Nero 47
By: pueros

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[WARNING] [BI] [PENECTOMY] [TESTICLES] [NULLIFICATION] [MINOR]

This is the forty-seventh chapter of the autobiography of Bicilus, reputedly transcribed from the original Latin parchments and passed down through time until this version was discovered, translated and adapted for publication. The chapter describes some of the happenings in Rome and the city’s vast Empire at the time of the annual festival of the Robigalia in the year 52 AD and afterwards.



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NERO

By Pueros

Chapter XLVII – Injuries

(Domus of Callistus, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, Dies Martis A.D. VII Kal. Mai. DCCV A.V.C. [Tuesday, 25th April 52])

‘He struck himself on the chest and spoke to his heart and scolded it.

"Bear up, my heart. You have had worse to endure before this!"’

- Odysseus in Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ (opening lines of book 20)

Nymphidius Sabinus, attired in his toga praetexta, approached the beautiful but currently fearfully quaking slave boy, who was humiliatingly naked and bent over at the waist, firmly gripping his ankles. The nude 15 year-old occupying this debasing pose, in readiness for the forthcoming hits across his lustrous bottom from his young master’s rod, or ‘ferula’, was also attempting to summon up as much courage as possible in order to accept his imminent unjust chastisement without too much embarrassment.

As usual, the 13 year-old holding the rod felt cumbersome in his child’s purple-edged toga praetexta and momentarily pondered shedding the garment. However, the illegitimate son of the Emperor Caligula appreciated that, on this warm spring morning, he wore nothing else, apart from his sandals and loincloth underwear, or ‘subligaculum’, literally meaning ‘little bindings underneath’. He therefore decided that he would remain attired in the long flowing robe for now in order to enhance his imminent young victim’s undoubted feeling of shame at his own present nudity.

Nymphidius Sabinus also increased such shameful feeling further when, after arriving immediately behind the young slave, he began to stroke gently the imminent curvaceous subject of his rod’s fury, first with his free hand and then with the cruel ferula itself. The 15 year-old visibly vibrated in trepidation at each touch, to which sight the sadistic 13 year-old sarcastically commented "My boy, I see that your body’s a little excited today. It’s a pity that such excitement didn’t extend to your cock or you wouldn’t be in this situation!"

The young slave knew better than to reply to the comment and just attempted instead to remain as quiet and still as his debasing and distressing circumstances allowed. However, in response to the remark and realisation of what was soon to follow, the 15 year-old’s bodily quaking nevertheless increased. This reaction caused his gorgeous nude form to sway a little unsteadily within his undignified pose, as Nymphidius Sabinus’ rod was withdrawn from the pleasant curvature of the older boy’s buttocks in order to attain the uplifted position from where to launch its first strike.

Nymphidius Sabinus then surprised the petrified young slave by failing immediately to hit him. Instead of receiving the first, undoubtedly agonising and injurious blow across his bottom, the 15 year-old felt younger free fingers fondling his cock, which had already belatedly and shamefully risen to fulsome erection.

"I see, boy," Nymphidius Sabinus subsequently commented, "that masturbation did not cause your penis to become hard but your current predicament did." The 13 year-old then asked rhetorically "What kind of slave slut are you?" Given the evidence, the naked 15 year-old would not have known how to answer if his young master had expected a reply, which was not the case.

The slave boy’s penial hardness now became even more acute, beginning visibly to throb and vibrate, in reaction to Nymphidius Sabinus’ continued gentle fondling of the rigid shaft. The 15 year-old could feel his reproductive juices finally building up, ready to explode ecstatically from his cockhead. However, he knew better than to warn his young master, who presumably knew what he was doing.

Nymphidius Sabinus’ fingers eventually disappeared from the young slave’s clearly extremely excited erection, which was currently noticeably oozing copious precum, just before the 15 year-old would have climaxed and as suddenly and unexpectedly as the digits had arrived. The older boy subsequently did not know whether to feel frustration or relief at this development, as the reaction of his young master in response to any orgasmic ejaculation in the revised circumstances was difficult to determine.

The young slave also had little time to contemplate the issue because Nymphidius Sabinus now gave him the customary instructions for an imminent beating across the buttocks. "As usual," the 13 year-old commanded, "you’ll count each of the hits loudly and thank me for them and, if you forget this politeness or lose your balance in respect of any strike, it won’t count. Now ready yourself, boy, to receive your due chastisement!"

The slave boy braced himself as best he could to receive Nymphidius Sabinus’ undoubtedly efficient first blow, including clenching his bumcheeks, which he thought might help reduce the unpleasant effects of the imminent impacts. The 15 year-old also hoped that the wearing of a toga by his young master, rather than a light tunic, might hinder delivery.

The older boy’s aspiration was, however, not met, as the first strike of Nymphidius Sabinus’ rod not only sent waves of acute agony searing through the 15 year-old’s gorgeous body but also sent him crashing to the marble floor of the secluded garden colonnade.

(Domus of Pliny the Elder, Rome, same time)

‘That it is unwise to be heedless ourselves while we are giving advice to others, I will show in a few lines.’

- Phædrus

When Gaius and Hylas left their domus on this warm spring morning, the young man from Volsinii and the 10 year-old boy, who was still determinedly his young slave, ventured into one of Rome’s more salubrious residential quarters. My beloved was now intent on trying to ensure the continued happiness of another close friend.

"Gaius Musonius Rufus," an elderly slave announced by way of introduction to Pliny the Elder, as the 22 year-old equestrian from Volsinii, whom he had never met previously but about whom he had heard vaguely, was led by the servant into the atrium of the 28 year-old’s domus. The owner of the residence had recently temporarily returned from military service in Germania Inferior in order to accompany back to Rome his commander and former teacher, Pomponius Secundus, about whom he would later write a biography. However, he was now preoccupied with wondering why the unexpected arrival had come to visit him, although he did not have to wait long to learn the answer.

Pliny’s house was fairly typical of the luxurious abodes of his class in Rome. The building, fronted by shops under different ownership, was restricted to a ground floor, plus basement accommodation for the slaves. Entrance was via a corridor between the two exterior retail establishments. This led to a wide hall, or ‘atrium’, which allowed light and air to come through openings in the roof above and was flanked by bedrooms.

The atrium also possessed seating because it was the usual place to receive guests or clients and conduct business, generally in the early morning. Beyond were the ‘triclinium’, or dining-room, and ‘tablinum’, which is a less formal reception room and working office. A colonnaded peristyle garden, or ‘peristylum’, with an ornamental pool, or ‘impluvium’, plus utility rooms were located at the rear. To ensure maximum privacy, no windows faced outwards.

"Welcome, Gaius Musonius Rufus," Pliny the Elder declared before politely inviting his unexpected guest, accompanied by a young slave boy, to sit on a marble bench within the pleasant and airy surrounds of the atrium and offering him some refreshment. "Thank you, Gaius Plinius Secundus," responded the young man from Volsinii, who was soon supplied by the elderly slave with a goblet of fruit juice and a small dish of grapes, olives and sweetmeats.

After my beloved had settled into his seat with his drink and snack, which the attendant standing Hylas rather than him actually eventually consumed, Pliny the Elder asked "To what do I owe the honour of your visit, Gaius Musonius Rufus?" The young man from Volsinii then replied bluntly, without further preliminary courtesies in line with his philosophy of straight truthful talking.

"My fiend, Axenius, has recently been injured by one broken heart," Gaius informed Pliny, "and I don’t want him to suffer another!"

(Domus of Callistus, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘My god! What awful things are happening to us!’

- Sappho (Fragment 94)

When the naked and tearful 15 year-old slave finally began to recover from the excruciation of the first blow from Nymphidius Sabinus’ cruel rod, whilst unfortunately resting on all four of his lithe limbs on the marble floor of the secluded garden colonnade, he began to hear amused tittering from behind. "Well, boy," his smirking young master then commented, "my first hit won’t, of course, now count. You might as well also stay where you are in order to lick your mess up before regaining your feet and resuming your original stance. Once you’re there, I’ll then have to trouble myself to beat you another five times for cumming when I didn’t want you to!"

