Torture porn in the Middle Ages
"When they wish to torture people by a base death, they perforate their navels, and dragging forth the extremity of the intestines, bind it to a stake; then with flogging they lead the victim around until the viscera having gushed forth the victim falls prostrate upon the ground. Others they bind to a post and pierce with arrows. Others they compel to extend their necks and then, attacking them with naked swords, attempt to cut through the neck with a single blow. What shall I say of the abominable rape of the women? To speak of it is worse than to be silent."
— Pope Urban II, Speech at the
Council of Clermont, 1095
Labels: Crusades, Middle Ages, Pope Urban II
posted by Peter Rozovsky at 10:44 PM
4 Comments:
And so much torture and horrible death was done in the name of religion and/or politics, which says something awful about human beings, religion, and politics. It makes one yearn instead for simple murder and mayhem in fiction. Perhaps reality is why we read fiction. It is the better alternative.
"To speak of it is worse than to be silent."
Urban, or at least the author of this account of his speech, had a nice flare for inflammatory rhetoric, too.
Many mysteries today are about the pursuit and capture of serial killers. If science is right and killers are likely born with badly wired brains, then the Inquisition provided a form of job security. Was Torquemada the first officially sanctioned serial killer?
"... the Inquisition provided a form of job security."
I thank you for the most enjoyable string of words I have read all day.
Post a Comment
<< Home