The Last of the Pharaohs (5 of 6)

By Pueros

Chapter V – Pursuits

“….(Octavian) had the sarcophagus containing Alexander the Great’s mummy removed from the mausoleum at Alexandria and, after a long look at its features, showed his veneration by crowning the head with a golden diadem and strewing flowers on the trunk. When asked : “Would you now like to visit the mausoleums of the Ptolemies?” he replied “I came to see a king, not a row of corpses!”’

- Suetonius (‘The Twelve Caesars’, 18.1)

(A certain top Rugby Union stadium, England, almost 2032 years later, April 2002 AD)

The national schools under-15 cup-final was deep into second-half injury time, with the referee intending to blow his whistle to denote the end of the pursuit at the next stoppage in line with the Laws of the Game.

Chris was a handsome, brown haired and eyed boy, whose team, from a certain top English public school, was currently trailing the opposition by six points. Playing as his side’s speedy full-back, he had the oval Rugby Union ball in his hands, as he launched a desperate last-gasp attack from deep within his own half of the long, broad playing field, which was flanked by full stands of noisy spectators.

Chris engineered a clever interchange of passes with his outside centre, interspersed with a clever wiggle of his delightful slim hips to wrong-foot and elude an opponent intent on tackling him, to set up a chance for his extremely fast left wing, who also happened to be his best friend. The latter boy was called ‘Jack’ by his chums, although this was not his real name, being instead an acronym of his three forenames and surname.

Many fellow pupils were very jealous of Chris. Not only was he himself gorgeous, sufficiently so to be the subject of crushes by a number of other boarders, but also was intimate with the boy whom the majority considered to be the most beautiful in their prestigious school, where discrete homosexual couplings were not uncommon.

Jack’s stunning face, adorned, apparently incongruously given his nationality, by straight silky fair hair and light blue eyes, and immaculate body, seemingly permanently lightly tanned all over, although this was his natural coloration, were ardently lusted after by many. The boy actually knew this because he had been compelled diplomatically to decline invitations, some blatantly pursued, to become intimate with other, generally older pupils. He had been more than happy to have just one very best friend, with whom he shared a study bedroom, as well as his burgeoning sex-life.

An idiosyncrasy of age segregation in English Rugby Union is that most players in an under-15 team are actually 15, and Chris and Jack were no exceptions. As far as the former was concerned, this fact appeared confirmed by the display of the same number on his back, whilst he skilfully created an overlap on the left wing for the latter to try to exploit.

Jack, who sported the number 11, caught his best friend’s excellent long pass and raced down the left touch-line, leaving most opponents in futile pursuit. Half of the large watching crowd, which mainly comprised fellow pupils, teachers and parents of the players, began to yell in eager anticipation and support of the move. However, the speedy young winger still had one more major obstacle to overcome before he could score. Running in to grab him was the large, tall, fierce opposition full-back, who had so far been the other school’s man-of-the-match, so well had he defended his line previously, delivering many crunching and often painful tackles in the process.

Nevertheless, Jack, who looked dangerously diminutive in comparison to his immediate adversary, did not just possess speed in his armoury. The boy also possessed, amongst other attributes, a beautiful, disguised shimmying side-step, which he now executed to perfection.

Jack’s floundering opponent still almost grabbed him with a desperately flailing arm, as the winger’s superb manoeuvre brought the full-back crashing to the ground without his target in his clutches. However, the number 11’s shorts, which were deliberately tight and brief to evade such capture, slipped from the grasp of the defender.

Half of the crowd cheered in ecstatic celebration, as the winger ran on to touch the ball down on the grass, as near to the posts as possible. However, although no one had now prevented Jack from scoring a try, worth five points, some covering opposition forwards were an effective barrier to a direct dash to the middle to make easier the subsequent attempted conversion, worth another two points. The kicking opportunity created, in line with where the ball was ultimately grounded and difficult in any circumstances, would, if successful, win the game and the national cup.

Chris was the first on the scene to congratulate Jack on his score, doing so by patting him on the back, having been prevented by the public nature of the occasion from doing what he really wanted to do, namely kiss his best friend fulsomely on the lips. The scoring winger, recognising that the skill of the full-back had created the opportunity, returned the compliment, before handing the ball to his chum, who was also the team kicker.

“How long to go, Sir?” Chris asked of the referee, as he teed up the ball for his conversion. “This is the last play of the game,” the official, one of the most senior in England, answered.

Although the conversion would be considered awkward anyway, the fact that victory or defeat depended upon its success or failure naturally added to the difficulty, as well as the tension in the now suddenly hushed stadium. Chris, generally a very calm and gifted kicker, felt unusually anxious, as he lined his task up, with visions of missing and being later recalled in history as the boy who lost the cup for his school racing through his fearful mind. Given such nerves and fright, failure might have been probable if Jack had not perceptively sensed his best friend’s worry.

As Chris contemplated his kick, Jack approached and, in an innocent gesture of encouragement as far as the crowd was concerned, tapped his best friend on his pert bottom, the delicious contours of which were nicely highlighted by his own tight shorts. “Just try your best,” the young winger whispered, “as it’s only a game and no one’s going to blame you if you miss, especially as we wouldn’t be having the conversion in the first place if it hadn’t been for your superb play!”

Somehow, Jack’s reassurance calmed Chris and moments afterwards the oval ball sailed serenely through the air, in the process neatly bisecting the posts to a massive cacophony of cheering. The kicker then disappeared in the middle of a huddle of his fourteen team-mates, plus seven more who had been sitting on the substitutes’ bench. However, celebrations were temporarily halted when manners were remembered, for there was a worthy but now disconsolate opposition to shake hands with and offer commiserations to, as well as clap off the pitch, the players forming up in the traditional two lines, subsequently reciprocated, in order to do so.

Later that day, on returning to their boarding school, Chris and Jack were no longer just considered by their fellow pupils to be the prettiest 15 year-olds in the educational establishment. The boys were also regarded as heroes.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, almost 2032 years previously, September 30 BC)

A naked, giggling Sesse threw the empty pig’s bladder, stitched and inflated so that it formed a roughly oval ball, to the similarly nude and laughing Caesarion, who in turn just managed to pass it to a disrobed Timotheos before his royal lithe legs were grabbed by an unclothed opponent. The young King crashed to the soft ground but did not mind the tumble because such keen tackling formed an integral part of the game the thirteen lovely boys from the Ephebeian training barge were playing, whilst they bided their time until they could resume their voyage upriver.

Like most healthy upper class Greek boys, Caesarion was accustomed to regular exercise in the gymnasium in the customary Hellenic fashion, namely naked. However, he had previously undertaken the activity only in the ornate privacy of the relevant facility in Alexandria’s royal palace.

Cleopatra had been keen for her son to indulge in exercise before embarking upon his lengthy daily bathing routine. However, the late Queen would have been horrified to discover that her oldest offspring had undertaken such pursuits in a public arena, and involving potentially harsh bodily contact with others too. She would have considered such boyish rough and tumble completely inappropriate for a King, even if the pastime had not been conducted in the nude with peasants watching.

The twelve naked Greek ephebes and one younger nude Egyptian slave had discarded their skimpy linen kilts, divided themselves into two teams, one of six and the other of seven, in order to play their game, which had few rules and no referee. The objective was for someone to carry the pig’s bladder to their opponents’ end of the little muddy fallow riverside field, close to which they had securely anchored their boat, whilst both sides literally fought each other for possession of the oval object.

Happily, the boys involved were too friendly with each other for any tussles to be harmful, with much giggle-inspiring tickling indulged instead of real combat in order to secure the pigskin. Nevertheless, Caesarion’s opponents were no respecter of royalty during the game, as they thoroughly relished the rare opportunity presented for not only their eyes to feast on but also their hands to grasp, hold and explore a certain regal boy’s deliciously resplendent body. They all worshipped their King’s form, and not just out of nationalistic duty. As a consequence, a number of young erections were visible throughout the playful action.

Such displays of young virility did not stop the game, even when some Egyptian spectators from a nearby peasant village, including young females, gathered to observe what the noisy, largely Greek newcomers were up to. In fact, the presence of the girls only encouraged many of the ephebes to redouble their efforts in order to parade their masculine prowess, both in terms of their pastime and their lovemaking tools.

Although most of the 15 and 16 year-olds had a sexual partner amongst their fellow ephebes, in line with common Greek cultural practice, their raging hormones made girls at least as attractive to their rampant cocks. They were therefore currently very happy to show off, along with their sporting aptitudes, their youthful reproductive equipment in order to try to attract a potential temporary paramour, particularly as the females concerned were only Egyptian peasants. The boys, sadly brought up to give scant consideration towards the native population, would undoubtedly have quickly terminated their present pursuit and embarrassingly covered themselves if the feminine spectators had been fellow Hellenes.

Despite Caesarion’s previously far more discreet involvement in disrobed gymnastic activity and self-acquired greater respect for the Egyptian populace, he became caught up in the thrilling freedom and action of the game to be bothered by his unprecedented public display of regal nakedness. The boy’s unusual physical immodesty was also helped by the apparent uncaring, even proud, display of their nude bodies by his companions. The 16 year-old’s mind additionally became rather enraptured by one of the watching girls, who was standing aside from the others and also looked familiar.

Caesarion’s own cock, previously flaccid, began to rise as, during the continuing game, he managed some short furtive glances in the direction of the beautiful 15 year-old brown haired and eyed girl concerned. Such occasional distraction eventually led to disaster, as far as his team of six was concerned, when he missed a crucial tackle to allow an opponent to deliver the pig’s bladder to the target location, with this first score also being the last.

Fortunately, none of Caesarion’s comrades was particularly bothered at this outcome. The boys invariably played for the fun, not especially to win, albeit temporary bragging rights were always a pleasant by-product of victory. The thoroughly exciting game was also long and exhausting and they were now tired enough to be happy to discontinue, particularly as most were keen to chat up the girl spectators, although they suffered from one major handicap in respect of this particular pursuit.

None of the ephebes could speak the local tongue, or so eleven of them believed. The majority therefore prayed that the young peasant females might possess some knowledge of Greek, although they did not hold out much hope for this feminine attribute, or alternatively that Sesse could be persuaded to translate for them.

