Breaking on the wheel is never used in Rome for any crime; but they sometimes put in practice another mode of execution, which is much more shocking in appearance than cruel in reality. The criminal being seated on a scaffold, the executioner, who stands behind, strikes him on the head with a hammer of a particular construction, which deprives him, at once, of all sensation. When it is certain that he is completely dead, the executioner, with a large knife, cuts his throat from ear to ear. This[476] last part of the ceremony is thought to make a stronger impression on the minds of the spectators, than the bloodless blow which deprives the criminal of life. Whether the advantages resulting from this are sufficient to compensate7 for shocking the public eye with such abominable8 sights, I very much question.
Executions are not frequent at Rome, for the reasons already given: there has been only one since our arrival; and those who are of the most forgiving disposition9 will acknowledge, that this criminal was not put to death till the measure of his iniquity10 was sufficiently11 full; he was condemned12 to be hanged for his fifth murder. I shall give you some account of his execution, and the ceremonies which accompanied it, because they throw some light on the sentiments and character of the people.
First of all, there was a procession of priests, one of whom carried a crucifix on a pole hung with black; they were followed[477] by a number of people in long gowns which covered them from head to foot, with holes immediately before the face, through which those in this disguise could see every thing perfectly13, while they could not be recognized by the spectators. They are of the Company della Misericordia, which is a society of persons who, from motives14 of piety15, think it a duty to visit criminals under sentence of death, endeavour to bring them to a proper sense of their guilt16, assist them in making the best use of the short time they have to live, and who never forsake17 them till the moment of their execution. People of the first rank are of this society, and devoutly18 perform the most laborious19 functions of it. All of them carried lighted torches, and a few shook tin boxes, into which the multitude put money to defray the expence of masses for the soul of the criminal. This is considered by many as the most meritorious20 kind of charity; and some, whose circumstances do not permit them to bestow21 much,[478] confine all the expence they can afford in charity, to the single article of purchasing masses to be said in behalf of those who have died without leaving a farthing to save their souls. The rich, say they, who have much superfluous22 wealth, may throw away part of it in acts of temporal charity; but it is, in a more particular manner, the duty of those who have little to give, to take care that this little shall be applied23 to the most beneficial purposes. What is the relieving a few poor families from the frivolous24 distresses25 of cold and hunger, in comparison of freeing them from many years burning in fire and brimstone? People are reminded of this essential kind of charity, not only by the preachers, but also by inscriptions26 upon the walls of particular churches and convents; and sometimes the aid of the pencil is called in to awaken27 the compunction of the unfeeling and hard-hearted. On the external walls of some convents, immediately above the box into which you are directed to put your money,[479] views of purgatory28 are painted in the most flaming colours, where people are seen in all the agonies of burning, raising their indignant eyes to those unmindful relations and acquaintances, who, rather than part with a little money, allow them to remain in those abodes29 of torment30. One can hardly conceive how any mortal can pass such a picture without emptying his purse into the box, if, by so doing, he believed he could redeem31, I will not say a human creature, but even a poor incorrigible32 dog, or vicious horse, from such a dreadful situation. As the Italians in general seem to have more sensibility than any people I am acquainted with, and as I see some, who cannot be supposed totally in want of money, pass by those pictures every day without putting a farthing into the box, I must impute33 this stinginess to a lack of faith rather than of sensibility. Such unmindful passengers are probably of the number of those who begin to suspect that the money of the living can be of little use[480] to the dead. Being absolutely certain that it gives themselves much pain to part with it in this world, and doubtful whether it will have any efficacy in abridging34 the pains of their friends in the other, they hesitate for some time between the two risks, that of losing their own money, and that of allowing their neighbour’s soul to continue in torture; and it would appear that those sceptics generally decide the dispute in favour of the money.
But in such a case as that which I have been describing, where a poor wretch35 is just going to be thrust by violence out of one world, and solicits36 a little money to secure him a tolerable reception in another, the passions of the spectators are too much agitated37 for cold reasoning, and the most niggardly38 sceptic throws his mite39 into the boxes of the Compagnia della Misericordia. Immediately after them came the malefactor40 himself, seated in a cart, with a Capucin Friar on each side of him. The hangman,[481] with two assistants, dressed in scarlet41 jackets, walked by the cart. This procession having moved slowly round the gallows42, which was erected43 in the Piazza44 del Populo, the culprit descended45 from the cart, and was led to a house in the neighbourhood, attended by the two Capucins. He remained there about half an hour, was confessed, and received absolution; after which he came out, exclaiming to the populace to join in prayers for his soul, and walked with a hurried pace to the gallows; the hangman and his assistants having hold of his arms, they supported him up the ladder, the unhappy man repeating prayers as fast as he could utter till he was turned off. He was not left a moment to himself. The executioner stepped from the ladder, and stood with a foot on each of his shoulders, supporting himself in that situation with his hands on the top of the gallows, the assistants at the same time pulling down the malefactor’s legs, so that he must have died in an instant. The executioner, in a[482] short time, slid to the ground along the dead body, as a sailor slides on a rope. They then removed the cloth which covered his face, and twirled the body round with great rapidity, as if their intention had been to divert the mob; who, however, did not shew any disposition to be amused in that manner. The multitude beheld46 the scene with silent awe47 and compassion48. During the time appointed by law for the body to hang, all the members of the procession, with the whole apparatus49 of torches, crucifixes, and Capucins, went into a neighbouring church, at the corner of the Strada del Babbuino, and remained there till a mass was said for the soul of the deceased; and when that was concluded, they returned in procession to the gallows, with a coffin50 covered with black cloth. On their approach, the executioner, with his assistants, hastily retired51 among the crowd, and were no more allowed to come near the body. The condemned person having now paid the forfeit52 due to his crimes, was[483] no longer considered as an object of hatred53; his dead body was therefore rescued from the contaminating touch of those who are held by the populace in the greatest abhorrence54. Two persons in masks, and with black gowns, mounted the ladder and cut the rope, while others below, of the same society, received the body, and put it carefully into the coffin. An old woman then said, with an exalted55 voice, “Adesso spero che l’anima sua sia in paradiso;” “Now I hope his soul is in heaven;” and the multitude around seemed all inclined to hope the same.
