Discipline and Punish (in easy lessons)

[robinturner]

I recently wrote: "according to Nietzsche, people in the past had really bad memories, so witnessing someone being flayed alive or broken on the wheel was a handy mnemonic."

Come to think of it, I'm not sure if "mnemonic" is the right word here. Mnemonics along these lines might be more like the following ...

    Do not take up arms to steal,
      Or you'll be broken on the wheel.
    Talk not behind another's back,
      For you may end up on the rack.
    Take not the fruits of others' toil,
      Or you will end up boiled in oil.
    And if you chop the sacred tree,
      Wrapped round it will your innards be.

That last one was a real punishment in ancient Germany, something fluffy-bunny pagans should pause to consider.