The Whole Point
Even late into the evening the prisoner-slave in the stocks must show his respect for his, by now often drunken, tormentors and tormentresses. For, inebriated or not, they are still his betters and are in a position to hurt him, should they so desire to. He is completely and utterly at their mercy, which is, of course, the whole point of the stocks – to be weakened; humbled; made to suffer; and made subject to the mercy of your betters.