Punishment
‹ 4 · Outline · 6 ›
5.Torture and the extracting of confession
See also: Justice 7b · Truth 3c
Aristophanes, The FrogsVol. 8
- p. 456–457Flogging and torture are proposed as means of extracting truth, with compensation for damage.read · scan
Pliny the Younger, Letters of PlinyVol. 9
- p. 404Pliny tortures two female slaves and proposes a general pardon for those who repent.read · scan
Stories from the Thousand and One NightsVol. 16
- p. 75–76The 'Efrit strips, binds and beats the lady to force a confession while the prince flees in fear.read · scan
- p. 172Flogging is used as the means of testing and discovering the truth.read · scan
The Story of the Volsungs and NiblungsVol. 49
- p. 349Atli tortures Hogni and Gunnar to force them to reveal the gold.read · scan
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Prologue to the Canterbury Tales; The Nun's Priest's TaleVol. 40
- p. 40The carter and hostler are tortured, confess and hanged.read · scan
Sir Francis Drake, Sir Francis Drake RevivedVol. 33
- p. 188–189A drunken, plunder-laden Frenchman is taken and tortured into revealing the hidden treasure.read · scan
Miguel de Cervantes, The History of Don Quixote of the Mancha, Part IVol. 14
- p. 177–178Man condemned to galleys for confessing under torture; another for lack of ten ducats.read · scan
William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King LearVol. 46
- p. 277–278Cornwall and Regan torture Gloucester as a traitor, admitting they act without the form of justice.read · scan
Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, Philaster, or Love Lies A-BleedingVol. 47
- p. 727Pharamond threatens the utmost tortures on Bellario, who begs for quick punishment.read · scan
- p. 744King orders Bellario stripped and tortured to prove the princess's innocence; Philaster horrified by his own rash oathread · scan
Alessandro Manzoni, I Promessi Sposi (The Betrothed)Vol. 21
- p. 252The knotted handcuffs are described as a means to secure and torture the refractory prisoner.read · scan
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Household TalesVol. 17
- p. 180–181The peasant is beaten until he confesses the Queen's part, and the Queen is banished.read · scan
Percy Bysshe Shelley, The CenciVol. 18
- p. 334Lucretia fears the rack will wrest self-accusation from their agony.read · scan
- p. 337–341Rack and torture used to force testimony; the threat of death penalty hangs over the accused.read · scan
- p. 341–343The Pope orders the severest legal forms and torture against the accused parricides.read · scan
- p. 343Judge orders subtle, prolonged torments until confession; Marzio defies the tortures.read · scan
- p. 346Marzio dies on the wheel; the judge plans to torture the remaining prisoners until they confess.read · scan
- p. 347Threat of the rack, and dragging at horses' heels; Beatrice says only fear makes the rack cruel.read · scan
- p. 347–350The judge threatens tortures until confession and orders the prisoners isolated awaiting sentence.read · scan
‹ 4 · Outline · 6 ›