, 8; Nep. Paus. 5, 5: “de homine nobili virgis supplicium crudelissime sumere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 37, § 91; 2, 5, 45, § 117: “sumere (de aliquo),” Plaut. Pers. 5, 2, 72; id. Merc. 5, 4, 31; Ter. And. 3, 5, 17; Cic. Inv. 2, 28, 84; id. Rep. 3, 33, 45; Caes. B. G. 1, 39; Liv. 2, 5, 5; 3, 18, 10: “aliquem hostibus ad supplicium dedere,” Caes. B. G. 7, 26: “aliquem tradi ad supplicium jubere,” Tac. A. 11, 35: “rapi,” Cic. de Or. 2, 59, 138: “supplicio affici,” to be put to death, Caes. B. G. 1, 27: “ne ad ultimum supplicium progredi necesse habeant,” to take their own lives, id. B. C. 1, 84: “aliquem vinculis ac verberibus atque omni supplicio excruciatum necare,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 5, 11: “summo cruciatu supplicioque perire,” id. N. D. 3, 33, 81: “gravissimum ei rei supplicium cum cruciatu constitutum est,” Caes. B. G. 6, 17: talis improborum consensio supplicio omni vindicanda (est), Cic. Lael. 12, 43: “satis supplicii tulisse,” Caes. B. C. 1, 84: “supplicio culpa reciditur,” Hor. C. 3, 24, 34: “suā manu supplicium persolvere,” Tac. A. 6, 32 (26): “luere,” Just. 2, 5, 6; Tac. A. 15, 60: “supplicium redimere opimā mercede,” Amm. 26, 3, 4.—
(β).
Plur.: “ad exquisita supplicia proficisci,” Cic. Off. 3, 27, 100: “semper iis (improbis) ante oculos judicia et supplicia versentur,” id. Rep. 3, 16, 26: “ad innocentum supplicia descendunt,” Caes. B. G. 6, 17: “supplicia annua pendere,” Plin. 29, 4, 14, § 57: “subire,” Cic. Ep. ad Brut. 1, 12, 1: “suppliciis delicta coërcere,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 79: “subplicia in post futuros conposuit,” Sall. H. 1, 41, 6 Dietsch: “domant impios saeva supplicia,” Sen. Herc. Fur. 749: “supplicia haurire,” Verg. A. 4, 383.