Michel Foucault Discipline and Punish The Birth of the Prison ‘Translated from the French by Alan Sheridan i ae VINTAGE BOOKS A Division of Random House, New York1. The body of the condemned ‘On 2 March 1757 Damiens the regicide was condemned ‘to make the amende honorable before the main door of the Church of Pa ‘where he was to be ‘taken and conveyed! in a cart, wearing nothing bur a shirt, holding a torch of burning wax weighing two pounds then, “in the said cart, 0 the Place de Grive, where, on a scaffold that will be erected ide, burnt with be torn avay, poured molten lead, boiling oil, burning resin, wax and sulphur ‘melted together and then his body drawn and quartered by four hhorses and his limbs and body consumed by fire, reduced to ashes and his ashes thrown to the winds’ (Pitces originales... 372-4). “Finally, he was quartered,’ recounts the Gagecte d’ Amsterdam of 57. "This last operation was very long, because the horses used were not accustomed to drawing; consequently, instead of four, sox were needed; and when that did not suffce, they were forced, in order to cut off the wretch’s thighs, to sever the sinews and hack at the joints. ‘Teis said that, though he was always 2 great swearer, no blas- phemy escaped bis lips; but the excessive pain made him utter horrible cries, and he often repeated: “My God, have pity on me! Jesus, help tors were all edified by the soliciude of the parish priest of St Paul’s who despite his great age did not spare himself in offering consolation to sount: ‘The sulphur the flame was 50 poor that only the top skin of the hand. ly. Then the executioner, his sleeves rook the steel pincers, which had been especially madeTorture {for the occasion, and which were about a foot and 2 half long, and pulled frst ar the calf of the right leg, then atthe thigh, and from There ac the two fleshy parts of the right arm; then at che breasts "Though a strong, sturdy fellow, this executioner found i so difficult to war away the pieces of fiesh chat he sec about the same spot wo or thtee times, twisting the pincers ashe did so, and wat he took away formed at each part a wound abour the size of a six-pound crown piece. “Atier these searings with the pincers, Damiens, who cried out profusely, though without swearing, raised his head and looked at himself the same executioner dipped an iron spoon in the pot con- taining the boiling potion, which he poured liberally over each ‘wound. Then the ropes that were to be harnessed ro atrached with cords to the patent's body; the horses framnessed and placed alongside the arms and legs, one at each limb. “Monsieur Le Breton, the clerk of the court, went up co the if he had anything to say. He n are supposed 0 cry ot Despite all this pain, he rated his head from time ro time and looked at himself boldly. The cords had been tied so tightly by the men ‘who pulled che ends that they caused him indescribable pain. Monsieur te Breton went up to him again and asked him if he had anything 10 say; he said no. Several confessors went up to him and spoke to him at lengeh; he willingly kissed dhe crucifix that was held to him; le opened his lips and repeated: “Pardon, Lord,’ "The horses tugged hard, each pulling straight on a limb, each horse held by an executioner. After a quarter of an hour, the same ceremony was repeated and finally, afier several attempts, the (Giection of the horses had to be changed, thus: those at the arms ‘vere made to pull towards the head, those at the thighs towards the arms, which broke the arms at the joints. This was repeated several times without success, He raised his head and looked at himself, ‘Two more horses had to be added to those harnessed to the thighs, ly, the executioner, Samson, stid ro Monsieur Le Breton that there was no way or hope of succeeding, and told him to ask ‘The body of the condemned their Lordships if they wished him to have the prisoner eut int pieces. Monsieur Le Breton, who had come down from the town, ordered thar renewed efforts be made, and this was done; but the horses gave up and one of those harnessed to the thighs fell ro the ground. The confessors returned and spoke to him again. He said to them (I heard him): "Kiss me, gentlemen.” The parish priest of Sc Paul’s did not dare to, so Monsieur de Marsilly slipped under the rope holding the left arm and kissed him on the forehead. The executioners gathered round and Damiens told them not to swear, to carry out their task and that he did not he ‘After two or three attempts, the executioner Samson and he had ted the pices each dew out ane fom his pocket and ct the body at the oe ping de four horses gave at of the night side B fame wis done othe ems, to the bone, the horses pullin ihe other afterwards the confessors came that he was dead, to speak toh erecutione: tld te though the truth was chat saw the man move, his over aw moving sie ae side as if he were talking. One of the exect 5 seid shorty alerts tat when they ad lifted the un ‘it on the stake, he was sti ie i th rope ov hse st vp ne ener ie ‘with the scaffold, then the trunk and the rest were covered with log sn ogo andr puto he av med wh os woo un steordance with the deere, the whole was feduced ashes. The las pee tobe found nthe embers vas sll burning Talepast en he eveing, The pees of flesh and the trunk fad ‘en about four hours to burn, The officers of whom I was one, as also was my son, and a detachment of archers remained in the int ‘until nearly eleven o'clock. . “There were those who mde something ofthe fice ha 2d ha lain the day before on te grat where the fie ha ben, fad