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NERO
By Pueros Chapter XI – Coercions (Domus of Palaemon, Rome, in September of the 5th year of the reign of the Emperor Claudius [AD 46]) ‘Any one thing in the creation is sufficient to demonstrate a providence to an humble and grateful mind.’ - Epictetus Axenius could not believe his remarkable change in fortunes. Instead of being coerced into sexual servitude in a specialist male brothel, he now suddenly had a not too taxing life as a personal slave to a kind and considerate master to look forward to. He later swore to me, on the sacred memory of his ancestors, that the statue of Cybele, situated prominently on the front apex of the roof of the goddess’ temple and normally displaying a straight face, had smiled benevolently at him as he and Palaemon had left the square below. The young Germanian was thereafter forever sure that the deity had planned this benign destiny for him despite, or perhaps because of, his earlier disdain for her worship and the forms it took. It is therefore somewhat ironic that it was only Axenius’ departure from Cybele’s service that made him a true believer in the great Mother Goddess. His certainty in the deity not only encouraged him now to attend her public rituals as a lay worshipper as often as possible but also subsequently led to other converts, not least me. Axenius was also surprised by the reception he received from the Archigallus and the other gallae when he eventually returned to Cybele’s temple. He had expected to be shunned by the castrated priesthood, in light of his earlier exit in disgrace from their service. However, having recognized their former slave amongst the public congregation, he was, when post-ceremonial decorum permitted, welcomed as if he was a long lost friend. No word was said about the circumstances of Axenius’ recent dismissal. Instead the polite conversation centred round the young eunuch’s life with Palaemon, an alteration in fortune of which the gallae were somehow aware. The 16 year-old did not know at the time whether the shift in priestly attitude was due to obsequiousness, given the fame and influence of his new master, or genuine delight for his improved situation. Axenius later told me that he suspected the latter. He believed that the usually compassionate Archigallus might have regretted his actions in expelling the young slave from Cybele’s service to an awful destiny, recognizing that he had perhaps acted precipitately, hypocritically and unwisely, having let anger coerce him. I told him that jealousy was also probably a major, if not the main, factor. My friend’s face blushed at the implication behind my remark. Axenius’ theory was much later confirmed to be fact when another of the gallae whispered to him that the Archigallus had been seen hurrying from the temple of Cybele, with a guilty sorrowful look on his face, an hour after the young Germanian’s expulsion. He was subsequently reported to have visited a brothel owner to buy back the now forgiven miscreant young slave, only to find that someone else had beaten him to the purchase. (The villa of Caius Silius, Rome, same time) ‘You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.’ - Plato “Right, No-balls,” 13 year-old Sribonia commanded, in the garden of her urban home, “strip for our guests, as they want to play with your horrible little gelded frame again.” As I reluctantly obeyed my effectual principal mistress’ now frequent order with my customary reddening face, 11 year-old Tullia giggled as usual whilst 8 year-old Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, 7 year-old Marcus Annaeus Lucanus and 11 year-old Silius Italicus just sported wide grins. This time, I was not to be a target for hunting practice but was being coerced into being the one-boy opposition in a ball game against a team of three, albeit younger, adversaries. I dared not question the need to be nude whilst my opponents remained clothed. I was sure that I would only be informed that the undressing was required to distinguish the enemy before I was beaten for having the effrontery to ask. I also already appreciated that it was a ludicrous demand, actually designed once more only to humiliate and to set up my body in readiness for the chastisement that would undoubtedly follow the game, in appropriate reflection of the superior score made against me. The hour-long pastime we played was the same ball kicking game that is still commonly indulged in by plebeian boys in the streets of Rome. In fact, Cicero described one court case in which a man being shaved was killed after a ball, a ‘pila’, which is basically a stitched pig’s bladder, inflated and wrapped tightly in a pigskin casing, was kicked into a barber’s shop. I actually later enjoyed the game, when played with others more to my liking and better for my welfare than the current young quintet. I therefore sometimes wonder whether it will one day become more popular.