After quickly washing off, in the adjacent river, the accumulated dirt and sweat, acquired on their universally delightful forms by the hectic activity of their recent game, Caesarion’s fellow ephebes received quite a shock when their similarly cleansed King approached the particular feminine form that he had been most attracted to, forcing a few other young potential suitors to try their luck elsewhere, and began to converse with her in fluent Demotic. “Hello,” the naked boy, whose smooth, damp skin was glistening in the bright sunlight, greeted the beautiful girl as he approached, “what is your name?”

The young female blushed in response and did not immediately answer. Such reaction did not emanate from her amazement that the most gorgeous of the universally lovely nude Greek boys, previously frolicking in the field, was not only bothering to advance to meet her but also addressing her in her own language, with great proficiency and in a very cultured tone. The change in the highly attractive 15 year-old’s facial hue instead arose because she did not know to where to transfer her sensuous brown eyes, after staring at the arriving 16 year-old male’s impressive, clearly semi-erect, smooth masculine genitalia, which were neatly crowned by a cute little tuft of fair hair. A sudden dryness in her throat additionally prevented an instant verbal reply to the young Hellene’s opening question.

Caesarion noticed the girl’s blush and obvious coyness and so asked “I am sorry, does my nakedness offend you, as I should be happy to cover myself in order to earn an answer to my question and a little more of your time?” The beautiful 15 year-old female, dressed in a simple but clean and relatively new, low-cut, light summer dress, which advertised her pleasantly developing cleavage to maximum advantage, now managed to recover sufficiently from her initial shock finally to provide an answer. She was assisted by transferring her stare from the boy’s delectable genitalia to his feet.

“No, young Sir,” the girl replied politely, “your current lack of clothing does not disturb me, as naked males of all ages, at work or play on, in or besides the sacred river, are a common sight.” She then lifted up her sublime face, whilst displaying a sweet smile, to stare directly into Caesarion’s light blue eyes. This action caused the boy’s cock, already rising further after he had briefly stared at the young female’s magnificently developing cleavage, to quiver noticeably, forcing the 16 year-old to try to hide this embarrassing development behind his hands.

The girl, clearly now feeling bold, and whilst once more briefly glancing towards Caesarion’s groin in order to reinforce her point in the boy’s mind, declared “Therefore, young Sir, you don’t possess anything that I haven’t seen before!” The 16 year-old’s now manually hidden rigid penis shuddered when his ears heard the gentle put down, but not in embarrassment.

Caesarion’s genital reaction was instead caused by sudden visual recognition that, in his opinion, the girl before him, whilst still looking somehow familiar, was the most gorgeous he had ever seen. The boy therefore asked, with his own disarming smile, “Well, then, are you going to appraise me of your name?”

“My name, young Sir, is Ahmose,” the girl announced and Caesarion immediately realised why she had looked so familiar.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“A visit to the palace torture chamber will not be necessary,” suggested Rhodon, intensely fearful for his wife and children’s welfare, “for either myself or members of my family, as I can appraise you of everything you want to know.” The tutor, after his early protestations of ignorance had been dismissed and the instruments of pain promised instead to solicit the truth, had sadly recognised that he would have to sacrifice his King to save his beautiful spouse and offspring from probably distressing and damaging, if not fatal, torment.

Agrippa had accepted his spy’s advice that the royal tutor had to be a prime candidate to be Caesarion’s informant relating to recent happenings in the palace and that, given his expendable status, he was worthy of at least questioning, even torturing, to ascertain the extent of his knowledge about the boy’s continued existence and, if still alive, current whereabouts. Rhodon’s family should also provide easy leverage to loosen the man’s tongue sufficiently to guarantee that he both spoke quickly and told the full truth.

After all, Rhodon was perfectly placed for the informant’s role and had been known to be both very close to and an admirer of the young King. The tutor had also been acting suspiciously, always trying to check whether he was being followed or watched, albeit unsuccessfully, presumably because he was an amateur in such subterfuge. Visitors to his home had additionally included, besides a handsome young ephebe, several of Alexandria’s well-known remaining royalists, the latter freed by the new regime after surviving the culling of the potentially greatest troublemakers.

“How do I know that what you speak will be the full truth without putting your veracity to the test in the torture chamber?” Agrippa asked, not unreasonably. “Because,” Rhodon reasonably countered, “if my words prove false, I’m sure that my family and I will then proceed to that awful place, probably never to re-emerge. Do you therefore think that I’d risk such a terrible inevitability?”

“You might,” Agrippa replied, “for your King and god!” “Alas,” Rhodon responded, “my devotion to him, as he himself knows and for which he has already magnanimously granted pardon, stops if harm could befall my family because of my loyalty.”

“I might believe you if you answer my next queries with the same particular word,” Agrippa advised. “What are your questions?” asked Rhodon, although he already knew the answer.

“Is the bastard still alive and do you know where he is?” Agrippa stipulated. Despite his recent words, Rhodon briefly considered lying by suggesting that Caesarion had indeed drowned and his body lost at sea or that he simply did not know where the young King was currently located if he still lived. However, he perceptively appreciated that such replies would not satisfy the Roman general until the tutor and his family had enjoyed at least one session in the torture chamber.

“The answer to both queries is ‘Yes!’” Rhodon therefore reluctantly informed, fully knowing what his interrogator’s next supplementary question would be.

“Tell me, then,” a gleeful, grinning Agrippa commanded, “where is the bastard so that I can go in pursuit of him?”

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

A delighted Caesarion called the harassed and still naked Sesse, who was busily trying to translate the conversations of eleven young nude Greeks to the selected Egyptian females they were pursuing for licentious reasons, and the similarly unclothed Timotheos to him. The latter had temporarily stopped privately begging the gods that the marooning of the training barge on the Nile was not a bad omen, indicating that as yet unknown pursuers of his young King would somehow now learn of the whereabouts of their stranded regal prey. The senior ephebe had instead been attempting to chat up his own 15 year-old female enchantress.

“Sesse, Timotheos,” an excited Caesarion announced to the arriving pair of boys, “this is Ahmose, younger sister of our beloved Ay!”

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“Before I answer your question,” Rhodon retorted, “I’ll need certain requests approved because, without them, you might as well send us to the torture chamber.” “What do you want?” Agrippa asked patiently, albeit with frustrated irritation evident in his voice.

“I am not concerned for my own safety,” Rhodon bravely and genuinely advised, “but I must request you to swear by the gods that, if my information proves correct, my wife and children will not only be released unharmed but also be rewarded with the bounty placed on my King’s head. They will not like taking such blood-money but will need it to start decent lives elsewhere because I don’t think that they’d subsequently live very long anywhere in Egypt, even with Roman protection. Vengeful, ardent, royalist nationalists will surely pursue and murder both the traitor who betrayed the last of the Pharaohs and his family.”

Agrippa, to whom both the reward and the lives concerned meant nothing, was happy to swear the necessary oath. Unlike many Romans, the uncompromising general had never been one to be either particularly religious or too beholden to such gestures, which he had broken many times previously whenever demanded by circumstances, although invariably these had conscientiously usually involved matters of state as opposed to personal interest. However, in this instance, he would be pleased to grant Rhodon his wishes if, as a consequence of the tutor’s information, Caesarion was captured. After all, an additional advantageous benefit of providing such largesse might be to encourage even more useful informers and collaborators to the new regime.

“Where, then,” Agrippa enquired once more, having provided the requested oath, “is the bastard?”

Rhodon then proceeded to betray his young King to his delighted pursuer.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Ay had told Caesarion of his younger sister sold into slavery at the same time as him, in order to reduce the number of mouths their desperately poor family had to feed, as well as to boost their drunkard father’s beer kitty for a few days. The siblings had been bought by different purchasers and had subsequently sadly lost contact, something that even a certain young King had been unable to rectify, at least until now, when it was sadly too late for a reunion.

Ahmose was named after the senior spouse, or ‘King’s Great Wife’, of Tuthmosis I, who had reigned about 1500 years previously and had been the first Pharaoh to be entombed in the Valley of the Kings near Thebes, then capital of the ‘New Kingdom’. She had been bought by a relatively prosperous, kind, childless Egyptian couple to help with the housework. However, they had then so taken her to their hearts that they had freed and formerly adopted her as their daughter. Nevertheless, whilst recently watching the lovely naked Greek ephebes at play, she had been standing separate from the other village girls because they snootily considered her inferior because of her previous slave status.

Both Sesse and Timotheos were as pleased to encounter the beautiful Ahmose, sister of their mutual late friend, Ay, as their young King had been. However, neither the three boys nor single girl involved in exchanging current greetings presently appreciated how fateful their meeting was to be for all their futures.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“Pursuit by river wouldn’t get us very far because of the annual flooding,” Agrippa advised one of his senior officers. “However,” the general commented, “the yearly inundation should be of benefit to us as opposed to being a hindrance because, with luck, it should have delayed the Ephebeian training barge from reaching Babylon. Consequently, a light cavalry contingent should be fast enough to follow along the banks of the Nile, overtake the vessel and capture the bastard, hopefully alive.”

“Rhodon has kindly appraised us about the identity of others who’ve been helping the eldest child of the whore, Cleopatra,” Agrippa continued, “and they’ve all been arrested. However, he might not be fully acquainted with all of them. Accordingly, it would be useful if the bastard could be caught alive for questioning by the torturer before being strangled, burnt on a pyre and then laid to rest with his ancestors. Naturally, we’ll publicly announce that he died whilst resisting arrest. I’ve already commissioned an appropriately elaborate porphyry urn. To placate local public opinion and thereby avoid unnecessary unrest, I’ve also ordered the construction of a decent mausoleum to house, after suitable funerary rites, the ashes of the last of the Pharaohs. His resting-place is to be near to what I understand, from a palace informant, was his favourite spot for peaceful contemplation in the royal necropolis, close to his grandfather’s tomb. After all, he’ll then have all eternity for such quiet reflection!”

“Have you told Octavianus about the hopefully good news?” the officer asked of his superior. “No,” Agrippa replied, “there’s no need to trouble him in case Rhodon is playing tricks. Given our leader’s sensitivity to such matters, I also believe it best only to inform of any success after we’ve killed the bastard.”