The appalled young slave then noticed the copious spilt white ejaculate on the marble floor between his kneeling legs. Because of the agony induced by the original strike of the rod across his lustrous buttocks, the 15 year-old had not known that he had simultaneously climaxed.

(Domus of Pliny the Elder, Rome, same time)

‘It is not possible to live pleasurably without living sensibly and nobly and justly.’

- Epicurus

Pliny could have reacted to Gaius’ blunt comment in several ways. He could, for example, have believed that his new intimate relationship with Axenius was no-one else’s business or taken offence at the obvious implication that he might cause hurt to the beautiful young Germanian eunuch, for either of which he might have ordered his unexpected guest out of his domus. However, the 28 year-old instead smiled at the 22 year-old from Volsinii.

Pliny both recognised and admired true caring friendship whenever he saw such a quality displayed, as he was now doing, and consequently entirely respected and actually welcomed Gaius’ concern for Axenius’ welfare. He also shared the young equestrian from Volsinii’s philosophy in believing in straight talking.

Pliny therefore replied "I see, Gaius Musonius Rufus, that you love Axenius as much as I do, although undoubtedly in a platonic way or otherwise such an honourable spirit as he possesses would not have responded to my sexual advances. I can happily reassure you that your friend’s welfare will be safe in my hands and arms for as long as he, not me, wishes it to be. I do not wantonly enter into relationships and I know from Germania, from watching him at Palaemon’s funeral pyre, that he has a devoted and tender but fragile soul, which has suffered much recent emotional injury and so needs healing. I propose to try to be the healer and intend to cherish and love him until he, not me, declares an end to our affair!"

I can of course personally testify to the fact that Gaius was no stranger to the effect that love can induce in people. The astute young man from Volsinii was also an excellent judge of character. He therefore now immediately and correctly realised that Pliny truly adored Axenius and that his promise in respect of the young Germanian would be honoured.

Gaius additionally perceptively estimated, more from Pliny’s eyes and facial expressions as he spoke than from the actual words themselves, that the 28 year-old had actually probably loved Axenius since he had first seen him in Germania. However, the military officer had then undoubtedly been too much of a gentleman to make his attraction and affection known to the grieving eunuch in the immediate aftermath of Palaemon’s tragic death.

Gaius rarely felt awkward about anything that he had done when on a mission to secure a friend’s wellbeing. However, the young man from Volsinii advised me later that he now experienced acute embarrassment after challenging such an obviously worthy lover about his intentions towards Axenius. Such discomfiture now caused him to want to terminate the conversation immediately and depart from Pliny’s domus with as much grace as was possible in the circumstances.

After hearing Pliny’s declaration of good faith, Gaius therefore stood and replied honestly "I believe you. Please accept my sincerest apologies for harbouring worries. I’ll now take my leave before I make a bigger fool of myself!" However, his host responded "Oh, do you really have to go so soon? I know so little about you but would like to become much better acquainted with someone who clearly cares for Axenius as much as I do. Why don’t you stay for lunch? It’s a nice, warm, spring morning and we can retire to the more informal environment of my garden for a chat, whilst our meal is readied for consumption in the triclinium."

Gaius was tempted to accept until Pliny added, in respect of Hylas, "Meanwhile, I’ll ensure that your slave boy is well looked after and fed in the kitchens." Fortunately, the host was a very sensitive person and immediately recognised his blunder from the disappointed expressions on the faces of his 22 year-old equestrian guest and 10 year-old servant.

Pliny was also often very adroit at correcting his errors. He did so now by quickly continuing "Or alternatively the boy can join us in the garden, where I’ll have some toys brought to occupy his time whilst we talk, and later he can eat with us in the triclinium." The host then judged that he had indeed managed to remedy his mistake when smiles suddenly appeared on the handsome faces of Gaius and Hylas and the former readily agreed to stay for lunch.

Gaius and Pliny subsequently appreciated each other’s company so much, whilst Hylas thoroughly enjoyed his toys, that the young man from Volsinii and his slave boy eventually stayed beyond lunch, or ‘prandium’, to eat dinner, or ‘cena’, too. This development not only resulted in lifelong friendships but also later caused me to throw a pillow at my lover in mock affront at supposedly injured pride.

Gaius had joked that the conversation with Axenius’ lover had been so worthwhile that he considered giving up his nightly visit to me in favour of remaining at Gaius Plinius Secundus’ domus for supper. As well as rewarding him for his tease with the throw of a pillow aimed at the young man from Volsinii’s very handsome head, I naturally also subsequently proved to him that such a decision would have been most foolish, given what pleasures he would have missed experiencing in my bed.

(Domus of Callistus, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘The nightingale wept piteously but harsh was the reply.

"You fool, a stronger has you now. No use to wail and cry.

You’ll come where I shall carry you, for all you sing so sweet,

And as I choose I’ll let you go or have you for my meat!"’

- Hawk to nightingale in Hesiod’s ‘Works & Days’ (205)

In all, either because of further tumbles to the marble floor or forgetting, because of induced intense pain, to enumerate and applaud Nymphidius Sabinus for each excruciating hit from the younger boy’s rod, the perpetually sobbing and shrieking young slave received sixteen efficient blows to his rear curvature. However, given the sadistic rules, the 15 year-old, of course, only actually correctly endured, counted and thanked the 13 year-old for ten of them.

As a consequence of his comprehensive beating, the whole of the young slave’s previously delightfully creamy posterior was now transformed in colour to various shades of red, most gradually darkening in hue, such was the efficient delivery and coverage provided by each blow from Nymphidius Sabinus’ cruel rod. Some droplets of blood were also visible, mainly where the ferula’s strikes had crossed, which invariably produced extra excruciation.

The still sobbing young slave therefore blanched when, as he maintained his degrading bent pose, Nymphidius Sabinus happily examined his handiwork, with fingers as well as eyes. The 15 year-old subsequently uttered a loud shriek when the 13 year-old, having concluded his inspection, slapped the older boy across his injured bottom.

The command now to revert to standing upright from his demeaning posture was also little consolation, as Nymphidius Sabinus, having reset his water clock, ordered the young slave to turn round and resume his earlier attempts at masturbation. "Remember, boy," the re-seated 13 year-old, still menacingly holding his ferula, then reminded the appalled 15 year-old, "you’ll receive a minimum of another ten hits from my rod if you don’t cum in time on this second occasion!"

The still tearful young slave immediately and desperately began to rub his penis, which had returned to flaccidity after earlier orgasm and was still dribbling some extraneous semen from the uncut cockhead. However, the degraded 15 year-old believed that his unruly member, having previously gained perverse satisfaction, would not rise to the ‘occasion’.

In fact, the young slave was to be proved incorrect in his assumption. The 15 year-old’s slender cock again became fulsomely erect when he once more bent over to receive further blows from Nymphidius Sabinus’ cruel rod. However, the boy this time experienced orgasm, of an intensity rarely previously experienced, simultaneous to the eighth fresh hit from the ferula, which earned him another five strikes from his sadistic young master’s implement.

Minor compensation for the comprehensive beating of the young slave’s buttocks came from Nymphidius Sabinus’ subsequent decision not to attempt to practise sodomy on such an injured posterior. Naturally, the 13 year-old’s decision was not cause by any sympathy for the 15 year-old victim of his flogging but by distaste for the resultant damaged, discoloured and bloody rear.

"I’ll fuck you some other time," Nymphidius Sabinus advised the slave boy, as he subsequently finally departed the garden colonnade, leaving the distressed and still naked 15 year-old to fend for himself.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘Dum nos fata sinunt oculos satiemus amore.’

(‘While the fates allow us, fill our eyes with love.’)

- Propertius (ii.15.23)

There was a polite knock on the 1st-floor door of the humble but nevertheless decent lodgings shared by Persius and Quintilianus above one of Axenius’ grammatici in Rome’s Subura Quarter. Q, who with P was still naked in bed, correctly guessed the identity of the visitor at such an hour on a holiday, as no-one else was expected. He therefore instructed the 13 year-old concerned to enter.

The smiling face and gorgeous form, neatly washed, groomed and dressed in a toga praetexta, of the lovely Lucanus, Seneca the Younger’s nephew, then obeyed. However, the 13 year-old subsequently feigned disgust that his two 18 year-old friends were still in bed.