The serious and compassionate56 manner in which the Roman populace beheld this execution, forms a presumption57 of the gentleness of their dispositions58. The crimes of which this man had been guilty must naturally have raised their indignation, and his profession had a tendency to increase and keep it up; for he was one of the Sbirri, all of whom are held in the most[484] perfect detestation by the common people; yet the moment they saw this object of their hatred in the character of a poor condemned man, about to suffer for his crimes, all their animosity ceased; no rancour was displayed, nor the least insult offered, which could disturb him in his last moments. They viewed him with the eyes of pity and forgiveness, and joined, with earnestness, in prayers for his future welfare.
The manner in which this man was put to death was, no doubt, uncommonly59 mild, when compared with the atrocity60 of his guilt; yet I am convinced, that the solemn circumstances which accompanied his execution, made a greater impression on the minds of the populace, and would as effectually deter61 them from the crimes for which he was condemned, as if he had been broken alive on the wheel, and the execution performed in a less solemn manner.
Convinced as I am that all horrid62 and refined cruelty in the execution of criminals[485] is, at best, unnecessary, I never heard of any thing of that nature without horror and indignation. Other methods, no way connected with the sufferings of the prisoner, equally deter from the crime, and, in all other respects, have a better influence on the minds of the multitude. The procession described above, I plainly perceived, made a very deep impression. I thought I saw more people affected63 by it than I have formerly64 observed among a much greater crowd, who were gathered to see a dozen or fourteen of their fellow-creatures dragged to the same death for house breaking and highway robbery, mere65 venial66 offences, in companion of what this Italian had perpetrated. The attendance of the Capucins, the crucifixes, the Society of Misericordia, the ceremony of confession67, all have a tendency to strike the mind with awe, and keep up the belief of a future state; and when the multitude behold68 so many people employed, and so much pains taken, to save the soul of one[486] of the most worthless of mankind, they must think, that the saving of a soul is a matter of great importance, and therefore naturally infer, that the sooner they begin to take care of their own, the better. But when criminals are carried to execution with little or no solemnity, amidst the shouts of an unconcerned rabble69, who applaud them in proportion to the degree of indifference70 and impenitence71 they display, and consider the whole scene as a source of amusement; how can such exhibitions make any useful impression, or terrify the thoughtless and desperate from any wicked propensity72? If there is a country in which great numbers of young inconsiderate creatures are, six or eight times every year, carried to execution in this tumultuous, unaffecting manner, might not a stranger conclude, that the view of the legislature was to cut off guilty individuals in the least alarming way possible, that others might not be deterred73 from following their example?
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1
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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7
compensate
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| vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消 | |
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8
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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iniquity
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| n.邪恶；不公正 | |
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11
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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13
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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17
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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18
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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19
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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20
meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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21
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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superfluous
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| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
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23
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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distresses
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| n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险 | |
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inscriptions
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| （作者）题词( inscription的名词复数 )； 献词； 碑文； 证劵持有人的登记 | |
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27
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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30
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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31
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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impute
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| v.归咎于 | |
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34
abridging
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| 节略( abridge的现在分词 )； 减少； 缩短； 剥夺（某人的）权利（或特权等） | |
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wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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solicits
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| 恳请 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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niggardly
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| adj.吝啬的，很少的 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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40
malefactor
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| n.罪犯 | |
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41
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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42
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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43
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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piazza
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| n.广场；走廊 | |
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45
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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46
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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47
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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48
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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49
apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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50
coffin
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| n.棺材，灵柩 | |
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51
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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52
forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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53
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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54
abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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55
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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56
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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57
presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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59
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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60
atrocity
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| n.残暴，暴行 | |
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61
deter
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| vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住 | |
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62
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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venial
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| adj.可宽恕的；轻微的 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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68
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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69
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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impenitence
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| n.不知悔改，顽固 | |
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propensity
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| n.倾向；习性 | |
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73
deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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