Agrippa kept to himself the fact that he constantly worried that the new sole ruler of the Roman Empire might develop pangs of conscience, either about the torture or elimination of his second cousin. The general himself actually had nothing personal against the boy, who might truly be rather charming, as his informers had suggested. However, the 16 year-old represented potential future trouble for his friend and leader, Octavian. Consequently, having already seen the Empire suffer the miseries of Civil Wars, he did not want to leave the potential focus for further conflict, in the form of Julius Caesar’s son, alive.

In other words, Agrippa’s determination to have Caesarion pursued successfully and killed was purely based on politics and what he considered, from his perspective, the best course of action for the welfare of the Empire he both served and loved. He also believed that, if the young intended target of this policy was as caring and selfless as had been described and had himself pondered the issue, he would undoubtedly have sympathised with the general’s viewpoint.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

“I never knew, young Sir,” Ahmose announced, “that my brother had entered royal service. How do you know him and do you know where and how he is now after the arrival of the Romans and the death of the Queen?”

Caesarion bravely took it upon himself to answer these awkward questions, although his eyes became damp when he thought once more about the loss of his beloved Ay.

“Your brother actually served the King very loyally and well,” Caesarion advised, “as have my companions here. Sadly, however, Ay also recently died bravely to secure his royal master’s safety from those in pursuit of him.”

As anticipated by Caesarion, such tragic news caused Ahmose to shed her own tears, despite the fact that she had not seen her brother for 8 years, and the beautiful naked boy could not resist the temptation to cradle the sorrowful, equally gorgeous girl in his lithe bare arms. However, the lovely 15 year-old female eventually gently separated herself from the 16 year-old’s caring embrace to look into his own damp light blue eyes.

“You have to tell me, young Sir, all about my brother and the fate of our young King,” Ahmose managed to relate between her tears, “but, as I now have to return home because I’m already overdue from an errand and my parents will worry, can I please ask….” The young Egyptian girl then hesitated to continue because normal Greeks would not only reject what she was requesting but also be insulted by the very suggestion.

Caesarion, noticing Ahmose’s hesitation, considerately announced “Ask what you want and, if it is within my power to grant your request, I should be very happy to do so.” This declaration appeared to cheer and encourage the girl, who therefore managed to summon up enough courage to complete her original sentence.

“Would you, young Sir, grant my family,” Ahmose asked, whilst now drying her beautiful brown eyes, “the immense honour of coming to supper.” The girl had originally hesitated to conclude this request because most Greeks would be affronted by such an invitation to visit an Egyptian peasant household.

“You can, young Sir, bring your friend and the servant,” Ahmose added, referring respectively to Timotheos and Sesse. The status of the latter seemed clear to the girl by the fact that the 14 year-old, from his appearance, obviously shared her nationality and would not usually be present in the company of Greeks other than in a servile role.

To Ahmose’s astonishment, as well as that of the senior ephebe and the younger slave who was the subject of the comment, Caesarion advised softy, with no intent to admonish, “Sesse is not my servant as, like Timotheos, he is my friend.” This was news to both of the boy’s startled companions, although they were too respectful of their young King to remark about the matter in the girl’s presence.

Ahmose blushed again, this time at her apparent error, and, turning to Sesse, begged “Please, young Sir, accept my humblest apologies for my mistake.” However, the 14 year-old was still too astonished at hearing Caesarion’s announcement to do anything but nod in acknowledgement of the girl’s sincere expression of regret.

The issue was soon forgotten when Caesarion next informed “I and my two friends would be equally honoured to accept your invitation, Ahmose, as long as you are sure that your parents will have us.” The girl then happily and truthfully replied “Oh, young Sir, they’d be delighted to accept young gentlemen for supper!”

In fact, both Caesarion and Ahmose knew that, in a Egyptian peasant village, hosting young Greek gentlemen, which all of the ephebes clearly were, would considerably enhance the standing of the family within the community. It would also be ensure that the girl, if she wanted, never went without feminine friends again, as the snootiness of other females at her former slave status would be overcome by admiration and envy of her new formal acquaintances.

If any of the other ephebes had succeeded in their ambitious pursuits of seducing one of the other young females, he would still have declined an invitation to visit his fleeting lover’s peasant dwelling. The Greek boys, following their cultural upbringing and despite the contrary example of their young King and ephebe leader, would have considered the vaginas of the Egyptian girls worthy of entry but not their homes. They would also have subsequently not have cared if their fun later resulted in pregnancy, as they would invariably deny the child if they ever learnt of its existence, which would be unlikely as they would not provide their temporary paramours with their true names or backgrounds.

Furthermore, the girls concerned would not be ignorant of such realities, entering into liaisons fully aware that they were going to be fleeting and could result in unwanted babies. However, the disgrace resulting from such pregnancies would not as great as it would have been if the causal sperm had been Egyptian instead of Greek.

A consolation of flirting with Greeks, besides the sexual adventure and enjoyment, was the fact that half-Hellenic bastards frequently fetched high prices at market once they were old enough to become useful slaves. Such eventual financial reward went a long way to offset the shame of giving birth to, as well as the cost of rearing, such illegitimate children, as long as the young mothers did not become too attached to their offspring. Frequently, to help hide the stigma or prevent such emotional attachment, pregnancies were carefully disguised and the babies involved brought up within the close-knit families by less sensitive surrogate mothers, who were themselves sometimes household servants.

Consequently, as some of Caesarion’s naked Ephebeian colleagues, whose latest pursuits had been successfully accomplished despite the language problem, began to disappear into the long riverside grasses and reeds with their willing female conquests, both parties appreciated that what was to come, and might occasionally be repeated over subsequent days until the barge was ready to sail upstream again, was only for temporary pleasure and amusement. Their lives would then permanently separate, as they returned to totally different cultures and living standards, regardless of whether young Greek sperm, deposited in young Egyptian vaginas, resulted in the wonder of fresh life.

Nevertheless, such concerns were far from Caesarion’s mind, as the beautiful boy temporarily parted from the gorgeous Ahmose with the promise of later following her directions to her home to enjoy supper in the company of his friends.

Ahmose had been so pleased by Caesarion’s acceptance of her invitation, on behalf of himself and his two companions, that she had successfully stopped crying. She was still upset at the immensely sad news about the death of her brother but her mind could also not help but experience great pride that her family was to be honoured by the visit of three young gentlemen, two of whom were clearly from the Greek upper classes. However, the girl’s most intense feelings, of a nature not previously experienced, were in respect of the delicious boy with the straight, fair, silky hair and sensitive light blue eyes.

Ahmose did not initially recognise the unprecedented emotions she felt towards the divine boy, which made her feel rather light-headed. She also only realised that she had still not learnt his name as he and his two companions began to walk away from her to return to their boat. She additionally only remembered that the young trio was still naked when she observed three marvellously curvaceous and pert sets of youthful, smooth male buttocks retreat before her.

“But, Lord,” Sesse whispered in mild protest, as he, his young King and the senior ephebe advanced out of Ahmose’s hearing range, “I’m not only your servant but also your slave!” “Oh,” Caesarion responded, with feigned surprise at his own supposed oversight, “did I not tell you? I have freed you and instead appointed you as an official ‘Companion’ of Pharaoh Ptolemy XV Caesar. I have also awarded Timotheos the same distinction, if it can still be called that at this grievous time for Egypt and the monarchy.”

Ahmose, still watching the threesome from a distance, as she was very reluctant to deprive her brown eyes of the wonderful sight of one particularly resplendent young male nude, wondered what was happening when the other two boys suddenly fell and prostrated themselves on the ground in front of the one with whom she had become infatuated. The girl dismissed the first thought that then crossed her intelligent, instinctive mind, realising, on reflection, that the notion was ridiculous, in favour of the theory that the friends were again indulging in some silly boyish game.

“Please stand,” Caesarion politely commanded, “as prostration before me is totally inappropriate, especially at this time. I am embarrassed by such a ritual, which I hereby decree, through a royal proclamation uttered by the Pharaoh himself, that such homage is hereafter banned from the royal court of Egypt! The rite might also dangerously reveal to others whom I really am.”

Sesse and Timotheos reluctantly obliged their young King, with the latter apologising on behalf of both of them, albeit with little conviction. “I’m sorry, Caesarion,” the senior ephebe said, using a familiarity of name that he had eventually managed to master in order to satisfy his modest friend’s request for greater informality, “but you honour us greatly.”

“It is I who am honoured,” Caesarion responded, “not only by your performance of the prostration but also by your brave loyalty and brotherhood, which endangers your very lives. In the circumstances, repaying some of my immense debt to you by freeing Sesse and granting you both the distinction of royal ‘Companion’ is the least that I could do, especially as I also intend to honour the other courageous and selfless ephebes with the title of ‘Friends of the King’!” The latter distinction was not as grand as the former, but both were greater than boys of the lower upper class, and their proud families, could ever normally realistically aspire.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, shortly afterwards)

The large contingent of light cavalry, renowned throughout the Roman legions for their proficiency and swiftness, speeded through the gates of the former royal palace and along Alexandria’s broad streets, eventually joining the even wider Canopic Way. This boulevard led to the eponymous eastern gate of the great city and canal beyond, which eventually led to the Nile.

Despite the prowess of the horsemen, the current flooding of the mightiest river in the world would make pursuit of Caesarion very slow. However, Agrippa, who was happily leading the contingent, was content that, regardless of their speed, they would surely be gaining ground on an undoubtedly marooned young royal bastard.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Ahmose’s kind adoptive parents were indeed both happy and proud to host for supper three young male guests, two of whom were Greek gentlemen. The honour was unprecedented for the peasant village and soon gossipy news of the event would permeate through the local populace, who thereafter looked at the household concerned, already relatively prosperous, with even greater admiration.

Ahmose herself suddenly acquired the interest of girls who had until now snootily snubbed her because of her previous servile status. However, the beautiful young female was no longer desperate for such previously unjustly begrudged companionship, as she now secretly yearned for just one friendship, that of a particular boy.