"Rise the pair of you," Lucanus then commanded, "as you’ve promised to take me to the chariot racing." "But, L, it’s still a little early," Quintilianus protested, "so wouldn’t you prefer first to rest with us for an hour or so?"

"Definitely not!" Lucanus answered. However, Quintilanus was dissatisfied with this reply and so asked, as he pulled back the bedcover to reveal the handsome nude bodies of Persius and himself, "Are you sure that you can’t be persuaded?" L then looked at the cocks of P and Q, which were rapidly re-growing to full erection at the sight of the lovely 13 year-old in their rooms, despite both having already cum twice on this sunny spring morning.

Lucanus did not respond verbally but instead licked his rosy lips and began to shed his boy’s toga.

(Domus of Callistus, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘How I would pay you out for this if I only had the power.’

- Achilles to Apollo in Homer’s ‘Iliad’ (21.20)

The recently chastised young slave needed comprehensive treatment to repair the injuries to his bottom, caused by Nymphidius Sabinus’ cruel rod. However, the brave 15 year-old had not originally sought such help or complained about the severe damage to his buttocks. Callistus’ head freedman, in charge of his master’s servants, had instead noticed the boy’s tear-stained face and the copious bloody marks on the rear of his tunic, as well as his inability to walk properly or sit down whilst he attempted to resume his previously assigned menial chores.

The freedman, who was himself accustomed to beating slaves for genuine misdemeanours, knew of the sadism of Callistus’ grandson, which appeared to repeat that of the 13 year-old’s father, Caligula. He also realised that the 15 year-old had just spent some time with Nymphidius Sabinus and could roughly guess, without appreciating the full details, why the older boy was currently suffering from a badly injured posterior.

The freedman’s sympathy was enhanced by not wanting to lose the efficiency of a good conscientious young slave, which the 15 year-old happened to be. Despite the boy’s objections, he therefore sent him to his wife for treatment.

The young slave’s reluctance to receive treatment for his injuries resulted from their humiliating nature. The 15 year-old was also especially averse to obtain doctoring from a female. However, he had no choice but to obey the freedman, as to do otherwise would undoubtedly result in further damage to his body from a ferula.

The 15 year-old therefore soon found himself naked once more, this time lying facedown on a cleared kitchen table, whilst other slaves of both genders, whose place of work this was, looked on. As the freedman’s wife carefully applied herbal salve to his raw and bloodied brown and purple rear, the boy was unsure what was more shameful, the current scenario or his dreadful experience with Nymphidius Sabinus.

The young slave eventually began to believe that his present abashing predicament might be worse when his cock, pointing towards his feet and visibly pressing against the tabletop between his splayed legs, grew rigid in response to the careful manual attentions to his injured bottom. The 15 year-old finally became sure of his conviction when the freedman’s smiling wife then declared to the watching male and female slaves "Look, the frisky boy’s gone hard, and a nice erection it is too. I’m sure that it would give great pleasure to a willing orifice if provided with the opportunity!"

The young slave prayed for the Earth to open up at that moment and swallow him, as he heard giggling from all around in reaction to the woman’s remarks. The 15 year-old’s humiliation was then compounded when, simultaneous to a female finger gently applying salve to his bumcrack, touching his sphincter in the process, his unruly cockhead gushed creamy cum onto the tabletop to further amused commentary.

The young slave’s prayer was, of course, not met. However, another later entreaty to the gods was instead granted. This plea begged to be allowed revenge against Nymphidius Sabinus, although the boy, like a certain young eunuch currently in the service of Aulus Vitellius, would have to be patient and wait a long time to attain his vengeance against his current master.

The beautiful boy’s slave name was, rather appropriately given future events, Endymion. I came to know him and his similarly pulchritudinous and currently infant brother, Sporos, very well indeed.

(Stables of the Greens ‘factiones’, Campus Martius, Rome, later same morning)

‘Silver and gold are not the only coin. Virtue too passes current all over the world.’

- Euripides

Suffuscus, Aulus Plautius Minor and Nero all found the sights, sounds and smells of the large stables of the Greens fascinating, apart from one aspect, which the oldest boy found particularly distressing. The 15 year-old had always felt a strange affinity towards horses, which might not be too surprising given his true full background.

By the time of the Emperors, chariot racing in Rome had become a very professional business, with the four ‘factiones’ being essentially corporations under Imperial patronage. They supply teams to magistrates, and other organisers of public games, to compete in the hippodromes for significant prize-money, with indentured charioteers, drawn mainly from the lower social orders, including freedmen and slaves, being publicly idolised like gladiators for copious success.

The dangers inherent in the sport, however, often make careers short. Most charioteers seek to earn sufficient riches as quickly as possible in order to buy their freedom, if they were slaves, and retire comfortably before being victims of fatal accidents but many fail in this objective. For example, in my time, the famous Scorpus, who won over 2000 races, was killed in an accident when just 27 years of age.

The stables of the four factiones, all located on the Campus Martius, accommodate not only horses, chariots and riders but also a large retinue of support workers. The latter include trainers, blacksmiths, veterinarians and grooms.

The three boys were currently touring the stables in the protective company of Aulus Plautius Major and the head of the Greens. The latter was attendant because of the immense importance of the visitors.

Aulus Plautius supported the factiones with substantial monetary sponsorship, as well as enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the significance of the 13 year-old with the curly fair hair in the party was demonstrated by his attire. He was the only person in the whole of the Roman Empire, apart from Claudius himself, entitled to wear, as he was now doing, a toga virilis entirely purple in colour.

During the course of the previous year, under unrelenting pressure from the highly ambitious Agrippina, the sexagenarian Claudius had both adopted Nero and awarded him the title of ‘Princeps Iuventutis’, or ‘leader of youth’. The Emperor had simultaneously also permitted his new son to take, at an unusually early age, the ‘toga virilis’, which denoted ascent to not only legal manhood but also, because of its colour, exceptional official status. Such developments were necessary, as the boy’s scheming mother well knew, if he was someday to stand a chance of inheriting the Principate.

During the tour, the party encountered, safely from the other side of a fenced enclosure, an unbroken and highly spirited tall handsome black yearling, which a trainer was attempting to subdue. However, the colt was proving most uncooperative and so the man had resorted to using his whip to try to discipline the young horse, inflicting in the process some minor injuries to the steed’s back.

"Oh father," Suffuscus asked of Aulus Plautius Major, "please order the trainer to stop whipping that lovely horse!" The renowned general, who not only had seen far crueller incidents in his time but also believed that the man was only trying to do his job by breaking an unruly raw yearling, was initially both surprised and disconcerted at his adoptive son’s request.

Aulus Plautius Major therefore answered "I have, my son, no jurisdiction here to make commands, and anyway the horse needs to be broken." However, the delightful Suffuscus was not to be deterred by his adoptive father’s reply and the boy also knew that he possessed weaponry that could usually help him overcome such parental obstinacy.

"But father," Suffuscus retorted, whilst displaying his famous completely disarming smile, "I know of a better way to break the horse. Please let me try it!"

"You break the horse!" Aulus Plautius Major responded in incredulity. Nevertheless, after a further short debate, unfairly won against his adoring adoptive father as much by the facial expressions of the beautiful Suffuscus as by his rhetoric, the trainer was withdrawn from the enclosure, to be replaced by the 15 year-old boy.

The head of the Greens had felt compelled to order the change, much against his better judgement, as refusing a request from such an important person as Aulus Plautius Major was simply inconceivable. He was further encouraged by the fact that the renowned general announced his acceptance of full responsibility for any injury befalling Suffuscus, which the chief charioteer considered in the circumstances to be probable rather than just possible.

Aulus Plautius Major was actually just as apprehensive as the head of the Greens. However, although the renowned general had won many battles in war, he conceded that Suffuscus, when the charming boy really wanted something, somehow always managed subtly to defeat him in argument.

Aulus Plautius Major was therefore now currently confined to begging Suffuscus desperately, as the intrepid boy entered the enclosure, to "Take great care, son!" The boy responded by smiling again at his adoptive father, whilst in the process clearly displaying, in the opinion of the adult, misplaced confidence in the imminent success of his dangerous mission.

