Cicero Lines 49-59 - Translation

Cicero, Against Verres 2.5.119

o magnum atque intolerandum dolorem!

Oh great and unbearable grief!

o gravem acerbamque fortunam!

Oh grievous and bitter fortune!

non vitam liberum, sed mortis celeritatem pretio redimere cogebantur parentes.

The parents were being forced to ransom for a fee, not the life of their children but the speed of their death.

atque ipsi etiam adulscentes cum Sextio suo de plaga et de uno illo ictu loquebantur, idque postremum parentes suos liberi orabant ut levandi cruciatus sui causa lictori pecunia daretur.

And yet, even the young men themselves used to talk with Sextius about the death blow and that one strike, and the children were begging for this final request to their parents, that money was given to the lictor for the sake of relieving their torture.

multi et graves dolores inventi parentibus et propinquis, multi;

Many grievous pains were found for the parents and close relatives, many;

verum tamen mors sit extremum.

but nevertheless, let death be the end.

not erit.

It will not be so.

estne aliquid ultra quo crudelitas progredi possit?

It there anything beyond to which cruelty can be made to go?

reperietur;

It will be found;

nam illorum, cum erunt securi percussi ac necati, corpora feris obicientur.

for when they are struck by the axe and killed, their bodies will be thrwon to wild beasts.

hoc si luctuosum est parentibus, redimant pretio sepliendi potestam…

If this is grievous to the parents, let them purchase the opportunity to bury them for a price…