Despite the fact that the dwelling of Ahmose’s adoptive parents was one of the larger of the simple residences in the peasant village, as befitted their wealthier status, Caesarion and his companions were obviously accustomed to much better. However, none of the trio indicated any contempt for their surrounds, although they must have comprised the humblest visited by a Pharaoh in centuries, if not millennia.

The three pleasant boys, now dressed in simple but clean tunics, instead politely complimented the father and mother about their home, as well as thanked them for their generous hospitality. They also formally introduced themselves, thereby providing Ahmose with knowledge of Caesarion's appellation for the first time. The young Pharaoh called himself Ptolemy, the truism not being dangerous because many young males in Egypt, whether they were Greek or part of the native population, were similarly named after the Kings of the Lagid dynasty. They additionally explained that they were on an Ephebeian training voyage. No reason was asked or given for Sesse's presence amongst young Hellenic gentlemen.

The parents had clearly pursued a quick tidying-up exercise within their dwelling, as well as the display of their best earthenware, food and wine for the meal, which was competently cooked and served by the three household slaves. The chat, which was conducted in Demotic with both Caesarion and Sesse translating for Timotheos, was initially politely bland until the subject of Ay was again raised.

There was an early awkward moment when Ahmose’s father commented that Caesarion appeared familiar and openly wondered where he might have seen his young guest previously. The boy replied “Have you ever been to Alexandria, Sir, where you might possibly have seen me in the street?”

“Yes, I suppose that’s possible,” the father answered, whilst secretly very thrilled to be termed ‘Sir’ by a young Greek noble, “as I have been once to our capital. I went last year to witness some of the 300th anniversary celebrations of the city. It was also the only time that I have seen your namesake, our young King, as he formally led the festivities in the absence of the Queen, who was campaigning with Marcus Antonius. Alas, I only saw the boy from a distance but he truly looked splendid, wearing the regal attire of Upper and Lower Egypt, including the royal mitre atop his magnificent long fair hair.”

Caesarion and his companions were mightily relieved that Ahmose’s father had only observed the young King from a distance, when both his attire and haircut were rather different from what he currently sported. They were also pleased that the man had not, by other means, made the connection between the fair-haired blue-eyed boy in his present company and the Pharaoh he had once watched performing sacred celebration rites in Alexandria.

Whilst being very careful not to reveal anything that might betray his own identity, Caesarion later began to comply with Ahmose’s wish to tell her about her brother’s death. The conversation therefore became rather sad whilst he related Ay’s immensely brave and selfless sacrifice for his King, although his recounting sensitively refrained from describing the full horrors of the young slave’s demise, thereby thankfully reducing the amount of the girl’s subsequently renewed tears.

Amidst Ahmose’s lachrymation, she muttered “I hope that the young King is worthy of Ay’s sacrifice!” Caesarion secretly astonished Sesse and Timotheos by commenting in response “So do I!”

Ahmose’s father proved himself to be a devoted royalist and nationalist when he gently and politely admonished both the girl and Caesarion for their remarks. “Although we rarely receive visitors of any great import in my village, present company excepted,” the man declared, “not just a few passers-by, who were well informed about our divine royal house, suggested that Ptolemy XV Caesar exhibited much promise, and possessed a particular interest in helping the ordinary people. It seems that the boy would probably have become an excellent Pharaoh, especially for us Egyptians, if the gods had allowed him to succeed his mother, who alas was too concerned with her own international standing and the Greek elite to be bothered about our welfare. Nevertheless, the Queen would still have been a better leader for our country than some Roman dictator, whose rule means the end of our proud independence. I just pray that the young King somehow manages to evade those in pursuit of him and survives to return to his rightful throne one day!”

Both Sesse and Timotheos glanced at Caesarion whilst the father said these words, instinctively wanting to gauge the reaction of their friend. However, the boy’s regal, in all senses of the word, face somehow managed to maintain an inscrutable façade and talk finally became more cheerful when he began to relate carefully censored happier episodes of Ay’s earlier life with his similarly aged young King.

The acquaintance of the guest trio with both the Pharaoh and pharaonic slave was explained by truthfully relating that the young King had honoured their particular Ephebeian company by training with them. Caesarion himself added, whilst Sesse and Timotheos could not prevent themselves from smiling at the associated withheld secret, that the regal personage had now apparently disappeared and was presumably currently engaged in trying to flee the country to a safe exile.

Ahmose’s father and mother expressed, with clear honesty, their wishes for the fugitive Caesarion’s welfare and success in his attempts to evade those in pursuit of him to reach safety. They had already become even more happy and excited, as well as almost overawed, at discovering that their three guests had truly been acquaintances of the young King. The parental rapture stemmed from a feeling of being genuinely immensely honoured, as well as interested, by the boys’ company, and not just because such news would improve their own local personal standing even more.

Gradually, after chat had spread to providing news of the broader sad events in Alexandria for Ahmose and her adoptive parents, the hour became late and Caesarion appreciated that he and his companions would have to depart soon, if they were to be polite and not overstay their welcome. Throughout the pleasant evening, the 16 year-old King had encountered great difficulty in keeping his light blue eyes off the 15 year-old girl present. It was a difficulty replicated by the brown ocular versions possessed by the subject of his infatuation.

The observant father and mother noticed the trading of infatuated glances between the boy and their adopted daughter but were not surprised. After all, it had been obvious that at least one of the Greek boy guests had to be interested in Ahmose, as they thought that surely otherwise an invitation to supper at the home of Egyptian peasants would be declined by Hellenes.

The parents were proud rather than wary of such a development, as they knew and trusted Ahmose’s character. She would not dishonour her adoptive family by allowing herself to be seduced and would still be a virgin when she entered eventual wedlock. The latter would undoubtedly be soon and with a fellow Egyptian, as marriage with a Greek was illegal under the country’s law, whilst union with a Roman was not tolerated under Imperial jurisprudence. The pleasant and polite young Hellenic guest might therefore lust after the daughter of the household but pursuit of his fancy would surely go unrewarded.

The father and mother were sure that the boy would eventually make an unsuccessful pass at Ahmose, probably on another occasion, but neither felt any less of their young guest for doing so. After all, the parents were as aware as anyone as to their daughter’s great virginal beauty, although it had been her splendid character rather than appearance that had caused them to adopt her in the first place.

In fact, the father and mother under-estimated the nature of the character of their daughter’s young admirer. Unlike most of his male ancestors, Caesarion would have believed that the disgrace from seducing such a delicious virgin would fall on himself more than the girl. However, as the young King and his companions finally related their polite thanks and farewells, he was beginning to realise that, when the flooding eventually relented to allow his barge to resume its journey, he could not leave Ahmose behind.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, several days later, September 30 BC)

Caesarion, Sesse and Timotheos were spending their final evening on this particular stretch of the riverside, as the downstream current had now sufficiently abated to allow the Ephebeian training barge to resume its voyage to the township of Babylon, situated at the southern edge of the Nile delta. As they had already often done during their stay, the young trio suppered again at the dwelling of Ahmose’s parents.

The event should have been a special occasion as the earlier dawn had heralded the 17th anniversary of the birthday of Caesarion, Timotheos having attained the same landmark on the previous day. The hosts were aware of the regal event because they toasted the continued health of their young King and reiterated their hopes for his continued welfare, not knowing that the beautiful, charming and fair-haired blue-eyed boy present was the subject of their best wishes.

Even though they believed that Caesarion was missing in desperate flight from those in pursuit, Ahmose’s parents could not envisage any scenario in which such a regal and divine being would even contemplate visiting their humble abode. They were amazed enough that some young Greek gentlemen, who were previously acquainted with the young King, had accepted invitations to supper. They put the highly unusual happenings down to the special circumstances created by the annual flood, the boys’ liberal pleasantness of characters and one of their number’s infatuation with their adopted daughter.

At this particular last supper, Caesarion was unusually quiet and seemingly melancholy. For a change, the young guest was not one of the main conversationalists and he rarely exhibited his disarming smile, which everyone loved, especially Ahmose. However, the boy’s frequent, supposedly furtive glances at the girl were, if anything, even more in number than ever.

Despite Caesarion’s attempts to disguise the looks, everyone else present, including the beautiful, equally morose female subject of his infatuation, was aware of his actions. They also thereby recognised the cause behind the boy’s sullenness, as the dawn would see the new 17 year-old leave this place, and the apparent current girl of his dreams, probably for ever.

The supposition of the hosts and other guests as to the reason behind Caesarion’s out-of-character behaviour was correct. However, the boy was to shock them all when he boldly decided that he had to do something to end his unhappy dilemma.

Caesarion and Ahmose had managed to steal some private moments together over the past days, usually in the privacy of dry clearings amongst tall riverside reeds. At first, they just chatted about their lives, including some of what they had seen and done, although, again by using clever wording to prevent having to lie, the young King was very careful in relating the true circumstances of his activities. The boy did not want unnecessarily to disturb and endanger the girl and her parents by giving away his true identity. He had already judged that they would not betray him for the immense reward on his head. However, their shock at the revelation might make them indiscreet, and the household slaves might not be so loyal.

The mutual deep attraction and fondness between Caesarion and Ahmose eventually resulted in the inevitable during one of their furtive liaisons. After both had suffered much private temptation and torment, the lure of each other’s rosy lips finally became irresistible, whilst dried throats and, on the boy’s part, a throbbing penis had temporarily brought conversation to a halt.

Thereafter, the secret meetings between Caesarion and Ahmose were dominated by kissing and petting but never anything more. The boy was too respectful of the girl to try to pursue matters further, whilst the latter was aware of the need not to dishonour herself or her parents by succumbing to carnal temptation.

The main topic of discourse amidst such innocent embracing became the burgeoning deep affection Caesarion and Ahmose had for each other, and how, for both, it had been love at first sight. However, neither appeared able to resolve the dilemma that meant that their relationship was doomed to be very short-lived. Not only did the boy have to leave soon but also courtship between the pair was useless, as ultimate marriage between the two would be unlawful and any offspring would thereby be legal bastards.