The object is to kick the pila past the opposition and into a target they attempt to defend, at present, in Caius Silius’ garden, between respective pairs of trees. I observed, without surprise, that the goal towards which I was aiming was noticeably less wide than that of my adversaries. Nevertheless, in the event, despite being an outnumbered novice, I somehow managed to restrict my overall scoring deficit, carefully and cheerfully counted by the watching girls, to three by the end, much to my younger opponents’ annoyance. Being older, bigger and, as a hard working slave as opposed to a rich generally pampered free boy, fitter undoubtedly aided my cause. However, Sribonia had a surprise in store that horrified me and delighted her guests. “Oh didn’t I tell you, No-balls,” the sadistic sneering girl announced, as I bent over to receive the anticipated trio of blows from the leather strap to which my bottom had by now become well accustomed, “for this game the forfeits are triple the usual!” Despite the mental anguish that this revelation induced at shocked foreknowledge of the amount of pain to come, I managed to remain both silent and in my degrading pose, although not for long. As customary, it was the victorious boys who were permitted the honour of disciplining me for losing the recent game. 8 year-old Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus was, as usual, allowed to go first, his two male companions deferring to him not only in terms of order but also by allowing him to perpetrate one of the hits allocated to them. The chubby young patrician therefore had five strikes to make and his young associates two each. I soon felt the hard leather being rubbed up and down the vulnerable curvature of my posterior, as I stood, legs apart with hands firmly gripping my shins, whilst Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus prepared his aim. I shivered in fright but nevertheless managed defencively to clench my bumcheeks tightly when the strap was eventually withdrawn, indicating that the first painful blow was now imminent. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, already good at delivering such chastisement, was clearly becoming even better despite his supposedly tender years. The first clout was so well executed that the power behind it and the resulting excruciation caused me to topple over onto all fours, simultaneously issuing an agonized yelp. Whilst loud laughter erupted amongst the other young spectators, the obviously gleeful chubby boy eventually instructed me to “Stand up, No-balls, and receive your punishment like man.” The 8 year-old then began chuckling as he continued “Even though a barbarian gelding like you can never be considered a real male!” The comment caused the happy chortling uttered by his young male and female friends to intensify. As I regained my feet and my earlier degrading posture, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus now advised me that his first strike would not count, as I had been willfully and cowardly disobedient by not maintaining my stance. It was information that was not unexpected. However, it reinforced my determination to remain in position for the rest of the painful event and I somehow managed to succeed in my aim, although the boy’s own aim, both in terms of strength and target of delivery, remained better than ever. The second blow landed squarely across my 14 year-old bottom, just above the vivid, darkening red stripe created by the 8 year-old's previous hit. I yelped again but kept my pose to wait for the next hit, amidst the sounds of continued giggling from nearby. Dampness formed in my eyes but I desperately wanted to be able to display my recently acquired ability to restrain tears in such situations, even though this event was more terrible than any previously encountered. However, in retrospect, such attempted bravery, born out of pride, was probably foolish for it undoubtedly infuriated Sribonia, encouraging the girl to make me suffer even more, as on this awful occasion. I almost succeeded in my courageous but misplaced attempt not to cry. By the time that the final tally of ten intensely stinging strikes had decorated my vulnerable and previously very pleasant rear cheeks, the facial variety had been besmirched by only a few lachrymose droplets. The earlier creaminess of my backside had also changed to a largely dark red and very painful hue, which Apollinus took much care to tend later. My fellow 14 year-old was even considerately prepared to forego his customary reward for such kind attention, being perceptively aware of my acute distress, vent up within a deeply hurt, humiliated and angry young body. When I later saw Gaius, however, I declined to advise him about how awful the incident had been