Τυμπανισμὸς. It is rendred by the general name of torturing, Heb. 11. 35. 2 Mac. 6. 19. But the word signifieth a special kind of torturing, by beating one with cudgels unto death. It hath its denomination from τύμπανον, which signifieth a Drum usually: and hence some[612] have parallel’d this torture with that among the Romans termed Equuleus; as if the person thus tortured, were rackt, and stretched out in manner of a drum head: but it signifieth also a drum stick, and thence[613] cometh the punishment to be termed Tympanismus, that is, a Tabring, or beating one to death with cudgels, as if it were with drum-sticks. This is evident by Eleazar; he came willingly, ἐπὶ τὸ τύμπανον, to this kind of torment, 2 Macab. 6. 19. and in the thirtieth verse, where he gave up the Ghost, there is mention of his strokes, not of his racking or stretching.
[612] Magius in lib. de Equuleo, vid. Drus. præter. l. 8.
[613] Scholiastes Aristophanis τύμπανα scribit esse ξύλα οἷς τύπτονται ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις οἱ τιμωρούμενοι in Pluto p. 50.
Junius[614] reckoneth another kind of punishment termed by the Hebrews, צינק Tsinok, which he would have to be a compound word: doubtless his meaning is that it would be compounded of צי Tsi, Navis, a ship, or boat, and ינק Janack, Sugere, to suck: for he saith that thereby is meant a certain punishment, termed Navicula sugentis which Plutarch[615] describeth in this manner; That the offender should be inclosed between two boates, as in a prison, or, as his phrase is (quasi in vagina) as in a sheath; and, to preserve life in him, milk and honey tempered together was forcibly put into his mouth, whether he would or no. And hence, from this sucking in of milk and honey, this punishment hath been termed Navicula sugentis. But the Hebrews[616] say, that Tsinock was nothing else but manacles, or cords, wherewith prisoners hands were tyed. I leave it indifferent to the Reader to follow which interpretation he please.
[614] Junius. Jer. 29. 26.
[615] Plutarch. in Artaxerxe.
[616] כלי מסגר לידים Instrumentum constringens manus. D. Kimch. Jer. 29. 26.