Although Pharaohs were allowed Egyptian concubines, and many Greeks enjoyed mistresses from the native populace, Caesarion knew that he could not encourage Ahmose to remain with him in such circumstances, even if he revealed his true identity to her and her parents. The boy believed that the wonderful girl deserved better. In fact, she deserved to be like her regal namesake of over a millennium before, namely the ‘King’s Great Wife’. The fact that her children would also be the nephews and nieces of his beloved Ay added further incentive to his desire.

As Caesarion picked at the last supper he was scheduled to enjoy in the dwelling of Ahmose’s parents, the young King decided what he had to do.

(Further north on the banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Agrippa was sitting on the floor in his tent, which was a much smaller and simpler canopy than the red pavilion to which he was accustomed. The latter would be divided into rooms by curtains worked with crimson and gold, and be illuminated by lamps on gilded stands burning scented oil. The accoutrements would also comprise rich carpets, elegant tables of ivory and citronwood and luxuriously upholstered couches. However, such comforts had to be foregone because of the need for speedy pursuit of the royal bastard. Nevertheless, the general actually did not mind his current spartan conditions, as they recalled his early military career. Even the copious mosquitoes on the riverbanks had been compensated for by the exotic sight of the abundant crocodiles and hippopotami.

One of Agrippa’s cavalry officers, wearing a red tunic trimmed with gold, polished strip armour and an ornate helmet that reflected the light from the tent’s single oil lamp, reported to his leader the outcome of the latest interrogation of travellers going north along the Nile. The general smiled when he was told that an Ephebian training barge had been spotted, moored upstream at a location that was only a couple of days’ ride away.

(Further south on the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

“Sir, I have a request to make,” Caesarion finally plucked up the courage to advise Ahmose’s father, who had been concerned about the boy’s unusual apparent melancholy. “If it is in my power to grant it,” the man replied, “I’m sure that I’d be glad to do so.”

“Sir,” Caesarion announced, with clear trepidation in his voice, “I should very much like to marry your daughter!”

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

Although he and his wife and children were safe for now, comfortably accommodated in a well-guarded wing of the former royal palace, Rhodon was sobbing profusely. He had betrayed his young King, who, if Agrippa’s current pursuit of him ended in success for the highly capable general, would undoubtedly suffer greatly and ultimately fatally, along with his companions on the Ephebeian barge, for his tutor’s well-rewarded treachery.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

There was a stunned silence, whilst the shocked assemblage at supper absorbed Caesarion’s petition. Ahmose’s own emotions were also tinged with supreme delight at the boy’s request, which was sadly offset by recognition that the pursuit of her hand in marriage was unrealistic.

Ahmose’s father finally managed to recover sufficiently, aided by a large sip of wine, to respond politely and with forbearance “I’m sorry but you know that marriage between Greek and Egyptian is impossible. I am a believer in adhering to the law, even if the present regulation regarding wedlock is, in my opinion, unjust. I also believe that cohabitation outside of formal union, even with someone of your undoubted pedigree, is insulting to the gods and degrading to the mortals involved.” The man obviously had no intention of letting his beloved adopted daughter become some young Hellene’s concubine, not that this was the petitioner’s intent.

“What if the marriage law was changed?” Caesarion asked, whilst recovering from his earlier nerves. “The only person who can do that,” Ahmose’s father retorted, with exasperation beginning to show in his voice, “at least until equally illiberal Roman jurisprudence is imposed on Egypt, is the King and I sadly don’t believe that he’s currently in a position to consider such matters!”

Caesarion displayed his disarming smile for the first time that evening when he calmly replied “Sir, you are mistaken because I am not only in a position to consider the matter but also herewith repeal the unworthy law in question!”

(Further north on the banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

“We’ll set off in pursuit again at first light,” Agrippa advised his officer, “and let’s hope that we’re in time to catch the barge before it resumes its journey!”

(Further south on the banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Ahmose’s incredulous father stood up, body shaking and face reddening, to declare nervously “By the gods, Highness, I knew that I recognised you from somewhere.” As the astonished man then stepped away from the supper table and began to clamber face-downwards, in order to perform the prostration, he begged “Please forgive, Highness, my ignorance in failing to appreciate whom you where, as well as subjecting you to such inappropriate hospitality and irreverent conversation. Please also forgive, Highness, if any of my ignorant words at any time caused offence!”

“I shall of course forgive you,” Caesarion advised, “as long as you now agree to return to your feet and become my father in new law, whilst your daughter is elevated to ‘King’s Great Wife’!”

(Royal necropolis, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

Octavian was being led by the keeper of the royal necropolis towards Alexander the Great’s resplendent mausoleum to pay reverence to the divine King’s mummified body. Meanwhile, his Greek guide was providing requested further details about the entombment in Alexandria of the former ruler of most of the known civilised world to the present incumbent of the position.

“Following Alexander’s tragically early death in Mesopotamian Babylon, Sire,” the keeper advised in Greek, “the temporary regent who had succeeded him, Perdiccas, decided to keep the King’s body, an important symbol of power, in the city for a while. He was keen to ensure that the rest of the Empire was quiet and secure before sending the dead monarch’s embalmed form, embedded in spices, back to Aegae, capital of the regal homeland, Macedonia. Many thousands took the opportunity to pay tribute whilst work proceeded on creating the spectacular accoutrements that would accompany the late, great leader of the known world to his final resting-place. Craftsmen from many places produced funerary items of unsurpassed expense and splendour, including a jewelled sarcophagus of beaten gold. Over this was placed a purple funerary pall, itself embroidered with much golden thread and on top of which was placed the armour and Trojan shield of the deceased.”

“Eventually, Sire,” the keeper appraised Octavian, “291 years ago, the great funeral cortege set out on its slow, stately progress, with 64 mules pulling the heavy catafalque. Many people from communities on or near the way were drawn from their homes to watch as the splendid but sad parade passed. However, Alexander’s body never reached his homeland. As the procession approached Syria, one of his foremost friends and generals, Ptolemy, who was also rumoured to be his half-brother, pursued and intercepted it and forced it instead to divert to Egypt, which he had seized in the confused wake of the great monarch’s death.”

“Ptolemy claimed, Sire,” the keeper informed, “that Alexander had always wanted to be interred in Egypt, where he was considered Pharaoh, in order to be close to the being declared by the oracle at Siwa to be the King’s true father, the god Amon. The monarch had been very popular in the country, having imposed a much more benign regime, one more respectful of the ancient nation’s cultural and religious traditions, than that of the Persians.”

“Ptolemy’s actions, Sire,” the keeper continued, “in honouring Egypt by returning Alexander forever to the country, as well as commissioning the construction of a magnificent mausoleum in Alexandria for the great King, enabled him to consolidate his own popularity and position. This in turn allowed his own titular elevation from Satrap to Pharaoh 15 years later, along with all of the social and religious trappings, to be greeted with not only little opposition but also much genuine enthusiasm. This was helped by the fact that the event was seen as confirming the rebirth of an independent Egypt, albeit under Greek supremacy.”

“It was, Sire,” the keeper proceeded, “his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who formally transferred Alexander’s body from its temporary tomb at Memphis to the city the dead King had named after himself. The body then lay on public display in the mausoleum in its gold coffin until 59 years ago when Ptolemy IX melted down the sarcophagus to provide coinage. However, the outraged people of Alexandria re-housed the regal remains in one made of crystal.”

“Your illustrious and divine father, Sire,” the keeper concluded whilst referring to Octavian’s great uncle, Julius Caesar, “came here, with Cleopatra VII, 15 years ago to pay his own respects to Alexander. I understand that once, in Spain, he had bemoaned the fact that the Macedonian King had conquered the world whilst, at the same age, he had done nothing.”

“Yes,” Octavian interrupted, “but he soon made up for lost time! Now, tell me, what’s that new work going on over there? I thought that Cleopatra already possessed her own mausoleum elsewhere.”

“The late Queen does indeed have her tomb outside the necropolis, Sire,” the keeper answered, “so that she can rest for eternity next to someone not of the Lagid dynasty.” The man was, of course, referring to Mark Antony. He then confirmed “The new building has been ordered by your general, Agrippa, Sire, and is located close to the mausoleum of Cleopatra VII’s father, Ptolemy XII, in a favoured spot where her eldest son liked to come to meditate, near to his late grandfather.”

‘So,’ a suddenly smiling Octavian immediately thought to himself on hearing this news, ‘Agrippa must be confident of quickly accomplishing his pursuit and providing the necessary dead body for the new mausoleum or he would not have commissioned the construction. How good of my friend not to bother to tell me about such unpleasantness until the time comes when I really need to know about the fate of the young bastard. How typical, despite his military ruthlessness, for him also to have sufficient respect for the boy to see that he not only has decent burial but will also rest for ever in a location he would surely choose himself.’

(Temple of Amon, banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, next day)

By Egyptian standards, Amon was not a particularly ancient god. He was an infant compared with the falcon-headed sky god Horus, the sun god Re in his various manifestations, Osiris the nature god, who was castrated and murdered and then rose from the dead, Set, the brother of the latter who committed the crime, and Ptah, the creator god, all of whom emerged in remote times.

Amon, whose name means ‘He who is hidden’, was not in evidence when the two countries of Upper and Lower Egypt united as one Kingdom in about 3100 BC. The god was still inconspicuous when the pyramids were built hundreds of years later. Even the Nile city with which he was most associated, Thebes, was of still secondary importance until quite late in the country’s history, by which time the Great Sphinx was so old and neglected that it was half-covered by sand blown in from the desert by the regular storms of early summer.

Thebes became great under the New Kingdom in the sixteenth century BC and Amon helped to promote unprecedented aggressive nationalism under some impressive Pharaohs. The doors of the god’s temple shrine were never opened except by the King himself or the most senior priests. They alone could pursue this activity and see the deity face to face.

“Eminence, there’s a young Greek of the highest class at the front doors requesting an audience with you,” Herihor, a handsome dark-eyed 15 year-old priestling, announced to his superior in Demotic. The pretty boy would have sported silky straight black hair if all hirsute growth on his very lovely form had not been shaved away in traditional priestly style. Fortunately, he still possessed his nicely low-hanging balls, which was more than could be said for the 60 year-old High Priest he was addressing.

