Torture then – torture now

‘There is nothing new under the sun’ is a worn-out cliché, but it applies to torture. No matter what you think, dream, fantasize about as a deliverer or receiver of torture – it has been done. The only difference between ‘then and now’ is the application of sophistication, technology, and precision to the process. For example, whereas penis and testicle removal may have been an acceptable torture in the past, today chemicals, needles, and detailed knowledge of anatomy allows for a much deeper, longer, and painful torture session – with cock and balls intact for another round.

A discussion of medieval torture opens an immense choice of topic

A discussion of medieval torture opens an immense choice of topic and historical options. Interest is equally all encompassing. I remember with clear awareness from elementary school through graduate school that torture books were always checked out in school libraries. We all wonder about it and want it – to a greater or lesser extent. So, I have decided to focus this discussion on a time in history and a man in history who developed torture to a fine art – Peter the Great of Russia, 1672-1725.

Like many of us claim, Peter was not sadistic. He tortured for practical matters of state: to extract information. To him, torture was a natural and even moral activity. Traditionally, there were three general methods of torture in Russia: the batog, the knout and fire. Any of these three ever crossed your mind?

The Batog

A batog is a small rod or stick about the thickness of a man’s finger. The victim was spread on the floor, lying on his stomach, his back bared and his legs and arms extended. Two men applied batogs simultaneously to the bare back, one sitting or kneeling on the victim’s head and arms and the other on his legs and feet. The two punishers faced each other and wielded their sticks rhythmically in turn, like a blacksmith striking his anvil. They continued until the sticks were broken or ordered to stop. Believe it or not, the batog was used for minor crimes even though it could cause death if applied over a prolonged period of time.

As for a modern equivalent, well beatings with a myriad of implements are almost a prerequisite for a Master/slave relationship. However, the batog is not common – a hard spanking prize to all of you who admit they had never heard of the batog before!  Relative to the comment about anatomy, I would suggest that such a harsh beating on the back with a rigid stick is dangerous to the backbone and could too easily cause permanent damage. So, I have a suggestion – turn the victim over! One punisher sitting on his face will muffle the screams and inadvertently induce an involuntary rimming. Similarly, the punisher on the legs might move up to the crotch and enjoy the benefit of a flaccid penis rubbing against his ass.  As for the ‘stick’ – a no no! The rigid stick must be replaced with a malleable substitute. I’m thinking here of a leather string, like a thick leather shoelace, or a rubber baton, or in a pinch even a piece of rubber hose.  Ideally, however, I would give (and receive) a more sophisticated ‘batoging’ using a pair of riding crops. Each punisher is responsible for one breast: nipple and tit, and one-half of the belly and chest. The key is sympatico between the punishers; alternate in time so that the hit is consistent and fully covers the torso. Let the pain build slowly, and with the victim’s head buried in one of his punisher’s ass, there will be no clue as to when the torture might stop. Your suggested variations on the theme are welcome – if you promise to try them!

The Knout

The knout may be another term you are not familiar with. However, it’s my guess that you all know what a whip or flogger is.  You ‘get one free’ masturbation card if you correctly determine the difference between a whip/flogger and a knout.

The author must begin this section with a warning; ‘some of our viewers (readers) may find the following material offensive’. I’m a big fan of flogging. I was turned on to kink by watching flogging scenes on man-o-war movies of ships at sea. I still relish giving or getting a ‘whippin’.  However, the knout – not so much. You see the unique feature of the knout is that metal wires or hooks were inserted into the tied ‘knots’ all along the three-and-a-half-foot leather whip. A skilled punisher never hit the same place twice but was able to tear strips of flesh off the victims back from shoulder to waist.

In most cases, the victim was tied over the back of another strong punisher and his legs secured around the assistant’s knees.  Enough said – well, actually no. It gets worse. First another skill testing question – how could the knout be made worse? You must agree to toe sucking humiliation if you get it wrong, but be a sport, give it a try. I’ll even give you a clue – define ‘strappado’.  What’s your educated answer?  WRONG! The knout could be delivered in a more terrifying way. Rather than tied over the back of another man, the victim’s hands were tied behind his back and then the rope was hoisted up to a beam in the ceiling. The rope was tightened until the victim’s arms were dislocated from their shoulder sockets and turned contrary to their anatomical location – THEN they were knouted across the bare back.  This torture technique was called ‘strappado’.

Hey, we’re in this for a little sadistic fun so strappado is out of the question – for me, anyway. But what is a modern-day alternative. I suggest a variation on the theme. The whip or leather strips of a flogger can be modified to include a few tied knots on the lash – but no metal pieces or hooks! The generic term ‘beating’ is all about power and control and pain. It can vary from a light spanking to a nasty whipping. The knout certainly fell into the latter category, so a replication must hurt. I suggest three to five hard, powerful lashes of the knotted whip or flogger to the naked back. That should wake up the victim. But we need to approximate the pain of strappado, so I recommend that the bare back be sprayed with vinegar or splattered with hot wax immediately after the whipping. Leave the shoulder sockets lone but a hot splash in the arm pits will convey the intent. 

The Fire

The third favourite Russian torture involved fire. Fire is one of the five elements of change (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and a mesmerizing force to the human psyche. Hitler used torches to recruit impressionable minds and particularly the Hitler Youth. And speaking of youth, what boy hasn’t thought of burning at the stake as a favourite masturbation fantasy.  I’ll up the ante and admit that I went so far as to say that I used to visualize cannibals capturing a white explorer and slowly roasting him on a spit.  Don’t judge me – I bet you have your own fire fantasy. 

Russian criminals, or enemies of Peter, were often burned at the stake and usually after a knouting. Confessions were extracted by the application of a red-hot iron to the whipped body. Branding, particularly on the forehead, marked the victim for life. Fire in another format was used for counterfeiters. Stolen coins were melted into molten metal and poured down the offender’s throat. As an aside, you won’t be surprised to hear that rapists were castrated.

One of the advantages of fire in modern-day torture is the ability to concentrate the ‘burn’ to a carefully defined space on the human body. I guess electricity could be categorized as a form of burning but I’m thinking more of gas fuelled wands for starting the bar-b-que and crème brule torches. I’ve experimented with both and the torturer can drag the agony out for hours by heating the toes, soles, testicles, penis head, nipples, and anus. However, it is important that you know what you’re doing because the idea is gradual and expected pain as opposed to burns and blisters. 

I was going to suggest that if you enjoyed the article and learned some new information that you give credit to Peter the Great by having his initials PG, branded onto your scrotum. But, really, I’m a nice guy, so I’ll settle for marking with a felt pen – but it must include a coating of chili sauce just to kick it up a notch. Peter would be impressed. I want to stay on his good side because now I know what will happen if I cross him.  You’ve been forewarned!