to me, believing that he might unwisely irately reprimand Caius Silius about such treatment of young slaves. I knew my master’s character by now and realized that such admonition would only result in a quick falling out between the pair, undoubtedly resulting in the ending of my wonderful liaisons with the lovely youth. Accordingly, I just told Gaius that the marks spoiling my buttocks, which made it difficult to sit on my bottom, were the result of justified punishment for a servant’s carelessness. He was obviously upset at the sight but I eventually managed to persuade him that it would be counter-productive to try to remedy my lot, which was, after all, not unusual for a slave. The youth reluctantly accepted my argument and then sacrificed the now usual pleasures of sodomy for the attentions of my mouth, before resuming my education in more mundane and less enjoyable matters. Nevertheless, as Gaius subsequently left my master’s urban villa, with the inevitable Hylas at his side, he swore to himself that he would try to minimize my suffering within Caius Silius’ household as much as possible, until such a time that he could legitimately rescue me from the whole scene. He had already sadly rejected the notion of trying to arrange an illegal escape as, given my owner’s past track record, the cost of failure would undoubtedly be my crucifixion. (The villa of Caius Silius, Rome, one month later, in October of the 5th year of the reign of the Emperor Claudius [AD 46]) ‘To enjoy the things we ought and to hate the things we ought has the greatest bearing on excellence of character.’ - Aristotle (Nichomachean Ethics) Routine in the household of Caius Silius went on much as before, although little was seen of Crispina, who stayed much of the time in her bedchamber, reportedly distraught and grieving for her lost child. There was also a rumour amongst the large complement of domestic slaves that she blamed her husband for the newborn’s sad demise and, as a consequence, now did not want to see either him or his daughters. The whispered gossip, which as usual reached my ears via Apollinus, became more sinister when it hinted that this familial rift stemmed from the fact that Crispina’s baby had been born in almost perfect condition, certainly not in any state that would justify fatal exposure. The veracity of such furtive commentary seemed reinforced by the alleged sources of the information, female slaves who intimately served the young 15 year-old mistress and the wagoner who had driven the major domo to the site of the appalling act on the night in question. Naturally, I passed on such disturbing but nevertheless interesting tittle-tattle to Gaius during our liaisons. Like everyone else, my youthful lover could not at the time perceive any motive for Caius Silius being party to such a dastardly deed. My liaisons with Gaius, invariably accompanied by the delightful infant Hylas, helped me to endure the continuing nasty attentions of Sribonia and Tullia, and occasionally their guests. In the month since the supposedly educational meetings had commenced, my reading and writing of Latin had progressed very satisfactorily, as it appeared that I was intelligent enough to be a quick learner. This capability also seemed to extend to sex, an area where both my 16 year-old lover and myself gained even more satisfaction from improved erudition. However, this was spoilt somewhat on the four nocturnal occasions when Caius Silius visited my little basement cell to make up for the loss of marital comforts on the rare nights he was not visiting the Imperial palace. My master’s so-called amorous attentions still only gave me pain and grief. My distress, at such distasteful forced use of my unwilling body, became as much mental as physical when it was discreetly announced by the major domo to the household retinue of slaves that the urban villa was soon to host another of Caius Silius’ occasional orgiastic banquets. I was again to be a server and I now knew what the full array of courses would include. This time, Gaius would almost certainly not be able to rescue me from some of the lechers present because Palaemon had told him that it was unlikely that the host would permit a repetition of the youth’s monopolization of my time. The teacher explained that this would be for two reasons. First, Gaius already had special regular access to my, in his own words, ‘delightful form’, and any attempt at greediness would be frowned upon. Second, some very influential guests had been denied my body last time because of the youth’s action, which had been perceived as rude selfishness by many. These men were much more important than a 16 year-old equestrian only recently granted the toga virilis, although their full significance to my master was not yet appreciated by anyone other than himself and Messalina. Nevertheless, Gaius was