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How The Terrible Threefold Death Killed People Three Times Simultaneously
And the man who was condemned to experience it
Can a man die more than once? It is the fate of all to die but a single time. However, there have been ways devised to try and ensure that a man dies not once but three times. This is called the threefold death, in which a person is executed three times simultaneously. The threefold death demands that a person be hanged, burned, and pierced simultaneously to ensure the most impactful death possible.
A person would be led to the gallows and strung up in the usual way. However, below the noose, a pyre would be set up. The executioner would then order the flames lit as the convicted was dropped. At the same time, a long pole would be used to pierce the prisoner. When performed properly, the condemned would hang above a burning stake with a spear in their side.
Similar to crucifixion, the threefold death was meant to send a powerful message. Some people are too heinous to die in a traditional way. Some people deserve to die in every conceivable way imaginable. This execution method primarily appears in legend, especially in Celtic and Germanic mythology but there are a few unlucky people who have been subjected to this form of execution.