Suffuscus entered the enclosure and slowly approached the yearling, which expressed its disapproval of the encroachment of another human by snorting and stamping and then worryingly rearing up on its hind-legs. Such reaction caused both Aulus Plautius Minor and Nero, who were also very concerned for the 15 year-old’s safety, seemingly with cause, to beg the adults to recall the boy before he was seriously injured.

Neither Aulus Plautius Major nor the head of the Greens, equally worried by the yearling’s violent reaction towards Suffuscus’ advance, hesitated to comply with the entreaties. However, the 15 year-old did not notice the loud pleas for him to retreat, such was the concentration he was affording to his current exceedingly dangerous venture. The brave boy instead continued his gradual approach towards the highly aggrieved and agitated steed.

Suffuscus also rather incongruously began to sing.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘The most glorious exploits do not always furnish us with the clearest discoveries of virtue or vice in men.’

-Plutarch

Three young faces now appeared above the shared bedclothes of Persius and Quintilanus, after sexual passions had again been sated. The handsome and bright heads of P and Q now decided that the time was ripe to seek an apology from Lucanus.

Persius began by quietly asking Lucanus "Do you remember a Britannian slave boy called Bicilus, who used to belong to the late unlamented Caius Silius?" L blushed because he did indeed remember the name and the naughty games that he, Nero and Silius Italicus used to play with the frequently forcibly stripped young eunuch, encouraged by girl hosts, Sribonia and Tullia. The honest, now more mature and consequently shamed 13 year-old therefore answered rather meekly, in a low abashed voice, "Yes!"

"Well, L," Quintilianus now enquired, whilst assuming the questioning from Persius and referring to a mutual friend, "did you know that he was the lover of Gaius Musonius Rufus, who’s told us about your treatment of him in the company of certain other boys and girls?" "Yes!" an even more mortified Lucanus squeaked in reply to the reminder of my status in the young man from Volsinii’s life.

"Well, L," Persius now resumed, "as you know this fact, don’t you think that Bicilus deserves an apology from you, Nero and Silius Italicus for your past actions?" Lucanus responded, whilst referring to Agrippina’s son by his family name, meaning ‘bronze beard’, which was deliberately used as a derogative, "I don’t think he’ll receive one from Ahenobarbus, and I haven’t seen the other boy for a long time, ever since I changed schools to one run by Cornutus!"

"Well, L," Quintilianus now suggested, "neither situation should prevent you from apologising to Bicilus. Will you say sorry?"

Lucanus now afforded Persius and Quintilianus one of his disarming smiles and answered "Of course!"

(Stables of the Greens ‘factiones’, Campus Martius, Rome, same time)

‘Everyone excels in something in which another fails.’

- Publius Syrus

Aulus Plautius Major and Minor, along with Nero and the head of the Greens factiones, could not initially believe their eyes. Suffuscus was now carefully holding the miraculously quiescent yearling’s noble black head with one arm, whilst gently stroking the colt’s snout with the hand of the other. The boy was also still using his lovely soprano voice to sing pleasantly to the steed.

Such an amazing scene continued for a while until Suffuscus, with apparent skilled expertise, quickly mounted the unbridled and unsaddled colt. Boy and horse then rode slowly around the enclosure.

"I’ve never seen anything like that in my life before," the head of the Greens factiones then commented, with clear incredulity. Aulus Plautius Major, who had campaigned with some of the best auxiliary cavalry units and horsemen in the known world, echoed his fellow adult’s stupefaction by responding "Neither have I!"

Both men then turned to face each other to declare coincidentally one name simultaneously. "Alexander the Great!" they said to each other.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘Bibamus, moriendum est!’
(‘Let us drink, death is inevitable!’)

- Seneca the Elder (‘Controversiae’)

"Dead!" repeated Claudius after hearing the news conveyed by Narcissus. "I’m afraid that the despatch from his second-in-command in Britannia confirms the sad event," the Imperial secretary responded.

"How?" Claudius then asked. "Apparently of natural causes," Narcissus answered, "although it’s also hinted that anxiety and overwork contributed considerably to his ill health."

"Anxiety and overwork undoubtedly caused by trying to c….c….contain the nuisance Britannians!" Claudius commented. The Emperor then must have remembered my presence as his food-taster and glanced at me.

Claudius subsequently grinned and remarked "However, less p…..p…..problematic Britannians are certainly positive gains for the Empire!" I could not help but return the Emperor’s smile.

Claudius, who had just been appraised of the death of Publius Ostorius Scapula, the successor to Aulus Plautius as Governor of Britannia, then again became serious. The Emperor had sent him to my homeland with great expectations because he was a highly capable general whom the Princeps believed would carry on the good work of his predecessor.

Scapula, who emanated from a famous military family, one of whom had been Praetorian Prefect for Augustus, had already demonstrated his capabilities elsewhere. He had then fought well against rebellious Britannians, subduing more of my homeland and capturing Caratacus in the process, but it now appeared that my people had brought him to fatal exhaustion.

"Well," Claudius next announced, "I just suppose that I’ll have to replace Scapula with someone as good militarily but also more r….r….robust physically. Any s….s….suggestions, Narcissus?"

Despite the early hour, Claudius then ordered me to fetch some wine, supposedly to lament the loss of his general.

(Stables of the Greens ‘factiones’, Campus Martius, Rome, same time)

‘I assure you I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent than in the extent of my power and dominion.’

- Alexander The Great

Aulus Plautius Minor and Nero were puzzled by the simultaneous uttering of Alexander the Great’s name by their accompanying adults, which was obviously somehow in response to the sight of Suffuscus amazingly quietening and then riding the previously furiously feral yearling. However, the boys had no chance to query the strange proclamation because the miraculously obedient colt, with the 15 year-old on top, approached them at the enclosure fence.

In fact, Aulus Plautius Minor and Nero were not to discover from the adults why the renowned Macedonian King had been recalled. The boys would instead coincidentally learn the reason from the sweet rosy lips of the 15 year-old tamer of wild horses.

"Father," an excited Suffuscus next asked, in respect of his mount, of Aulus Plautius Major, who was standing next to his younger eponymous natural offspring, "please can I keep him?" The renowned general now knew better than battle with his adoptive son, or rather the boy’s overwhelming charms, but nevertheless decided to gain some face-saving consolation for conceding the request by replying "Only if you look after him yourself. I’ll not be allocating a servant to feed, groom and exercise him." "You won’t have to," the 15 year-old happily responded, knowing that the yearling now belonged to him.

The relevant financial transaction was subsequently concluded rapidly with, and to the satisfaction of, the head of the Greens factiones, who was very content with the agreed price, as well as with both performing a favour for the renowned and important general and shedding a troublesome yearling. Nero then asked of the joyously beaming Suffuscus, who had dismounted to inspect the injuries inflicted on his new horse’s back by the stable trainer’s whip, "What are you going to call him?"

Suffuscus replied "Ox-head!"

(Chaeronea, Boeotia, Greece, same time)

 ‘Know how to listen and you will profit even from those who talk badly.’

- Plutarch

12 year-old Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus settled down to write a polite letter in reply to one sent by his similarly aged friend in faraway Rome, Tyanus. He included thanks to Gaius Musonius Rufus’ barely newly literate adoptive son for his attempt at an interesting description of historic Syracuse, which had been one element in the very difficult to read correspondence.

Tyanus had appreciated that the friend whom he called Lucius, who had first become very interested in history through Gaius’ influence when in Athens with the young man from Volsinii and his three boy companions, would welcome the description of Syracuse. The former Alexandrian street prostitute had visited the great Sicilian port whilst on his way to Rome with his new adoptive father and Hylas and Achilleus.

Lucius’ return letter would also be full of interesting anecdotes, which would enthral Tyanus. However, one piece of news, innocently transmitted by the unknowing young Chaeronean, was to prove very distressing to Achilleus.

(Stables of the Greens ‘factiones’, Campus Martius, Rome, same time)

‘Silence is an answer to a wise man. Second thoughts are ever wiser.’

- Euripides

"Ox-head seems a very silly name for a horse," Nero commented. "Not if you use the Greek version," Suffuscus replied. "What’s that?" Aulus Plautius Minor interrupted to enquire.