determined to attempt to save me from being coerced into the clutches of Caius Silius’ lascivious guests. His first attempt utilized some of the debating skills that Palaemon had been successfully trying to instill in the youth, who proved, like me, to be a quick and able learner. It was made at the beginning of one of my youthful lover’s visits, when my master, if at home, would invariably welcome the young guest and indulge in polite brief conversation before the eager 16 year-old escaped to be where, and with whom, he really wanted to be. However, his proficiently delivered diplomatic polemics proved to no avail. Gaius, certainly correctly, believed that he could not argue his true purpose for seeking my escape from licentious attentions. Advocacy of his love for me, and desire to protect me from debauchery, would only look to others like infatuation and jealously, completely inappropriate in respect of a vassal for someone of his status. Such an entreaty would, accordingly, have undoubtedly been treated as a risible plea from an obviously immature and silly youth. After all, I was a mere barbarian eunuch slave, someone proper Romans would treat as they saw fit without conscience. The 16 year-old therefore had had to suggest other reasons to justify my absence from service at the forthcoming banquet. Gaius’ case was eventually propounded from several perspectives, increasing in desperation as Caius Silius declined to accept the wisdom of any. One of the less ingenuous related to how my currently significant financial value might diminish through the damage that could be caused by the exposure of a delicate flower like me to potentially brutal molestation. However, such pleas fell on deaf ears, for my immensely rich ambitious Roman master cared nothing for my worth, either in monetary terms or as a fellow human being. He instead wanted to use the young, very pretty barbarian brat for his own ends and, if these entailed physical and sexual abuse by people whose support he wished to acquire for his future plans, so be it. Gaius did not use his final argument until the day before the banquet. He had hoped not to need it because it not only went against his normal principles but also had the potential to rebound nastily, perhaps to the extent that it could bring our delightful liaisons to an abrupt halt. In fact, the repercussions actually turned out to be even worse. However, the youth had become frantic at his inability to save me from the salacious, potentially harmful, hands of others. The dangerous, brave but, in retrospect, reckless course my 16 year-old lover, new to Rome, now embarked upon, against one of the city’s most influential men, was one of coercion. (Domus of Palaemon, same time) ‘Non ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco.’ (Being not unacquainted with woe, I learn to help the unfortunate) - Virgil (‘Aeneid’, i, 604) It was not because of coercion that Axenius had been drawn towards his master’s clutches but a mixture of burgeoning love, jealousy and self-need. Axenius had known from the constant vivid look of intense unrequited desire in Palaemon’s eyes, whenever he looked at his new slave, how much the man wanted him, despite clear attempts to disguise such lusts. However, the 16 year-old eunuch also began to appreciate that his master’s philosophy to life, which encompassed his servants, made him selflessly deny himself what he could have taken by right. Palaemon attempted to hide his true caring nature behind a highly assured, sometimes falsely superior and often brazen façade. He was unafraid to display his carnal desires towards others seemingly ready to share them, if only for the usual golden reward. However, he also limited such amorous adventures to girls and youths outside his household, generally readily available at the nightly banquets he attended elsewhere. Axenius was now Palaemon’s personal slave, the previous incumbent of the post having been freed to run, at a tidy salary, one of his former master’s, and now employer’s, vineyard businesses. Amongst the young Germanian’s new duties, was the requirement to assist the famous silvery-haired teacher to bathe and dress. The 16 year-old could not help noting with admiration each time that, for a male of his age and dissolute reputation, the tutor’s body was a fine specimen of mature manhood. This was generally evidenced by display of a fulsome manly erection whenever Axenius, skimpily attired in a loincloth undergarment for the purpose, conducted, on Palaemon’s naked form, various bathing chores, such as applying or scraping body oil or performing massage. The young eunuch had become expert at these tasks after his service in the temple of Cybele. However, despite the delectable erotic sensations induced by the gentle manual ministrations of the beautiful, almost nude, 16 year-old, his master still