Research Notes

These notes attest to Boyar Bakir's dedication to his craft: this time he prescribed scaphism

described in Plutarch's 'Life of Artaxerxes' tried on a rebel captive. Out on the lake, two boats were fitted

one on top of the other, with openings for the prisoner's limbs; the man was laid in the lower vessel,

the upper clamped over him like an undersized coffin, leaving the extremities — head, hands, feet — protruding.

Forced to drink a milk-and-honey concoction near to retching, with face and hands

and feet daubed with the same, he was left in the sun for flies, hornets, and bees to bite and gnaw upon, while vermin bred

in his own corruption were meant to consume him slowly, within and without. Over three days of observation,

however, the prisoner mostly — the account breaks off there.