Self Flagellation Silas — Da Vinci Code

In The Da Vinci Code , Silas is an albino monk belonging to a fictional Catholic sect called Opus Dei (a real organization, though the book's depiction is heavily fictionalized). He serves as the primary antagonist, a devout but mentally unstable follower who commits murder to retrieve the "keystone" for his master, the Teacher. What Self-Flagellation Means in the Novel Self-flagellation is the act of whipping oneself with a instrument (often a small leather whip or knotted cord called a disciplina ) as a form of religious penance or spiritual discipline.