refrained from indulging ever intensifying desires. Axenius’ duties also now extended to fetching and carrying and performing errands for Palaemon, as well as accompanying his master everywhere. The latter included the nightly, often orgiastic, banquets held by lecherous acquaintances. As Palaemon’s slave, Axenius was exempt from being one of the young sexual entertainers, unless his master decreed otherwise, which he would never do. However, this did not prevent the beautiful servant from receiving many admiring glances and lewd comments and invitations from the other lascivious guests. Such ribaldry did not affect Axenius, for he had suffered much worse when a slave in Caius Silius’ residence and when dancing through the streets of Rome in feminine garb as a servant of Cybele. Instead, what most disturbed the young eunuch, much to his own surprise, was the increasingly acute jealously he felt when Palaemon succumbed to the delights of one of the girls or youths apparently willingly on offer to a renowned generous and gentle patron, and disappeared with them for a while. It was a situation that the 16 year-old eventually came to recognize that he had to alleviate. Axenius was assisting with his master’s ablutions once more, in readiness for another early evening departure to yet another banquet where much of the fare on offer would be sexually as well as gastronomically satisfying. Palaemon was lying naked, face-up, on a marble slab in his private bathhouse, as his young slave massaged his chest, moving slowly downwards. As normal, Palaemon sported an erection but, as usual, he was only concerned with trying to disguise the lustful look in his eyes not his loins. The latter was a frequent phenomenon in bathhouses during the massaging process, indicating common physical reaction to the manual handling of virile manly bodies and considered natural and innocent. However, the former was evidence of attraction to the skillful manipulator of flesh, which Axenius’ new master did not want to show in case his gorgeous youthful slave felt coerced to react through servility. In the event, the 16 year-old’s eventual response was caused by genuine ever-growing love for an honourable man. Genitalia were not a customary target for decent massage. However, Palaemon gasped in surprise when Axenius finally summoned the cheek and courage to grasp hold of his master’s cock to begin carefully to pump the erect member. Palaemon looked up into Axenius’ beautiful face, blushing slightly in embarrassment at declaring his own accumulated and now desperate need. However, the young eunuch appreciated that he had gone too far to stop now. The 16 year-old therefore reached for the tie that kept his minuscule loincloth in place whilst smiling sweetly. The latter action had to be slightly forced because of sudden fear of humiliating rejection that unexpectedly seared through his lovely young form. Neverthelees, the young Germanian’s sole garment soon fell to the floor whilst his head lowered itself towards his master’s groin. “Master,” Axenius managed to ask despite a rapidly drying nervous throat, “do you have to dine out tonight, as you can always acquire your pleasures at home?” The shocked Palaemon then felt his cockhead, drooling precum as a result of the now naked young eunuch’s manual attentions, being engulfed by the 16 year-old’s rosy lips. As Axenius began to suck and lick, his young gelded, but nevertheless wondrous, body began to shiver whilst he tremulously awaited Palaemon’s reply, afraid that he might now only induce his master’s disgusted anger not semen. However, the beautiful 16 year-old was reassured when he felt two encouraging manly hands come to rest gently on his silky blonde hair. Later, another of Palaemon’s slaves was sent to express regrets for his master’s inability to dine out that night as the renowned teacher had undisclosed professional work to perform. However, unlike the previous occasion when such apologies had been despatched, Axenius was not being taught what his normal duties would be in relation to his new master. Instead, he was learning from an expert tutor how a very affectionate male couple could truly mutually enjoy sex to the full. (Imperial palace, Rome, same time) ‘Do nothing secretly, for time sees and hears all things and discloses all.’ - Sophocles Messalina was in the arms of the handsomest man in Rome. They had enjoyed sex twice already, discussing the progress of their conspiracy between each bout of intense prolonged lovemaking. However, Caius Silius now knew from the beautiful Empress’ glazed expression and her renewed handling of his softened cock that it was again time to return to erotic action. Caius Silius was something of a human stallion, as a number of his young slaves, including Apollinus and myself, had discovered, and his penis quickly reacted to Messalina’s gentle groping. The man’s sexual stamina was assisted by sight of the 23 year-old woman’s beautiful face and perfect feminine body, superbly adorned with firm buxom breasts, peaked by sweet rosy nipples, and delicately thin pubic hair, which barely hid the female jewels beneath. However, the latter had already been penetrated twice to receive much ejaculate and it was clear, by the repositioning the Empress undertook, that she now wanted to experience something different. Messalina turned over, exposing her lustrous curvaceous buttocks to Caius Silius’ eager gaze. She then spread her legs to allow the man sight of his next penile objective, a pinkish sphincter blinking at him in tandem with a young feminine heartbeat and in apparent keen invitation. My master, virile appetite suddenly reawakened, performed his own repositioning and began to lower his reinvigorated large erection, readily coerced towards the tempting target. A loud female squeal of delight soon reverberated around the bedchamber as entry occurred, speedily followed by male grunts of pleasure as the large manly invader thrust eagerly in and out of the young woman’s innards. As Apollinius, Axenius and myself knew only too well, it was a form of sexual activity that Caius Silius usually reserved for boys. However, Imperial command had obviously encouraged him to experiment with a feminine rear orifice as well. You may ask, reader, how I know about these furtive happenings in Messalina’s bedchamber. Well, I am able to recount them because I was later told about them by an impeccable source. You see, as my master sodomised the Empress, interested eyes watched through a secret spyhole in a nearby wall.
(The Forum, Rome, one month later, in November of the 5th year of the reign of the Emperor Claudius [AD 46]) ‘I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.’ - Augustus My two months of regular exposure to Gaius’ attentions had made me proficient at the arts not only of reading and writing in Latin but also of love. The latter was undoubtedly helped by the youth’s persuasive abilities, for he had finally gone against his nature to secure Caius Silius’ agreement to my release from serving at any banquets where my sexual favours would be one of the dishes made available to guests. My lovemaking was therefore natural, being largely unsullied by the need to act as a catamite for many others, most undoubtedly less discerning and more crude and cruel in tastes. My master had been happy to oblige Gaius, not because of the youth’s winning charm, or the fact that he had plenty of other unfortunate pretty slaves to perform such a demeaning function, but because the 16 year-old was blackmailing him. Gaius, in his desperation, advised Caius Silius of the rumour he had heard, namely that the man’s late baby daughter had been exposed for no good reason. The youth skillfully used polite tact whilst at the same time displaying clear ambition, conveying the news in such a way that he diplomatically feigned personal disbelief in the suggestion whilst threateningly making it plain how awful it might be to my master’s reputation if such evil wild conjecture spread. As the 16 year-old made his statement, he did not know that the story was wicked only because it was true. Gaius was gambling, successfully as it turned out, that Caius Silius would do much to prevent such gossip from spreading, whether there was any veracity in it or not. However, real suspicions about ‘the handsomest man in Rome’ began to surface in the youth’s astute brain after he observed my master’s reactions to the coercive manoeuvre.
Caius Silius recognized the implications of Gaius’ words immediately, along with the identity of the person who would undoubtedly be the source of such damaging hearsay and the motive for the disguised attempt at blackmail. In the youth’s cleverly discerning mind, it was not now my master’s sudden change in attitude regarding my functions, or his suppressed but nevertheless clear anger at the 16 year-old’s coercion, that was evidence of a reproachable conscience. Instead, the latter was revealed to him by an apparent guilty edge to the man’s subsequent conversation. In Gaius’ perceptive opinion, Caius Silius was simply too zealous in denial to be innocent of the dreadful accusation, despite the youth’s inability to recognize a motive. However, a lack of real evidence meant that my youthful lover dared not pursue the matter. The 16 year-old was also worried that he might already have been too bold in winning what he wanted. In this latter concern, he was to be proved correct. Crispina herself had disclosed little about the death of her newborn, ostensibly persuaded to keep quiet by the generous financial settlement that was now to accompany her shortly to be announced divorce. This not only entailed the return of her substantial dowry to her family but also