"Bucephalus," Suffuscus answered in an honest way that he would later have cause to regret.

(Domus of Aulus Vitellius, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘….a natural member already swelling with desire….’

- Anacreon of Teos (indicating how he wants the penis of his boy love, Bathyllus, portrayed in a commissioned painting)

The naked Aulus Vitellius was playing with his similarly nude young eunuch’s gelded genitalia. The boy, whose slave name was Giton, had just turned 14 years of age. He had guessed that his birthday had recently gone by from the time of the year, which was past the middle of spring, although he did not know on precisely what day the event had occurred and no-one else cared.

"Just as it should be, now forever flaccid!" a smirking Aulus Vitellius declared, whilst referring to the nicely proportioned penis of the blonde blue-eyed former erotic dancer, whom he had bought and ordered to be immediately castrated 6 months previously. The 37 year-old patrician had taken offence at the young Gaul’s strong libido, which had caused the debauched man’s rich clothing to become soiled by the boy’s spilt sperm. Consequently, he had made arrangements for his then new 13 year-old purchase to lose his balls instantly, as another aspect of that particular orgy’s varied entertainments.

Ever since, an intrigued Aulus Vitellius had enjoyed playing with Giton’s castrated sexual organs during the times he summoned the privately highly reluctant but outwardly very co-operative slave to his bed. The 37 year-old did so amidst much sodomy and fellatio, enjoyed only by the man because the boy was too pained, both physically and psychologically, to gain any delight from the deeds. The young eunuch, like many others in similar degrading situations, was nevertheless compelled to feign eagerness and pleasure as part of his demeaning duties, or risk harsh punishment and possible further permanent injury for displeasing his master.

Aulus Vitellius never succeeded in tempting Giton’s cock to even partial erection, although I am happy to report, dear patient reader, that someone else far nicer later frequently managed the feat.

(Domus of Petronius, Rome, same time)

‘Medicus nihil aliud est quam animi consolatio.’

(‘A physician is nothing but a consoler of the mind.’)

- Petronius (‘Satyricon’)

Petronius was also playing with a young eunuch’s cock. However, the member concerned belonged to a 21 year-old. The motive for the attentions of the 26 year-old ‘elegentiae arbiter’ to the penial shaft concerned was also far more loving than, in similar circumstances not far away, that of Aulus Vitellius, whom I don’t think ever truly loved anyone but himself.

The increasingly affluent Petronius had bought the eunuch slave concerned from Caius Silius’ former estate in Campania, whilst holidaying there with Nero and Suffuscus. However, the ‘elegentiae arbiter’ had not made the purchase just for the very pleasing boyish looks and highly efficient sexual skills of the 21 year-old.

Petronius had also felt such genuine affection for the young man that he had fallen out of love with my friend and fellow Imperial servant, Apollinus. However, this had actually proven fortunate because the young Rhodian had simultaneously begun an affair with Rubellius Plautus, whilst vacationing on the Umbrian vineyard then owned by Palaemon.

I do not believe, dear patient reader, that I have yet revealed to you the slave name of Petronius’ eunuch, whose earlier well disguised mental distress at his changed circumstances after his castration had been healed by the love of the ‘elegentiae arbiter’. Well, his appellation, perhaps significantly for future literature, was Encolpius.

(Stables of the Greens ‘factiones’, Campus Martius, Rome, same time)

‘Few men have the natural strength to honour a friend’s success without envy.... I well know that mirror of friendship, shadow of a shade.’

- Æschylus

Nero now recalled the legend that both Aulus Plautius Major and the head of the Greens factiones had obviously already remembered when simultaneously referring earlier to Alexander the Great, who had once as a boy supposedly tamed a horse in circumstances similar to what had just occurred. The Macedonian prince had later named the animal ‘Bucephalus’, which was Greek for ‘ox-head’, and the steed had served him bravely and loyally for many years afterwards, allowing no-one else to ride him.

Dormant suspicions about those around him, long subdued by the presence of Suffuscus in his life, were then rekindled inside that part of Nero’s mind that still aspired to attain ultimate power someday. The 13 year-old therefore asked distrustfully of his 15 year-old supposed best friend, knowing that there was really only one such post for a Roman to covet, "You don’t have any desire to become a great king like Alexander do you?"

"Oh no," Suffuscus replied with genuine innocence, his excitement at acquiring a beautiful horse preventing him from noticing Nero’s disquiet, "I’d instead like to become a victorious general serving a great king, who also happens to be my best friend!" The happy 15 year-old then beamed one of his lovely and completely disarming smiles at the 13 year-old prince, whose sudden suspicions immediately succumbed to the proffered verbal and facial charms and instantly dissipated.

Nero’s initial reaction, however, indicated that there were still dark sides to his character, which were currently suppressed by Suffuscus’ influence. The problem that this situation engendered concerned what might happen if the older boy’s sunny disposition towards other people and life lost such sway or, even worse, was somehow completely discredited from the young prince’s perspective.

In fact, given Nero’s complex character, such fateful damage had to be a serious possibility if Suffuscus ever told the young prince about his true background.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, shortly afterwards)

‘No oath too binding for a lover.’

- Sophocles

Claudius had concluded his audience with Narcissus, with the latter agreeing to present to his Emperor a list of possible replacements for the unfortunate deceased Publius Ostorius Scapula, whose premature death had been partly caused by the exhausting exertions of trying to subdue insurgents amongst my countrymen. However, the Imperial secretary had recently lost much favour with the Princeps, which was demonstrated by the great difficulty he had encountered in arranging even the current meeting to relay bad tidings to his master. I therefore judged correctly that the eventual person to become the third military governor of my homeland of Britannia would probably be one of Agrippina’s nominees.

As well as tasting Claudius’ food and drink, I had latterly been helping the Emperor to dress for his now sadly rare public appearances. The Princeps found other slaves more clumsy when trying to cope with his awkward physical mannerisms and I therefore currently found myself wrapping him in his purple toga.

Despite Claudius’ current prevailing reluctance to leave his palace because of the vagaries of old age, especially their worsening effects on his already embarrassing deportment, the 61 year-old Emperor was not going to miss today’s festival chariot racing in Circus Maximus. There, he was scheduled to meet in the Imperial box his friend, Alus Plautius, and the renowned general’s boy entourage, which, of course included the Princeps’ newly adopted son, Nero.

"I’m sorry, Bicilus," Claudius declared for the umpteenth time since the event, and whilst his nervous stutter increased at the prospect of appearing in public, "f….f….for taking you to the f….f….fiasco at the F….F….Fucine….Lake and not just because you almost d….d….drowned there. I know that you d….d….don’t like gladiatorial contests, which is why I don’t take you to the a….a….amphitheatre, but, on that o….o….occasion, because I needed a good s….s….slave to look after my n….n….needs, I f….f….forced you to watch not one but two rather bloody n….n….naumachiae. However, I h….h….hope that you accompanying me to the h….h….hippodrome for the c….c….chariot racing will c….c….compensate!"

Claudius appreciated that I liked chariot racing a lot but, of course, did not realise that I would have much preferred to attend the event with my beloved Gaius. However, a mere barbarian eunuch slave was in no position to decline an Imperial favour and anyway I was not too disappointed. I had long recognised that my lover only tolerated such games because he knew that I, as well as Hylas, Achilleus and Tyanus, thoroughly enjoyed the dangerous spectacle, whilst he had no real taste for the sport.

I also knew that, as I could not accompany him today, Gaius would not be visiting the Circus Maximus. However, his absence would not affect the enjoyment of Achilleus and Tyanus because they were instead being taken to the chariot racing by Axenius and would be accompanied there by Anacletus, Axenia and Arius, as well as Caratacus’ five children. The young Germanian would naturally additionally be taking several adult slaves to help him care for his total of ten young charges.

Gaius’ absence from the hippodrome did affect the potential enjoyment of Hylas, who selflessly elected to accompany his master elsewhere, despite being offered the chance to go to the hippodrome with the others. As usual, the young slave preferred to remain at the side of the young man from Volsinii.

Hylas even declined Gaius’ offer to postpone their next errand of the current day so that the boy did not miss out on the chariot racing. The 10 year-old slave had stated in response that his 22 year-old master’s mission was too important to delay.

