Ancient world cutting tongues off from servants

[No_Wikipedia_Cites]

Word on the street is that in the ancient “sword and sandals” epics, the technicolor movies and all, they always have some servants who are silent, and when asked to explain why, the big shots say “Oh dont worry about the secret, So-and-so’s tongue has been cut off so he can’t talk about it”

Did this ever happen? Considering that literate slaves could simply write what they know, and that cutting out of a tongue would not only be extremely traumatic, prone to infection, making eating extremely difficult, even for the ancient world it seems a bit too cruel.

So did it happen (besides the rarest of rare freaky cases?)

[Broomstick]

Given that cutting off testicles and penises from certain slaves was a widespread practice in ancient times - an area that would bleed profusely, be horrifically traumatic, prone to infection, and make urination at least temporarily problematic - I’m not sure why you’d disbelieve that tongues might be cut out.

[Captain_Amazing]

These examples aren’t from the ancient world, but here was a law passed in South Carolina in 1740 saying:

In case any person shall wilfully cut out the tongue, put out the eye, or cruelly scald, burn, or deprive any slave of any limb or member, or shall inflict any other cruel punishment, other than by whipping or beating with a horsewhip, cow-skin, switch, or small stick, or by putting irons on, or confining or imprisoning such slave, every such person shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, current money.

And, in Blackstone’s Commentaries (not discussing slavery, but…)

For first, by statute 5 Henry IV, c. 5, to remedy a mischief that then prevailed of beating, wounding, or robbing a man, and then cutting out his tongue, or putting out his eyes, this offence is declared to be felony, if done of malice prepense; that is, as Sir Edward Coke explains it; voluntary and of set purpose; though done on a sudden occassion.

You don’t pass laws against things that don’t happen.

[HorseloverFat]

While infection and bleeding to death are real risks, I believe there’s documenation that cauterization was practiced by ancients.

Cauterization | History

Also more here:

From the time of ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.) until the 1500s, amputations usually involved cutting through dead rather than living tissue because dead tissue did not hemorrhage (bleed uncontrollably). Stumps, or the remaining limb tissues, were then sealed with red-hot irons or boiling oil or tar. This burning procedure stopped most bleeding and was also thought to help prevent gangrene (tissue rotting).

[runcible_spoon]

Also bear in mind that literate slaves would have been rare, and much more valuable as scribes than as mute body servants. If you’re going to cut out someone’s tongue, you don’t bother teaching them to write first.

[Alex_Dubinsky]

And I imagine you could still be understood with no tongue.

[Johnny_L.A]

@Alex_Dubinsky

And I imagine you could still be understood with no tongue.

Yes, but in a cultured society would you listen to someone tasteless?

[Captain_Amazing]

@Alex_Dubinsky

And I imagine you could still be understood with no tongue.

How could you be understood with no tongue? Try talking without moving your tongue and see how intelligible you are?

[fandango]

@Captain_Amazing

How could you be understood with no tongue? Try talking without moving your tongue and see how intelligible you are?

Ever play charades?

[Richard_Pearse]

@Captain_Amazing

How could you be understood with no tongue? Try talking without moving your tongue and see how intelligible you are?

You’d need a dentist to act as interpreter.

[LouisB]

Originally posted by sassyfras:
making eating extremely difficult

I haven’t had my tongue cut out but I have had large chunks taken out of it, due to oral cancer. Thank whatever gods there be for ice cream, broth, rice pudding, milk shakes and instant breakfast. The recovery is much worse than the surgery.