the award of a very generous annual allowance for life, even if she remarried. However, although only she knew it at the time, she was really just waiting patiently to secure her revenge. Meanwhile, Caius Silius was intent on perpetrating similar vengeance, but in respect of my youthful lover and myself, although he initially acted as if nothing untoward had happened. In fact, my master appeared to adopt an even more benevolent stance towards my meetings with Gaius, permitting him to take me out on trips around Rome, supposedly to broaden my education. On one such occasion, the youth took Hylas and me to see the splendours of the Forum. The Forum is the heart of Rome. The large complex consists of magnificent temples, processional ways, triumphal arches, basilicas, council halls and squares and other open spaces decorated with rostra, statues and tall columns. Aqueducts supply many pools and fountains and keep the resplendent gardens colourful even in winter. The scene is overlooked by the huge Imperial palace on the nearby Palatine hill and is busy with senators and orators, promoting their politics and points of view, and with merchants and tradesman, selling their wares and skills. For a boy who had never seen a building made of stone before his capture, I found my surroundings overwhelming, as I stood with Gaius and Hylas in the middle of the square in front of the wide tall entrance steps of the splendid Temple of Castor and Pollux. The similarly awe-inspiring Basilica Julia was to my right and Temple of the Divine Julius and Arch of Augustus to my left, with the broad Via Sacra behind me. Much construction and refurbishment work had been undertaken in the Forum during the reign of Augustus. I therefore supposed that he had earned his eponymous arch. My compatriot, 4 year-old Hylas, was as initially speechless as me at the sights, much to the amusement of his considerate master and my kind lover. Gaius therefore took us to a vendor selling refreshing fruit juices to buy some of the drinks to loosen our tongues. He perhaps subsequently regretted his actions because this only resulted in a lengthy, seemingly insatiable, torrent of inquisitive questions from the pair of young Britannian slaves. Accompanied, as the joyous occasion was, by some pleasant later lovemaking in the now usual guestroom of Caius Silius’ urban villa, I at first considered the day to be best in my life so far. However, my happiness was to be short-lived after Gaius and Hylas departed for their Rome residence. This time, it was not Sribonia or Tullia who caused my grief but my master’s carefully planned awful retribution for being blackmailed by my youthful lover. Caius Silius knew from whom Gaius must have learnt the rumour about his late newborn and now proposed terrible revenge on both the provider and recipient of the information. (Plebeian quarter, Rome, same time) ‘Every man is like the company he is wont to keep.’ - Euripides Caius Silius’ major domo left one of the more notorious of the many inns in one of the most disreputable parts of the worst plebeian quarter. The free man, regular perpetrator or organizer of his master’s worst deeds, displayed a smile of satisfaction on his face, as well as redness induced by much consumption of alcoholic beverages. The furtive transaction had been satisfactorily concluded and had not cost his master as much as anticipated, not that Caius Silius would ever see the change, which the major domo considered his commission for arranging the disposal of an annoyance. The free man’s smirk broadened when he remembered what he would be doing on his return to his master’s urban villa, for the new very pretty slave brat from Britannia was going to lose some of his good looks, at least temporarily. Shortly after the major domo had departed the hostelry, four evil-looking scar-faced men also abandoned the tavern. They had interrupted their heavy drinking reluctantly but nevertheless compensated by the fact that they should be back soon, having earned the gold aureus now burning a hole in each of their pockets. (The villa of Caius Silius, Rome, a short time afterwards) ‘Whom they have injured they also hate.’ - Seneca the Younger Two burly adult slaves from Caius Silius’ outer household came to collect me from my tiny basement cell, where I was resting awhile before the time arrived when I had to return to the service of my master’s two daughters. I immediately knew that I was in serious trouble by the manner in which the men grabbed me from my bed and unceremoniously dragged me upstairs and outside. This perception was reinforced by sudden appreciation, once in the garden, as to my destination, for I was being inexorably guided towards the dreaded punishment frame. On arrival, my red tunic was removed and my now petrified, quaking, naked body was painfully suspended by my wrists from the wooden construction, below which the ground remained bloodstained from previous horrific activity. The other household slaves then began to gather to watch what was about to happen. (Domus of Palaemon’s residential pupils, plebeian quarter, Rome, same time) ‘Many a time, from a bad beginning great friendships have sprung up.’ - Terence Persius and Quintilianus had as usual dismissed their adult slaves for the day, preferring to attend to each other’s late afternoon bathtime needs. It was now a daily feature of domus activity that had at first amused some of the other young residents because of the incongruity of the new pairing, previously renowned only for mutual antipathy. However, this was soon forgotten, as very close friendships were common amongst pupils forced to live away from home, and everyone appreciated that the relationships were usually not just platonic. Later, the generally more adventurous Quintilianus coerced, albeit with little resistance, Persius into an early bedtime, his friend’s recent oiling, scraping and massaging of his naked body having stimulated unquenchable need for masturbation by his fellow 12 year-old’s now well-practised and skilful hand. Afterwards, feeling hungry for food as opposed to reciprocated sex, but not wanting to endure the dinner fare provided in the domus, the young duo decided to eat out. Palaemon had tried his best to ensure good quality repasts for his pupils but the requirement to cater in bulk for fussy changeable juvenile appetites had always produced some grumbles. I occasionally wonder if such attitudes will change down the centuries, or will school meals always be a source of constant complaint? (Port of Ostia, same time) ‘Of all human ills, greatest is fortune's wayward tyranny.’ - Sophocles (‘Ajax’) The slave ship carrying what remained of the young black human cargo had eventually docked in Rome’s main port. There had been considerable wastage amongst the goods during the long voyage from Alexandria, caused primarily by the awful hot crowded conditions in the hold, the issue of little food and water and troubled sea conditions. The captive merchandise had been completely unaccustomed to sea travel and the rough weather encountered en-route had led to the demise of many, not that all of those thrown overboard were dead. Some were simply identified as being either beyond redemption or too bothersome to repair. Nevertheless, the handsome 16 year-old youth, unknowingly destined for the brothel called the ‘House of Cybele’, disembarked, blinking into setting sunlight, the first that he had seen for almost two months, in a disheveled and underfed but otherwise remarkably good physical shape. His survival, of not only the terrible sea trip but also the earlier long dreadful journey from his distant African homeland, had been assisted by an excellent strong bodily constitution. The pretty black youth would shortly need all this resilient strength when his genitalia were removed. (Plebeian quarter, Rome, same time) ‘The day is for honest men, the night for thieves.’ - Euripides (Iphigenia in ‘Tauris’) The sun was setting with the onset of night. As usual, with the impetuosity of youth, Gaius, accompanied by Hylas, was taking a short cut from Caius Silius’ urban villa back to the dwelling of Palaemon’s residential pupils. This led him unwisely along some dark back alleys in the plebeian quarter, despite being told by his sensible teacher to avoid such Roman thoroughfares. Gaius began to appreciate the wisdom of this advice when traversing one of the quieter passageways. Two men bearing knives suddenly stepped out of a side alley to block his path. The youth instantly believed that an attempt at robbery was now about to take place. He therefore looked to his rear with a view to trying to escape back whence he had come. Unfortunately, two similarly armed criminals had now located themselves there, apparently appearing from nowhere. The clearly trapped Gaius had no weapon and so, coerced by the dangerous predicament, hoped that the men would settle for the cash he carried on his person without resorting to violence. The youth therefore proposed to offer the robbers no fight, just the coins he possessed. It was not a cowardly attitude but one based upon intelligent unflustered calculation as to how he and Hylas could escape with their lives from such a perilous situation. However, the 16 year-old was not to know that theft of money was not the criminals’ main purpose, although the largesse would be both a bonus and bogus covering motive. Instead, the evil-looking scar-faced men, advised regarding Gaius’ usual route home by Caius Silius’ major domo, who had secretly followed the youth on a few occasions, had theft of young lives foremost in their minds. (To be continued in chapter XII – ‘Bloodletting’)
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