Gaius’ absence from the hippodrome was meant as no insult to Achilleus and Tyanus. The young man from Volsinii adored the boys deeply, although in a subtly different way to the affection he possessed for me, which meant that, as he had confessed during pillow talk on the previous evening, he cherished every instant with me.

Gaius had advised that he was content to allow his delightful adopted sons to go to the Circus Maximus without him, given the company they would enjoy, but confessed that he would have attended the chariot racing if he could have accompanied me to the event. As we lay on my bed in the room I shared with Apollinus in the Imperial palace, he declared that forever for him every moment with me in a place where I was happy was not to be spurned.

I pledged to make sure that Gaius kept to his declaration. I then, of course, rewarded the wondrous young man from Volsinii for his confession, about the nature of his love for me, in the most natural and pleasurable manner.

"There, Sire," I said to Claudius, after I had efficiently finished draping him in his resplendent purple Imperial toga and stood back to admire my work, "you’re ready to face the world!" The shy Emperor smiled and retorted quietly "I’m n….n….never ready to do that, B….B….Bicilus!"

(Circus Maximus, Rome, afternoon, same day)

‘His majesty performed these feats before the eyes of the whole land.’

- inscription on a granite relief at Karnak, which depicted Pharaoh Amenophis II shooting an arrow at a target from a moving chariot

The Circus Maximus, located in the valley between the Palatine and Avantine Hills, was rapidly assuming greater importance compared with the increasingly dilapidated Circus Flaminius on the southern part of the Campus Martius. In fact, within a few years, the latter would be largely built over, leaving the former as the unchallenged stadium in Rome for chariot racing. The paramount hippodrome also provided an alternative venue to the much smaller amphitheatres of the time for other events, such as gladiatorial contests.

Caligula had been so fanatical about chariot racing, or ‘ludi circenses’, that he built a practice facility in the Imperial gardens on the Vatican Hill, which would be further developed by my current master’s successor. Meanwhile, Claudius, who was another keen devotee of the sport, made significant improvements to the Circus Maximus, including providing marble gates. However, another good Emperor, whom I later served, would actually develop the huge hippodrome so much that he would completely and magnificently transform the stadium.

The Circus Maximus, whose total length and maximum breadth are about 600 and 200 paces respectively, was currently still mainly made of wood, although this would change in my lifetime because of the later Emperor’s radical improvements. The hippodrome then and now accommodates hundreds of thousands of spectators, many sitting, and these numbers are boosted to over a million if those watching on the surrounding hills are counted. The height of the seating, or ‘cavea’, colonnaded and roofed on the upper tiers, with some sections supported not on the adjacent slopes but on vaulted substructures containing access gang and stair ways, measures approximately 35 paces.

Claudius, with me in close attendance, arrived to a fanfare of trumpets at the front of the ornate amenity of the Circus Maximus from where Emperors and their entourages watch the events on the oblong circuit below. This ‘pulvinar’ is a porticoed temple-like structure and had originally been built on the slopes of the Palatine Hill by Augustus.

Before taking his seat, the Emperor attempted to wave to acknowledge the cheering of the vast crowd in the full hippodrome. However, because of a sudden, albeit not unusual in the public circumstances, simultaneous bodily twitch, the Princeps’ action sadly resembled more a drunken lurch. Fortunately, probably because of the presence of the protective and watchful but, to me, always somewhat sinister Praetorians, under the command of their new Prefect, Burrus, few who noticed tittered at the sight.

Even Nero, who was already present in the Imperial box, dressed in his purple toga virilis, having arrived slightly earlier with Suffuscus and Aulus Plautius Major and Minor, managed to maintain a straight face. However, the 13 year-old was aided in his achievement by a calming warning in his ear from his best friend, who, despite being a 15 year-old, was not dressed like the younger prince in attire denoting manhood.

Suffuscus, wearing a boy’s toga praetexta like his adoptive brother, Aulus Plautius Minor, advised Nero "Don’t even think about giggling or I’m going to have to tickle you to disguise your motive!" The 13 year-old prince then fell into his best friend’s deliberately set clever diversionary trap.

Rather than giggling at the unfortunate outcome of the attempted wave by his great uncle and adoptive father, Claudius, Nero was instead distracted by querying Suffuscus’ ability to tickle him effectively through possibly the smallest toga virilis in the Roman Empire, which nevertheless possessed copious protective purple folds. By the time that the 13 year-old prince astutely correctly realised the trap into which he had fallen, from observation of the mischievous nature of the broad grin now displayed on the beautiful silent face of his best friend, his previous amusement and desire to titter had subsided.

Nero was, of course, not the type of person to allow even his best friend to escape unpunished for luring a prince into such a trap. Consequently, the 13 year-old, whilst reciprocating Suffuscus’ grin, accurately advised the 15 year-old that a toga praetexta provided much less protection than a man’s equivalent garment.

Nero then attacked Suffuscus, causing his best friend to erupt with his own loud giggling, as the prince tickled him remorselessly through the lighter, thinner cover of his purple-edged toga praetexta. The outburst caused the nearby Claudius to spill some of the contents of the full goblet that I had just presented to the Emperor, after I had tasted the undiluted strong wine within.

Aulus Plautius Major attempted diplomatically to stop the subsequent playful rumpus between Nero and his adoptive son, into which his younger natural offspring had also been lured, although which side the 9 year-old had joined was not immediately obvious to his father. However, a now smiling Claudius commanded of his friend, whilst I cleaned the Imperial toga of the spilt wine, "Oh, l….l….let them be. Let them enjoy b….b….boyhood while they can!"

In fact, the affectionate combat between the three boys came to a natural end shortly afterwards, when they were diverted by the sound of more loud trumpets, signalling the opening procession, or ‘pompa’, entering the hippodrome, which always preceded the chariot racing.

(Main slave market, Rome, same time)

‘As regards male and female, this relationship of superior and inferior is permanent.’

- Aristotle

Given Gaius’ sexual preferences, his attendance at an auction for slave girls might be considered incongruous. However, the young man from Volsinii believed that an adult female recruit to his household would best serve his current need for someone to help look after four young males, including himself.

As when buying Hylas, Gaius was also trying to follow Palaemon’s maxim that, in such circumstances, he should seek to improve the lot of some poor unfortunate soul. The young man from Volsinii was therefore paying close attention to the fellow bidders for slave girls because he believed that he would have fulfilled the late teacher’s precept if he bought someone who would otherwise be destined for one of Rome’s many brothels. Females of this sort were, of course, usually young and beautiful and often virginal.

The first girl of this type was a gorgeous 16 year-old Greek with long silky straight dark hair and sensuous eyes of a similar hue. She was, like all of the others being sold, currently naked, apart from the bronze slave identity tag about her neck. Such debasing nudity was required because her prospective purchasers would customarily intimately inspect all of her physical assets. Such scrutiny invariably entailed the placement of many hands on her delectable form, as they checked the likes of her virginity, the feel of her still developing breasts and the smooth perfection of her bodily curves, especially those forming her pert bottom.

The girl’s lovely face was bright scarlet as she was copiously fondled in this degrading way. However, she stood quiescent and still to permit such a desecration of her immaculate form, as she appreciated that any attempt to deprive the prospective purchasers of their right to handle naked human goods would be rewarded by a stroke or two from the auctioneer’s whip.

The beautiful girl instead currently concentrated on silently begged the gods to grant her a master or mistress who would treat her decently. Significantly, the rather diminutive 16 year-old prayed to one female deity of the Greek pantheon in particular, as she was her namesake.

After the demeaning checks had concluded, several proprietors of notorious brothels contested the ownership of the girl until Gaius, who had not touched her perfect body, intervened. The young man from Volsinii made an offer that easily outbid what anyone else was prepared to pay, given the other beauties who would soon be placed on the auction block and would undoubtedly be available for a much more reasonable amount.

As when buying Hylas, Gaius realised that he was overpaying. However, as with the then 4 year-old boy, the generous and considerate young man from Volsinii just wanted to end a young slave’s torment as quickly as possible.