“How do you know he’s of the top echelon?” the well-regarded High Priest asked not unreasonably but also not unpleasantly of the neophyte, who was one of the cleverest and most agreeable he had ever recruited to the service of Amon. “Because, Eminence,” Herihor advised, “he speaks with a very cultured accent, even in the Demotic language by which he amazingly addressed me, which also indicates excellent education and social discernment for a Hellene!”

Despite being Greek himself, the High Priest smiled at the comments of Herihor, who, like most serving in the temples that still revered the traditional Egyptian as opposed to Hellenic gods, came from the native population. The 60 year-old had now realised that the 15 year-old’s use of the phrase ‘of the highest class’, in respect of the young person seeking an audience, admiringly referred to, as well as pedigree, the unexpected arrival’s obvious social egalitarianism and beauty. After all, very few Hellenes, especially those still in their youth, ever bothered to learn the local tongue or visit places where the country’s indigenous deities were worshipped, or caused the front of the priestling’s tunic to bulge in the area of the groin, as it was now.

“Allow him into the outer courtyard,” the High Priest, who still retained in his features a degree of the immense handsomeness he had once possessed during his boyhood and youth, requested of Herihor, “and I’ll see him there shortly.” “As you command, Eminence’, the priestling replied, fully aware that no visitor whose religious and social credentials had not been checked could be allowed into the inner sanctuaries.

Shortly afterwards, the High Priest went to see who had asked for an audience with him. When he received his answer, his 60 year-old face turned ashen, whilst shortly afterwards his body collapsed to the paved floor.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“I’ve been told to expect a special guest to our domain,” the smirking middle-aged Greek palace torturer advised his new young apprentice. The Romans had inherited the proficient expert in the inducement of excruciating torment and confessions from Cleopatra. The Queen had used his services against her enemies and their supporters, as well as other, sometimes completely innocent, people who had unfortunately raised her suspicions.

The young apprentice was the good-looking 18 year-old son of the torturer’s impoverished brother. The youth had been selected for appointment to the interesting and prospectively lucrative official post, where most money was earned by selling victims’ possessions, because of his eagerness, shared familial sadism and willingness to pay the necessary price for the favour. His homosexual uncle proposed to enjoy incestuously his nephew’s attractive features many times in the privacy of their joint palace lodgings.

“Who might the special guest be, Uncle?” the young apprentice asked. “Well,” replied the torturer, who previously had been a fawning flatterer of all powerful royals, “I’ve been told to expect to question, with the full panoply of equipment at my disposal, our now deposed and fugitive young King, Caesarion, before sending him on his way to meet his ancestors. Apparently, the Romans are confident that their pursuit of him will soon result in success. I’m ordered to strangle him if our instruments don’t kill him first, which I expect they will, as I intend to enjoy myself with the young bastard. I’ve always fancied him greatly, and so entertaining him here should be enormously pleasurable, especially when I fuck his undoubtedly virgin anus and later cut off his regal genitalia, thereby truly ensuring that he is the last of the Pharaohs, as well as of Julius Caesar’s direct lineage.”

“If you’re good,” the uncle then informed his nephew and now regular bumboy, “I’ll let you share in the fun pursuits, including that provided by our doomed young King’s rear orifice. However, I’ve been told that if you ever let anyone else know that the last of the Pharaohs was ever in our torture chamber, you, as well as possibly me too, will become a victim of our own devices!”

The broad grin that had developed on the young apprentice’s face, as a consequence of learning about the possible delights to come, was immediately wiped from his face on hearing his uncle’s last remark. The 18 year-old then declared solemnly “In respect of this matter, I’ll be as silent as the grave!”

“You better had be,” the torturer retorted, “or that’s the place where you might soon be headed. Our new Roman superiors won’t mess around if they find out that either of us has been indiscreet!”

Conversation then turned to the more pleasant subject of how, and in what order, they would inflict grievous agony and harm on their beautiful young King’s helpless naked body.

(Temple of Amon, banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Heribor’s amazement turned from the visitor’s unexpected linguistic and physical attributes to his High Priest’s reaction to meeting the young guest. The 60 year-old’s collapse to the ground was not as a result of a faint or other ailment but because he had performed a ceremonial prostration. The 15 year-old, being far from naïve, fully appreciated that there was now only one person in the whole world for whom his superior would conduct such homage.

Heribor immediately realised that the stunningly beautiful fair-haired blue-eyed young visitor had to be Ptolemy XV Caesar, King of Kings, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt, son of Amon and a god in his own right. The 15 year-old therefore followed the High Priest to the paved floor.

“What are you doing?” a startled Caesarion enquired, knowing that he must have been recognised but hoping that he could bluff a case of mistaken identity. However, the young King was to be frustrated in this ambition when the High Priest, seemingly reading the regal boy’s mind, begged “Please, Highness, do not deny me the right to acknowledge your presence in this humble temple.” Accordingly, the regal visitor, who did not believe that he had ever seen the 60 year-old man in his life before, and he always had an excellent memory for faces, did not pursue his tactic. He instead asked “How do you know who I am?”

“I regret, Highness, that I was once a fierce enemy of both your father and mother,” Ganymedes truthfully answered.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“So, we’re agreed then,” the torturer suggested, “we use our pricks on our pretty young King first, as we’d like to fuck a Pharaoh who’s not yet been damaged. You also never know, just the threat of being sodomised by our large cocks might induce such a delicate boy to tell us all before we go any further with our harmful pursuits, although that won’t stop us doing so!”

The sadistic man’s sinister, dark, dank place of work then resounded with his loud laughter.

(Temple of Amon, banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

“Please regain your feet both of you,” Caesarion commanded politely, “as I dislike the prostration. The pursuit is not even Egyptian in origin but was inherited from the Persian conquerors of our country. I’ve therefore decided to exclude the rite from court ritual.”

Ganymedes and Heribor obeyed the order of the young Pharaoh, who again asked of the former “How do you know who I am? I do not believe that we have met previously.”

“We have never met, Highness,” Ganymedes answered, “but you possess many of the attractive features of your earthly father Julius Caesar when he too was young, mixed with the distinctive looks of your mother. The combination immediately revealed to me who you were. The revelation of the presence of the son of Amon was undoubtedly also assisted by the god himself, your divine parent. Do you come to visit his local shrine?”

Even as he asked this latter question, Ganymedes realised the likely silliness of the query, given that he knew that the young Pharaoh was fleeing from the Romans. The High Priest instead began to believe that the 17 year-old King must be seeking some form of shelter or other help. However, the last answer the 60 year-old eunuch ever expected was the one he actually received.

“No,” Caesarion announced, “I have come to request Amon’s blessing for my taking of a King’s Great Wife!”

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, Egypt, same time)

“Should I clean and sharpen these shears?” the nephew asked of his uncle, the palace torturer, whilst examining on the serrated blades the remnants of hair and dried blood and skin, which were the grisly souvenirs of previous emasculations and other atrocities perpetrated by the tool.

“Just because we’re about to use them on a former King?” the ugly uncle sneered at his handsome nephew before answering with a bluntness that matched that of the pliers “No! The boy can have his genitals cut off like everyone else who’s suffered the same here, with dirty unsharpened shears. It’ll add nicely to his agonies!”

(Temple of Amon, banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, same time)

Caesarion and Ganymedes chatted for hours in the security of the High Priest’s own quarters, close to the inner sanctuary. Heribor was in unintrusive attendance, respectfully serving the pair with food and drink as required.

Caesarion’s original intention was to seek a simple blessing from Amon for his marriage without giving away his identity. However, it was now apparent that a more elaborate ceremony would not only be arranged as befitted a Pharaoh but also be insisted on by his priestly hosts.

Nevertheless, conversation centred on not only Caesarion’s pursuit of a blessing from Amon, for the unprecedented marriage of the son of the god to an Egyptian peasant girl and former slave, but also the young King’s thirst for knowledge about Ganymedes’ background. The boy had never been told of the eunuch who had served his late aunt, Princess Arsinoe, and had once almost defeated and killed his earthly father, Julius Caesar. The 17 year-old was eager to learn all, even if it reflected badly on his parents, which the High Priest’s story sometimes did.

Ganymedes was encouraged by the skilfully disarming Caesarion to be fulsome and candid about his background and accordingly proceeded to reveal his full tale to the boy King, beginning by telling how he knew what his earthly father had looked like when he was still a youth himself. The intrigued young listener was shocked to discover that the High Priest had been castrated long ago in faraway Bithnyia, where, as a 10 year-old, he had also been bedded by the 20 year-old Julius Caesar. However, despite such appalling revelations, the regal 17 year-old spurred the 60 year-old eunuch into continuing.

Caesarion was not unaware that his earthly family, on both his paternal and maternal sides, had been responsible for many injustices, which did not just signal a dark side to their characters as they pursued their ambitions but were also representative of the cruel times. Ganymedes’ saga simply gave the boy further proof that, in the unlikely chance that he ever became a ruling Pharaoh himself, he had much to pursue to try to repair such history. He intended to achieve this, if the gods allowed, by being a compassionate, just and hopefully worthy King.

“You have much reason to hate me,” Caesarion eventually advised Ganymedes, after the latter had completed his life story. This included the fact that, after the ultimate victory of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra 17 years previously, the eunuch had also become a fugitive. He eventually obtained, under a false name and despite his Greek nationality, sanctuary in this relatively humble and obscure example of one of Amon’s temples, aided by the order’s higher priesthood, who had been some of his most ardent nationalist allies. His undoubted abilities had subsequently brought quiet promotion to his current post.

“My father debauched you when you were only 10 years old,” Caesarion explained, “before much later helping my mother to secure the downfall of your mistress, Princess Arsinoe, whom the Queen then had murdered. She would have killed you too if she had found you!”

Ganymedes had seen no harm in revealing his background to Caesarion, who, in his current circumstances, offered no threat even if he had adopted his mother’s hostile policy towards him. In fact, both knew that the High Priest posed a greater danger to the young Pharaoh, who could, after all, be betrayed to the pursuing Romans for a great reward. However, both also recognised a mutual, sympathetic, respectful empathy, instinctively appreciating that neither represented a threat to the other.

