[Music] in part one chapter seven of Gulliver's Travels a government official comes to visit Gulliver and tells him that members of the council including flimnap have charged Gulliver with treason the charges include public urination refusing to destroy bluff askew and aiding the Emperor of luff askew the official says that flimnap and other leaders want Gulliver to be executed for his crimes but relgious all Gulliver's friend has convinced the officials to impose a more lenient sentence Gulliver is to have his eyes gouged out and slowly be starved to death after which his skeleton will remain a monument Gulliver learns his sentence will be carried out in three days so he leaves little putt for bluff askew where the people welcomed him Gulliver's lenient punishment is to be blinded and starved to death which is arguably far crueler than an execution the people of Lilliput seemed to know this too as Gulliver observes nothing could terrify the people so much as those in Qom eum's on his majesty's mercy because it was observed that the more these praises were enlarged and insisted on the more inhuman was the punishment and the sufferer more innocent while reldresal may genuinely believe he's doing Gulliver a favor the characteristic shortsightedness of Lilliputians and governments in general is once again on display in his plea for leniency the lilliputian belief that their Emperor is merciful when in reality a more merciful punishment creates greater suffering for an alleged offender reveals how systems of crime and punishments may not account for true justice just as the decision to indict Gulliver for treason is based on the biases and preferences of a few of his enemies accusations and punishments can be issued at will by the powerful you