Also as when buying Hylas, the seller mistakenly presumed that the beauty of the purchase must have so sexually infatuated the rich young equestrian buyer that he was prepared to pay an extravagant price. On this occasion, the disappointed bidders additionally made this mistaken assumption, as was exemplified by the crude and supposedly joking remarks many now made to the 22 year-old.

The newly bought girl initially shared such a view. However, as previously when acquiring Hylas, Gaius chose not to debunk the misconceptions anyone might possess. He preferred to focus on other activities. These entailed clothing his new purchase, this time in the simple stola he had with foresight brought with him, and guiding her out of the dreadful slave market and through the crowded streets of Rome towards his domus.

On the way, Gaius and his two slaves made a detour via a different type of market, which sold clothes not people. The stola that he had given the girl, who proved proficient in the Latin language, was only her temporary cover, as the garment was too large. The young man from Volsinii had been forced to estimate the size of girl he might buy and preferred to err, if at all, by selecting apparel that was too big. The 22 year-old now not only proposed to rectify his error but also to furnish the 16 year-old female with a comprehensive wardrobe, which might not match that of a wealthy freewoman but was certainly more than any normal servant could expect to be given by a master.

The amount of simple but good clothing now bought, in line with the amazed girl’s own choice, meant that Gaius and his two slaves all had to share the burden of carrying the garments to his domus. Whilst they did so, the 16 year-old female wondered whether the apparel indicated that her new master was proposing to establish her as some form of concubine, which was a possibility that was not necessarily displeasing to her. After all, the young man was obviously very handsome and generous, and had also proved very considerate and pleasant since he had purchased her.

The girl, however, soon realised, after arrival in Gaius’ domus, that his motives for buying her were far simpler. She gained this appreciation after being politely acquainted with the not very tasking household chores that she would be expected to perform within the young man from Volsinii’s small but pleasant home, plus the nice bedroom of her own allocated to her. She also began to realise that the gods, to whom she had earlier prayed, had granted her pleas to be bought by a good master or mistress, who would treat her decently. However, there was also a hint of regret within her soul that the handsome 22 year-old did not appear to want her for his bed.

"What are you called," Gaius had earlier asked of the beautiful girl, after politely formally introducing Hylas and himself to her during their walk to his domus. As with other names already revealed in this chapter of my long autobiography, dear patient reader, you will later discover how appropriate was her answer, given subsequent developments.

The fair-faced girl answered "Selene!"

(Circus Maximus, Rome, same time)

‘Charioteer, who glance up like a girl,

You, boy, I am after you,

But you’re not after me, you do not know

You hold in your two fists the very reins of me!’

- Anacreon of Teos (on his attraction for a charioteer in fragment 360)

The first of the standard 24 races that would take place on the day started soon after the opening procession, by which time gamblers had placed their bets on the outcome. These speculators included Claudius, who, kindly knowing my affection for the Whites, staked a very large sum against Aulus Plautius’ similar amount that my favourite ‘factiones’ would perform better than that of the renowned general, the Greens.

Meanwhile, Persius, Quintilianus and Lucanus, like Axenius’ large entourage, had already assumed their seats long before the Imperial party had arrived. However, unlike within the Germanian eunuch’s party of boys, the more mature P, Q and L were happy to debate, as well as their ability, the attractiveness of the younger charioteers. The most handsome of the riders had copious and vociferous supporters within both male and female sections of the massive crowd.

The first ace began when the presiding magistrate dropped a white scarf, or ‘mappa’, and twelve 4-horse chariots, three from each of the four factiones, emerged from the wooden starting gates, or ‘carceres’ at the northern end of the Circus Maximus. These contraptions are ornate stalls, the latches of whose barred doorways are sprung by an attendant pulling a lever, which causes all of the exits to catapult open simultaneously. The mechanisms are each flanked by very tall stone herms, which basically comprise busts of male heads atop slender plinths with impressively large vertically erect phalluses with fulsome ball sacs in the middle.

The chariots, whose riders all wear protective helmets, race anti-clockwise for seven laps round the 350-pace long central masonry ‘spina’, adorned with monuments and statues. These include the 24-pace high and very ancient obelisk of Pharaoh Rameses II, brought from Aegyptia to Rome over 60 years before the current racing and erected in the hippodrome by Augustus, plus seven movable dolphins and eggs, which are used to count the laps of each race. The two posts, or ‘metae’, at each end of this middle spine and at which the vehicles turn, each comprise three tall gilded decorated bronze cones on podiums.

The Imperial pulvinar is on the upper left-hand side of the circuit, as the chariots rush past. From here, on this warm spring day, the excited Imperial party watched all 24 races, with Claudius continuing to back the Whites in the events, whilst his friend, Aulus Plautius, supported the Greens with both loud shouts and copious money.

I noticed that the sons of Aulus Plautius, as well as Nero, also gave their affiliation to the Greens. However, the delightful Suffuscus, unlike his younger boy companions, who tended to be overtly disgruntled if their team did not perform well, always displayed immense grace in both victory and defeat.

Suffuscus had earlier noticed me serving Claudius, as he had done on many other recent occasions, and, uncommonly for a boy of such current high social standing, as usual acknowledged my attendance with a sweet smile and welcoming gesture of his hand. The 15 year-old’s action was in contrast to that of Nero, who was also aware of my presence but tended just to ignore me in such situations. This was a scenario that did not displease me too much because of his earlier hostile attitude towards me, although I would have preferred some indication of burgeoning friendliness, given his supposed reformed character and increasing importance.

Suffuscus maintained his gracefulness when the palms, crowns and golden neck-chains were awarded to the victors in the races to conclude the day’s events. The presentations were made to the accompaniment of the 15 year-old’s generous applause and cheering.

Suffuscus’ attitude remained in contrast to that of Nero, as well as of Aulus Plautius Minor. The 13 and 9 year-olds displayed sulky discontent at the outcome of the 24 races, blaming poor charioteering, corrupt judging and perfidious opponents for the lack of success of the Greens factiones.

Despite my slave status, I was also applauding the victors, especially as most were from the Whites, who had enjoyed their most successful day in the Circus Maximus for a very long time. In fact, my cheering for my favourite factiones had been a regular feature of the noise from the Imperial pulvinar throughout the afternoon, thanks to a liberally permissive master in the form of an equally very cheerful Claudius.

As Aulus Plautius subsequently handed a bag of aurei to Claudius, whilst displaying a brave smile, he advised the Emperor that he would have to pay the rest of the gambling losses he owed later. The grinning Princeps, whilst handing the gold coins to me for supposed safekeeping, replied jokingly, and whilst forgetting his stammer, "Or else, my friend, you’ll be charged with treason!"

The very rich Aulus Plautius could easily afford the expense. The renowned general additionally did not mind losing money to the Emperor. Given the scale of their mutual gambling, at dice as well as charioteering, such losses not only represented entertainment shared with a genuine friend, who happened to be the most powerful man in the world, but also tended to even themselves out over time.

On subsequent return to the Imperial palace, I discovered that Claudius had not given me the bag of aurei for safekeeping. The Emperor generously told me to keep the coins, as my commission for encouraging him to bet on the Whites.

The gold concerned represented many years work for an ordinary Roman plebeian. The coinage was also to be the beginnings of the modest fortune that I was to accumulate and spend over the next half-century. However, as I anticipate illustrating to you later in my lengthy saga, dear patient reader, I believe that much of my expenditure has been incurred rather altruistically.

(Domus of Gaius Musonius Rufus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘The company of just and righteous men is better than wealth and a rich estate.’

- Euripides

"Selene, what a lovely name!" Gaius, with Hylas as usual at his side, commented to his new 16 year-old slave girl, who was naturally immensely delighted at her change in fortunes. "After the Greek goddess of the moon," the young man from Volsinii continued, "sister of the sun deity, Helius, and known to us Romans as Luna."

"May I be allowed," Gaius politely asked, although a master could call a slave anything he wanted, "to go on referring to you as ‘Selene’ or would you like to revert to an original family name?" The young man from Volsinii believed that the girl’s Greek appellation, which appeared most appropriate given her lovely fair features, had probably been given to her by her first owner, following common Roman practice.