“I have much reason to hate your earthly father and mother, Highness,” Ganymedes confessed, “but not you. I do not believe that such antipathy should be transferred to later generations and I am, after all, an ardent nationalist and royalist. In fact, I have long forgiven Julius Caesar’s actions. If I was a whole 20 year-old and had been offered a very pretty 10 year-old boy eunuch for my bed, I doubt that I’d have refused. I’m also grateful that, after his victory here in Egypt, he let the country keep its independence. I fought him ferociously and, without boasting, almost successfully because I thought that he wanted to include my adopted nation in his Empire. I was proved wrong, humbly acquainting me with the fact I too am not infallible.”

“My attitude towards your mother has also mellowed, Highness,” Ganymedes continued, “although I can never forgive her for having my beloved Princess Arsinoe murdered. Your mother’s policies were almost proved correct. If Marcus Antonius’ forces had been victorious, as many thought they would be, Egypt would effectively be ruling Rome, not the reverse.”

“Anyway, Highness,” Ganymedes then suggested, “enough of me. Apart from marriage, what are your own plans at this perilous time?”

“My mother wanted me to proceed to exile in Parthia,” Caesarion replied, “from where I am to seek my return to the throne. I also swore to the gods that I would achieve my mission for the sake of a loved one who died horribly on the cross to save me from the Romans in pursuit of my person. However….” The boy’s angelic voice then tailed off, as he rehearsed his renewed doubts about the mission in his mind.

Ganymedes, recognising Caesarion’s indecision about the immediate future, tried to tempt the boy to confess his doubts to him by repeating enquiringly “However?” The tactic worked and the 17 year-old informed “I do not want the people to suffer for my ambitions. The Romans appear to have been relatively lenient after their victory, trying to subdue the country peaceably by inducement not violence. However, examples elsewhere suggest that they would savagely repress any unsuccessful revolt, which they would consider a betrayal of their charity and trust. Many thousands would be killed or enslaved, many cities and towns would be destroyed and Egypt would be dismantled as a coherent society, and all because the last of the Pharaohs obstinately refused to accept the reality of the loss of his kingdom. Yet I must seek my eventual return to power, as I have now sworn to the gods to do so.”

“What precisely was the phraseology of your oath, Highness?” Ganymedes asked in an attempt to try to assist Caesarion to resolve his dilemma. “I swore to fulfil the mission my mother had planned for me,” the boy replied.

“Ah,” Ganymedes responded, “then, Highness, you do not have to go to Parthia or ever seek a return to the throne, though the latter scenario would be tragic for most Egyptians, including me.” “What do mean,” an incredulous Caesarion retorted, “as surely that was what my mother intended me to pursue?”

“On the contrary, Highness,” the perceptive Ganymedes declared, “Queen Cleopatra’s mission almost certainly centred only on saving your life. Talk of temporary exile and eventual return was probably only added to induce you to leave her and Egypt. You will, of course, wonder how I know this. Well, please do not forget that I knew her, as well as her younger sister, from childhood because I helped to tutor them both. Over the years, I came to recognise how your mother’s mind worked and, in the grievous situation in which she eventually found herself, she would have recognised the realities of defeat for her country, even in the long-term, and so only your welfare would have been paramount. She was sending you away to safety, fully knowing that you would now never be a Pharaoh who would rule anything except our hearts.”

Caesarion suddenly appreciated the wisdom of Ganymedes’ words and how foolish he had been to interpret the objective of his mother’s mission as anything other than saving his own life. However, the boy was not disappointed by the eunuch’s further revelation, as his mind immediately seemed to be lifted of a great burden.

“You mean that my successful escape into obscurity anywhere would achieve both my mission and my oath,” Caesarion sought to confirm. “In my opinion as a High Priest of your divine father, Amon, Highness,” Ganymedes answered, “yes!”

“Then,” a suddenly perky Caesarion announced, “I shall request the ephebes to take me much further down the Nile than Babylon. I shall ask them to transport me to one of the towns that is linked by caravan route to one of the ports on the Arabian Gulf [modern-day Red Sea], from where I’ll sail for a place I’ve always wanted to go using the seasonal monsoon winds.”

“Where’s that, Highness?” Ganymedes enquired.

“India,” Caesarion responded.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, later that day)

Caesarion left the temple of his heavenly father, Amon, to rejoin the patiently waiting Sesse. The latter 14 year-old was unconcerned about the young King’s proposed marriage, fully and rightfully recognising that the 17 year-old still loved him and would always have a place in his heart, and hopefully occasionally his bed, for him. If Ahmose was like most Egyptian royal wives, she would be liberal enough not to be jealous in any way of her husband’s periodic pursuit and enjoyment of a special male friend’s body. The girl certainly did not seem the over-possessive type.

Sesse had never been silly enough to believe that he should have exclusivity in respect of Caesarion’s affection. The 14 year-old had already shared such love with Ay and he was happy to do so again with his late friend’s sister.

In fact, Ahmose shared Sesse’s generous attitude within reasonable limits. The girl would not have liked a promiscuous husband but allowing a long-standing love affair with a younger boy to continue did not trouble her.

Meanwhile, Caesarion left the temple with a gift from Ganymedes in his possession, in the form of a purple cloak. “What’s that, Lord?” Sesse asked.

“It’s a cloak that belonged to my father,” Caesarion answered. “You mean Amon, Lord?” an incredulous Sesse then enquired.

“No,” Caesarion replied, “Gaius Julius Caesar. It is a trophy of war captured by the Egyptians during a fierce fight against the Romans on Alexandria’s Heptastadion causeway before I was born.” “How did it come to be here, Lord,” Sesse next asked, “and does the gift mean that the priests have recognised you?”

Caesarion then told Sesse about Ganymedes, as they walked the couple of Roman miles back to where their barge was located. However, as they approached the vessel, they saw that Timotheos and the other ephebes, naked fresh from pursuing another game with the oval pig’s bladder, were apparently in trouble, for the location was receiving a visit from some Roman soldiers.

“Run, Lord,” Sesse immediately suggested, “before the Romans see you. You must have been betrayed!” However, Caesarion did not flee. Much to the 14 year-old’s consternation, the 17 year-old instead used the cover of riverside reeds to approach the scene furtively until he came within hearing distance. The young King then perceived a couple of the difficulties the handsome ephebes were encountering. First, the boys could not adequately communicate with the soldiers because they spoke no Latin whilst the men possessed virtually no Greek. Second, military libidos were being stimulated by the sight of beautiful, young, nude male bodies.

“I can’t understand any of the answers to our questions from their apparent leader,” the non-commissioned officer in charge, a ‘tessarius’, commented, whilst referring to Timotheos. “Why don’t we therefore take them back to our camp, where there’s interpreters, for questioning?” one of his men asked.

“Is it worth the trouble?” the tessarius, who was below a centurion in the military pecking order, answered, “as, after all they’re only a group of rather muddy playful Greek boys who can hardly be a threat to the Roman Empire.” “They might be dirty after their game,” the other soldier replied in crude plebeian Latin, “but they’ve got delicious bodies underneath. None of us have had decent pussy for a while whilst we’ve been posted to this shitty hole, foresaken by the gods. Why don’t we punish them for their lack of intelligible answers by fucking them?”

The tessarius, own hidden cock hard and throbbing at the sight of the nude boys, especially Timotheos, was tempted. However, any ambition he might have had to pursue his fancy was thwarted when a voice enquired, in highly cultured and polished Latin, “Can I help you, Sir?” The man turned to observe the most gorgeous young Greek of them all, whose body was sadly covered by a simple tunic, approach from nearby, with a younger Egyptian companion.

“Loquerisne Latine?”, or “You speak Latin?”, rhetorically enquired an astonished tessarius, who had not yet come across any local Greek boy who exhibited the skill, before proceeding to ask of the fair-haired blue-eyed beauty “Who are you?” “My name is Ptolemy, Sir,” Caesarion responded, “and I am a member of this Ephebeian crew. We were on a training voyage from Alexandria, for which we have all necessary written permissions, including those of the Roman authorities, when we became marooned by the inundation.”

“You speak unusually good Latin,” the suspicious tessarius remarked, “for a Greek Egyptian.” “My father was Roman,” Caesarion truthfully replied, “and my mother thought that I should be tutored in the paternal tongue.”

It now became obvious to the tessarius that he was dealing with a group of young Greek nobles, albeit one was a bastard with some Roman blood in his veins. Given Octavian’s current benevolent policies towards the local population, the boys were therefore potentially too important to consider raping.

“Who’s your father?” the tessarius asked. “His name was Gaius,” Caesarion truthfully answered, “but he died when I was very young.” Despite these revelations and the boy’s startling appearance, neither the non-commissioned officer nor any of his men connected the young Greco-Roman to the fugitive Pharaoh. Instead, after checking the existence and authenticity of the paperwork mentioned by the young King, they went on their way to pursue other business, with cocks frustratingly unsatisfied.

After the Romans had disappeared, and Sesse went to collect Gaius Julius Caesar’s cloak, which had been carefully secreted in the reeds, Timotheos advised Caesarion “I’ve never been more grateful than now that you can speak the Roman tongue. I’m sure that, if you hadn’t turned up, the soldiers might have arrested us or done us harm.”

“The harm,” Caesarion responded with a mischievous smile, “would have been entirely to your bottoms and pride!”

(Temple of Amon, banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, next morning)

Ahmose had been startled both by Caesarion’s amazing revelation about his true identity and his marriage proposal. She was also extremely thrilled, and not only because she was to become the King’s Great Wife. The girl, if she had been allowed, would have wed the boy if he had just been a pauper.

The sun god had just risen, after winning his nightly battle for continued existence. Ahmose was now standing, attired in special finery, in the outer courtyard of the local temple of Amon. She was covered from head to toe with bead-net, displaying gold, silver and lapis jewellery. Her parents, along with Sesse, Timotheos and the other ephebes, flanked her, also in their finest clothes. However, everyone had dressed, with Ganymedes’ permission, within the sacred complex in order not to arouse any suspicions in the outside world.

