Scaphism, also known as the boats, is an ancient Persian method of execution designed to inflict torturous death. The name comes from the Greek word skaphe, meaning "scooped out".
The naked victim would be firmly fastened within a back-to-back pair of narrow rowboats (or in some variations a hollowed out tree trunk). The victim's head, hands, and feet would protrude from this improvised container.
The victim would be forced to ingest milk and honey to the point of developing severe diarrhea, and more honey would be rubbed on his body so as to attract insects to the exposed appendages.
He would then be left to float on a stagnant pond (or alternately, simply exposed to the sun somewhere).
The diarrhoea would accumulate within the container, attracting more insects, which would eat and breed within the defenseless victim's exposed (and increasingly gangrenous) flesh.
Death, when it eventually occurred, would probably be due to a combination of dehydration, starvation and septic shock.
In other recorded versions, the insects did not eat the victim; biting and stinging insects such as wasps, which were attracted by honey on the body, acted as the torture.
Death by scaphism is painful, humiliating, and protracted. Historical records suggest that Mithridates, sentenced to die in this manner for a perceived insult to the king, survived for 17 days before expiring.
The naked victim would be firmly fastened within a back-to-back pair of narrow rowboats (or in some variations a hollowed out tree trunk). The victim's head, hands, and feet would protrude from this improvised container.
The victim would be forced to ingest milk and honey to the point of developing severe diarrhea, and more honey would be rubbed on his body so as to attract insects to the exposed appendages.
He would then be left to float on a stagnant pond (or alternately, simply exposed to the sun somewhere).
The diarrhoea would accumulate within the container, attracting more insects, which would eat and breed within the defenseless victim's exposed (and increasingly gangrenous) flesh.
Death, when it eventually occurred, would probably be due to a combination of dehydration, starvation and septic shock.
In other recorded versions, the insects did not eat the victim; biting and stinging insects such as wasps, which were attracted by honey on the body, acted as the torture.
Death by scaphism is painful, humiliating, and protracted. Historical records suggest that Mithridates, sentenced to die in this manner for a perceived insult to the king, survived for 17 days before expiring.
by M Donovan July 30, 2006
Get the scaphism mug.ScapeRune is a place the character in RunEScape "Evil Bob, the Cat" takes you during a random event in the online game RuneScape.
by Adamz is Ftw omg So yeah!@ January 3, 2009
Get the ScapeRune mug.Someone with that absorbs the negative image others don't want for themselves, as most people want to make themselves look good at any cost to others.
by The Original Agahnim September 4, 2021
Get the Scapegoat mug.The United States of America. The country that gets blamed for basically everything that goes wrong, just because it's the solo super power.
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by United States June 13, 2008
Get the The World's Scapegoat mug.Derived from the noun Scape Goat, Scape Goating is the act of driving the speed limit or at least going with the flow until a car goes flying past you. At this point you pull out of your lane and into his, and use him as a Rabbit. The idea is to maintain a reasonable distance behind the other car and to go slightly slower than him so that he will get caught in any speed trap up ahead and you'll have time to react, slow down, and continue on your way. Not only does this work for speeding, but you can also follow him if he is constantly switching lanes, and rest assured that he will also be the one to get the reckless driving ticket, too, in place of you. This works best on highways and interstates, but can really be used on any kind of road with at least 2 lanes in either direction.
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Passenger in red car: "Oh man, we've been Scape Goating off that Hyundai for 10 minutes, but he's exiting."
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Passenger in red car: "Ok, he just passed you. Now let's Scape Goat off of him."
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Passenger in red car: "Oh man, we've been Scape Goating off that Hyundai for 10 minutes, but he's exiting."
Driver in red car: "That's ok, we'll just find someone else to Scape Goat."
by Jace555 May 4, 2009
Get the Scape Goating mug.Daniel: uh oh, I have just deleted a database off the server
Gareth: Quick we need a scape goat!
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by DanTMan December 8, 2009
Get the Scape Goat mug.Guy 1: Ay bro, listen to this hardcore techno
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Guy 2: Fucking scapz these days
by azz13 August 11, 2007
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