Barbara was slumped over, panting hard, trying to ride out the waves of pain emanating from her body. The struggles, the screaming, the terrible anticipation of each blow had exhausted her. Sweat streamed down her body as her mouth was parched and her thirst all-consuming. Over and over, she asked herself, "Why Me? What have I done for this? It is unfair!" The pain was so bad that she couldn't believe it could get worse – but she knew it would. They had said they would kill her – crucify her! She shivered at the thought. It was too horrible a death even to contemplate.
Then two soldiers came up behind her. She was too busy panting and crying to notice until they drew the tight leather hood over her head. Immediately, she was plunged into a world of total darkness and silence. The neckstrap was tightened, and Barb panicked as it became difficult to breathe. She desperately tried to suck in air through the thick covering. After a minute, she had regained some control as she found she could get some air, though barely enough.
The citizens and the soldiers found the body and posture of the bound and presented girl, now masked as a wolf, to be very sexy. They loudly mocked her and made rude comments about her sexuality. Meanwhile, Barb had to deal with a new, terrifying reality. The isolation within the hood, the vulnerability she felt bound, the helplessness of being blind and almost deaf, was all too much for this young woman, bathed in pain and waiting for the next torture. Between labored breaths, panic overcame her as she prayed and pleaded for mercy.
All fell quiet in the atrium as the Optio approached the kneeling, blinded girl, holding his hastile in both hands. Calixtus turned to the onlookers and said in a knowing tone, "Dure, sed non frangere (hard, but don’t break or shatter).”
Mogurix held the heavy oak staff up above his right shoulder like a batsman preparing a stroke. Without warning to the squatting girl, he brought it down in a measured arc and hit her right flank, just above the hip with a dull, thudding sound. The onlookers heard a muffled cry escape the leather hood, and the girl swayed toward her left from the force of the blow. The Optio took his time circling the girl until he saw his next target. He brought the hastile crashing down hard onto the front of Barb's left thigh with a sickening thud. Her body jerked forward from the deep pain to the leg muscle, but her gasp of pain was inaudible.
Galerius swallowed a gulp of wine to wash down a particularly large bite of agni (lamb). “Durius! Incute [burp] durius (Harder, hit harder)! He is hitting like a little girl. That stupidus (stupid or dull) Gaul could hit her much [burp] harder."
"Indeed he could, sir," said Gaius, refusing to respond to the youth's insult toward his trusted assistant. "I have seen Acaunissa dirumpere Germanici porci cerebrum (split open a German swine’s skull) with that hastile, even through a heavy iron helmet.” The Centurion spoke in his usual quiet and restrained voice.
Galerius, busy stuffing his mouth with rich food, did not catch the subtle wordplay in porcus, which could also be a demeaning tern for a glutton. "However," Calixtus continued, "I agreed with the Quaetor that he would hold his blows. Broken bones today would prevent a proper crucifixio tomorrow.”
“Quite right, Centurio,” replied Piso. “I appreciate your desire to see the wench suffer, Galerius, but we need to space out the torture to maximize her cruciāmentum (torment). Continue Optio!”
The hulking Gaul smiled and drove a solid blow unto the Goth’s lower back, the heavy iron ball tip impacting her left kidney. This time, her shout of pain did penetrate the hood, though muffled. Any person, not a sadist, would have felt their heart cry at the suffering the sound evidenced. As it was, several soldiers frowned and looked away. But the son of the Praeses (Governor) just laughed and loaded his plate with more food.
Example of the hastile of an Optio. Mogurix's staff would be much thicker, however.