Ganymedes was satisfied that his conscientious and loyal priestly colleagues would forever remain silent about the first visit for over six hundred years to their obscure temple by a Pharaoh, son of the god they all worshipped. Meanwhile, the High Priest was leading his regally attired young King to the large innermost colonnaded sanctuary, where the doors of Amon’s shrine remained unopened, although not for long, and the walls all around were carved with hieroglyphics and pictorial representations of sacred rites.

Caesarion’s garb had been released from its secret hiding place on the Ephebeian barge especially for the occasion. However, within the privacy of the inner sanctuary, two masked priests, one in the form of a falcon, signifying Horus, protector of royalty, and the other an Ibis, symbolising Thoth, master of learning, had initially ritually cleansed their young Pharaoh’s delectable naked body.

The priests poured the sweet-smelling contents of two tall vases over Caesarion’s nude form to cleanse him of his humanity. They then applied, from head to toe, the nine different unguents that would open the boy’s vital energy centres and lead him to a different plain of existence from that of ordinary mankind.

The priests subsequently dressed Caesarion in the white and gold pharaonic kilt, on which they hung a bull’s tale, signifying royal male potency, and matching sandals. A large jewelled collar, with seven rows of coloured beads, was then attached round his neck, with copper bracelets and armlets applied respectively to his wrists and upper arms. A golden band called the ‘sia’, meaning ‘intuitive seeing’, was then tied round the boy’s sublime forehead and a thin ceremonial beard to his still invariably smooth chin.

Caesarion’s lovely head was now further adorned with the red crown of Lower Egypt, which was basket-shaped and topped by a spiral. The oval white mitre of Upper Egypt, which tapered into the shape of a Lotus bulb, was then placed on top, indicating that the union of the two countries was symbolised by the one Pharaoh. Finally, the boy was given two carved wooden sceptres. In one hand he held the ‘ankh’, the sign of life, and crossing this in the other was the ‘uas’ version, symbol of power and dominion.

Satisfied that his young Pharaoh was dressed to divine perfection, Ganymedes then opened the large wooden double-doors to chanted hymns from his priestly colleagues, and Caesarion was immediately confronted in the distance by his heavenly father, Amon, who was only about three feet tall. The god was in human form but dark blue with obsidian eyes as befitted his heavenly status.

The inner windowless granite sanctum was illuminated only by smoky vegetable oil lamps, whose flickering flames somehow brought mobility to Amon’s golden body and alert intelligence to his translucent eyes. This particular bronze depicted the bearded head of a man, sporting the tall pharaonic war crown and with the body of a beetle and the wings of a hawk, although there were four of them, plus the legs of a human and the toes and claws of a lion. The god was further provided with four arms and a large erect penis, and had recently had his eyelids painted black and green.

Caesarion had seen his divine father represented in several such shrines in several different forms but never as exotically. The boy somehow managed to prevent himself from giggling whilst he approached Amon to receive, in the secret ceremony to which only Ganymedes would bear witness, the god’s blessing for his marriage. Meanwhile, the High Priest closed the doors of the sacred shrine to prevent others from spying.

Caesarion knew that the statuette, regularly purified with water and balls of natron and fumigated with incense from a burner shaped like a human arm, was not Amon himself but that, in the presence of the image, he could communicate directly with his heavenly father. The boy could also see, from the ox’s foreleg and heart, as well as pieces of goat and goose, which were lying in front of the bronze, that animals had earlier been slaughtered to present suitable sustenance, along with honey and wine, to the god.

As Caesarion proceeded, he had to circumnavigate a stone plinth on which a small ceremonial boat had been placed. On special occasions, the statuette would be situated in the midship cabin and be carried out on the shoulders of priests. Despite the fact that generally ancient Egyptians were a humane people, sometimes, in the main temple of Amon in Thebes, the god could then watch the Pharaoh club to death enemy prisoners in his honour. The present boy King was thankful that such a ritual was not only currently inappropriate but also no Amorite, Canaanite, Hittite, Hurrian, Libyan, Mitannian, Nubian or pirate had suffered like this for hundreds of years.

Finally, Caesarion stood before his heavenly father, whose blessing to make Ahmose the King’s Great Wife he was pursuing.

(Banks of the Canopic branch of the River Nile, Egypt, later that day)

In ancient Egypt, females generally married between the ages of 12 and 15, whereas males were usually a few years older. Such youthful commitment was because of the low average life expectancy of the age, which had spurred the saying, amongst the ‘Instructions of Ani’, ‘Take a wife while you are young, that she may make a son for you while you are youthful….’

Most marriages were arranged by the couple’s respective families, although, judging from contemporary statues, engravings, paintings and poetry, some love matches did occur. The initial approach was usually made to the girl’s mother by the male suitor, or his parents, through a female go-between.

The ordinary native population did not indulge in formal marriage ceremonies, although family feasts often celebrated weddings if circumstances, usually financial, allowed, as ancient Egyptians loved food, music and dance. Marital union was instead indicated by the simple expediency of the new wife moving to her new husband’s home, dressed, if such could be afforded, in her finest garments. Apart from amongst the poorest classes, who could not pay for a scribe and whose possessions were few anyway, the alliance would also be formerly protected by the earlier signing of a cohabitation contract.

Women in most ancient societies were inevitably considered the subordinate sex and Egypt was no exception. Nevertheless, the feminine gender was better treated there than in many other contemporary countries.

The women were safeguarded by the contracts between husband and wife, drawn up by brides’ fathers, which guaranteed their future property rights and those of their children, including clauses for the payment of alimony in the event of later divorce. The latter event, which sometimes occurred if brides could not produce a son and heir, were relatively easy to obtain by either party, although the female might have to give up her rights under the original wedding agreement if she was the instigator of proceedings.

An example from 219 BC of one of the prenuptial agreements, which were given to temples or neutral third parties to keep safe, begins: ‘The Blemmyann, born in Egypt, son of Horpais, whose mother is Wenis, has said to the woman Tais, daughter of the Khahor, whose mother is Tairerdjeret: I have made you a married woman. As your woman’s portion, I give you two pieces of silver….If I dismiss you as wife and dislike you and prefer another woman to you as wife, I shall give you two pieces of silver in addition to the two pieces of silver mentioned above….and I shall give you one third of each and everything that will accrue to you and me.’ Sometimes marriages were for trial periods, such as a year, designed to see whether pregnancy emerges and such contracts would reflect this arrangement.

Women could inherit, control or dispose of property in their own names and could sign their own legal contracts. However, their career options were limited to menial working or pursuing secondary priestly functions in the various temples.

The husbands could take concubines and have children by them, and it was usual for the wives to adopt these offspring as their own. However, polygamy was rare for the normal man because of the expense and adulterers were condemned, particularly the female partners involved.

Matches between relatives, such as first cousins and between uncles and nieces, were common as they kept assets within the family. More incestuous relationships, such as between brother and sister, were usually pursued only by royalty, who did not want to dilute their divine bloodline too much. Widows and widowers often remarried.

The present wedding was to have many of the customary features of an ancient Egyptian, as opposed to Greek, event, although the suitor had not used a female go-between but had made a direct approach to the prospective wife’s parents. The usual contract had been drawn up, although neither the bride nor groom believed that the inherent safeguards would ever be necessary, as the union was clearly a love match.

Ahmose’s stunned adoptive parents had been quickly brought round to granting Caesarion’s request for the hand of the 15 year-old in marriage. The process had naturally being aided by being advised that their adoptive daughter would be designated forever the ‘King’s Great Wife’, which was an almost unknown honour for a commoner over the entire length of Egypt’s history. To the father and mother, the pride to be gained from such an immense distinction was hardly diminished at all by the fact that their beloved girl might only enjoy the title in exile.

Parental co-operation was only enhanced further by learning that, if somehow the marriage turned sour in the future, the customary contract, rapidly drawn up with Caesarion himself acting as scribe, granted Ahmose one half of her husband’s wealth in the event of unanticipated future divorce. This figure, inflated from the normal one-third, had been insisted on by the 17 year-old himself, as a symbolic gesture, intending to indicate that he thought that only death would ever cause marital separation.

The reference to the young Pharaoh’s riches was also not inconsequential, despite his current plight. A hundred talents of gold, an enormous sum for the day and smuggled out of her mausoleum by Cleopatra for the use of her eldest son, just before the Romans overran Alexandria, was hidden aboard the Ephebeian training barge.

A tiny portion of this gold was being used discreetly to pay for the wedding feast, which, under the circumstances, could not take place in the resplendent surrounds of the groom’s home, namely Alexandria’s royal palace, but rather in the much more humble dwelling of the bride’s adoptive parents. However, for security, the only invitees to the joyous pursuit were those who now knew Caesarion’s identity, including all of his ephebe companions but excluding the priests of Amon, who by tradition did not attend such events.

This scenario necessarily entailed the exclusion from proceedings of other members of Ahmose’s adoptive family, the household slaves, who were given the day off, and other villagers, none of who were informed about the event. The lack of servants meant that the ephebes, as they were now accustomed to doing on board their barge, prepared the food, as well as served the various simple but pleasant dishes they had created.

The reason given for the unusual celebration, especially to the highly curious household slaves, was that the ephebes wished to thank Ahmose’s parents for their various kindnesses. However, given the sparse amenities on board their vessel, it was claimed that it was deemed appropriate to use the better accommodation and facilities offered by their hosts in order to do so.

Unfortunately, the happy celebrations were curtailed when a large troop of heavily armed Roman soldiers, led by Agrippa himself, unexpectedly burst in to gatecrash proceedings. The general’s pursuit of the boy king had finally ended successfully.

It appeared that the delay in re-launching the barge, caused by the wedding, would prove fatal for the last of the Pharaohs and his friends.

(Former royal palace, Alexandria, a week later)

“Well, boy,” the torturer announced, “you’re going to have an interesting few days in our company, as we’re going to strip you, fuck you, whip you, torture you and eventually nullify you. We might also chop off other sensitive parts of your undoubtedly gorgeous young body during these pleasurable pursuits before we finally kill you, when death, I assure you, will come as a merciful release!”

On hearing this awful pronouncement, Caesarion, currently still attired in his simple wedding tunic and despite trying his best to be brave, almost fainted.

(To be concluded in chapter 6 – ‘Afterlives’)