TRIPALIUM

A 'tripalium' is a three-staked instrument of torture. The subject of the torture would be tied to the tripalium and burnt with fire. The words "travail" and "travel" have their roots in this word,^[1] as do the cognate Spanish verb ''trabajar'' (to work), Portuguese verb ''trabalhar'' and French verb ''travailler'' (to work).^[2][3]
The structure and original use of the tripalium is far from clear; many attempts to explain it appear to be based on nothing more than the word's literal meaning of "three stakes".^[4]

Contents

Other use

References

Other use

A 'tripalium' was a horse-restraint tool used to restrain a horse while shoeing it.

References

1. Winchester, Simon: The Best Travelers' Tales 2004
2. trabajar
3. "Trabaculu > Trabajo" the Case for and against, J. Cary Davis, , , Hispania,
4. Annals of Exoticism