Gaius knew, from the information about the girl’s background provided to prospective purchasers at the slave market, that she had been born into and reared in servitude on a rural estate but had been fortunate to have a good master, which explained her maintained virginity. However, the owner had recently died without heirs and therefore all of his property, including the human kind, had been inherited by the state. As frequently happened in such circumstances, her family group had then been split up by Imperial officials for resale.

The girl could not believe what she was hearing from Gaius. Not even her first kind master had exhibited such consideration.

Nevertheless, the girl quickly overcame her shock and, in order both to respect the memory of her late owner and please her new one, she confirmed that she would be very happy to continue to be named after the Greek moon goddess. "I’d be most pleased to be called ‘Selene’ by you, Master," the gorgeous and now respectably dressed and smiling 16 year-old female answered, with genuine enthusiasm.

"Selene it is then," the very handsome young man from Volsinii gently responded, "but please address me as Hylas here does and call me ‘Gaius’ and not ‘Master’ within this domus, unless we have formal guests and you believe that social decorum would demand otherwise. In such situations, we wouldn’t want to discomfit the more tradition-minded amongst our visitors, would we?"

"Yes, Master, er, sorry, Gaius," a blushing Selene replied, as sudden pangs of love for her new owner began to encroach into her lovely form.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, evening, same day)

‘But we, like the blooms that blossom in the season of many flowers,

Spring, when they suddenly shoot, caught by the sun’s bright rays,

Like these, for a cubit’s length of time the flowers of youth

We enjoy, at the hands of the gods knowing not evil days

Nor good. But beside us there stand the black spirits of Death

One of them holding an end in age with its dreadful pain

And the other in death. But of youth only a short time lives

The fruit, for as long as the sun spreads itself over the plain.’

- Mimnermus of Colophon (Fragment 2.1-8)

I could not help but cry immaturely, although I tried to hide my tears and whimpering from my beloved Gaius. I was lying naked, on my bed in the small chamber I shared with Apollinus in the Imperial palace on the Palatine Hill, with my back turned to the adjacent and also nude 22 year-old from Volsinii, who was happily occupied with gently stroking my long, silky, straight golden hair. Meanwhile, the faithful 10 year-old Hylas was diplomatically slumbering on my roommate’s bunk.

Gaius and I had just made love again, whilst I enjoyed a break from attending to Claudius and Apollinus was still with Britannicus. Despite my efforts to disguise my sadness, my lover detected my blubbering and asked me what was wrong. I whispered rather ridiculously in reply "Nothing!" However, the young man from Volsinii somehow appreciated that my sobs did not just result from common post-coitus melancholy and so persisted in his questioning, whilst still giving careful attention to my golden locks.

I finally surrendered to Gaius’ gentle probing and turned my tearful face towards him. My lachrymose blue eyes then looked into his dry but clearly highly concerned brown variety and confessed, because I could never deceive my beloved, "I’m frightened!"

"What of," Gaius whispered in retort, whilst carefully attempting to wipe my immature tears from my face with his fingers, "as I know of nothing that should currently induce any fears?" I hesitated to answer but eventually managed to splutter, in reply to his continued gentle querying, "I….I….I’m frightened….of….losing you!"

"Why should you lose me?" Gaius replied, with obvious astonishment. I again hesitated to respond until he finally encouraged me to confess "Because….I’ll surely….someday soon….lose my boyish looks….that you find….so attractive. After all….I believe that….I must recently have passed….my 20th birthday!"

The concept of soon losing Gaius’ sexual attraction towards me, and presumably therefore his love, then caused fresh uncontrolled tears and sobbing. Thoughts about such an awful development had increasingly invaded my mind of late but I never could later work out why they induced such an embarrassing immature emotional response on this particular day.

Gaius reacted to my confession by sitting up on the bed and cradling my head against his smooth chest, whilst simultaneously kissing my silky hair and uttering soothing words in order to try to cure my injured emotions. Nevertheless, his philosophy to life prevented him from denying that someday he might no longer find me sexually alluring for he was always an advocate of the truth, even if veracity hurt.

(Domus of Aulus Plautius, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘Vide quam mihi persuaserim te me esse alterum.’
(‘See, how convinced I am that you are my second self.’)


- Cicero (‘Epistulae ad familiares’)

Pomponia Graecina was relieved to be watching, in the creeping evening darkness, the arrival of the four family litters at her palatial domus, as she had earlier been worried about their lateness in returning from the Circus Maximus. The presence of a leading servant carrying a ‘fasces’, the bundle of wooden rods with an axe in the middle that denoted high Roman officialdom, indicated that her husband was riding in one of the transports being carried by four slaves apiece.

Pomponia Graecina initially presumed that two of other three litters would be occupied by her sons, as they returned from the chariot racing, whilst the third would be empty, having already dropped Nero off at the nearby Imperial palace. However, the woman was soon to discover that she was incorrect about the location of Suffuscus, as she then spied within the pervading gloom the surprising sight of her adoptive son riding a tall black horse.

Aulus Plautius and his entourage had made a diversion on their way home from the Circus Maximus in order to collect Bucephalus from the stables of the Greens on the Campus Martius. There, Suffuscus had himself applied fresh salve to the injuries on the yearling’s back, caused by a trainer’s whip, before carefully bridling and saddling the colt, as the horse still would not allow any other human to handle him. The steed then behaved impeccably whilst his new master rode him to his new home.

The eventual almost symbiotic relationship between boy and horse would one day prove of immense significance to Suffuscus.

(Domus of Rubellius Plautus, patrician quarter, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘Ex iniuria ius non oritur.’

(‘Right cannot grow out of injustice.’)

- Roman legal maxim

Formal ownership of Rubellius Plautus’ palatial domus had just been transferred to him from the guardianship of his aunt, Agrippina. The orphaned great grandson of Tiberius was, after all, now 19 years of age and a wearer of the toga virilis, although fatherly authority over him, or ‘pater potestas’, was still the responsibility of Seneca the Younger, in line with the Empress’ wishes.

Seneca’s influence over the very handsome Rubellius Plautus, whom he visited almost daily, had increased of late but not because Agrippina’s principal formal adviser and Nero’s tutor still had the authority to beat the young man for any perceived misdemeanours. The 19 year-old was instead attracted to the 57 year-old’s stoic philosophy, which they regularly discussed.

Consequently, Rubellius Plautus had introduced some of the relevant philosophical disciplines into his own life, although, thankfully for his lover, my friend and fellow Imperial slave, Apollinus, these did not extend to chastity or, like Seneca, bathing infrequently. However, the 19 year-old’s fresh perspective did stimulate him into trying to right a wrong.

Encouraged by Apollinus, Rubellius Plautus approached his younger friend, Silius Italicus, once fellow abuser with Lucanus and Nero of my vulnerable form. He did so, coincidentally almost simultaneously to the similar effort made by Persius and Quintilianus with L, to encourage the 17 year-old to apologise to me for his previous injurious actions.

Silius Italicus’ similarly aged lover, the equitable Marcus Cocceius Nerva, helped Rubellius Plautus’ just cause, despite the fact that he currently barely knew me. However, as I have already mentioned in an earlier chapter, he was to demonstrate a talent for bridge building of one kind or another throughout his life.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘Quaeris, quot mihi basiationes

Tuae….sint satis superque.

Quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenae

Lasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis

Oraculum Iouis inter aestuosi

Et Batti ueteris sacrum sepulcrum;

Aut quem sidera multa, cum tacet nox,

Furtiuos hominum uident amores.’

(‘You ask….how many kissings of you are for me enough and to spare. As many as the grains of the Libyan sand that stretch in silphium-bearing Cyrenaica between the oracle of sweltering Jove and the hallowed tub of old Battus, or as many as the stars that when night is hushed look on the stealthy loves of mortals.’)

- Catullus (7)

Fortunately, Gaius’ strict adherence to truthfulness was eventually to cure me of my melancholy. The marvellous young man from Volsinii began to repair my injured emotions, caused by my worries about soon losing my boyish looks, by first announcing "I shall always love you, Bicilus!"

"You see, Bicilus," Gaius next advised, "my affection for you actually has little connection to your appearance, as your looks and the sex we enjoy together are, for me, just a bonus in our relationship. Ever since we rather platonically spent our first night together, just talking in one of Caius Silius’ bedchambers, I knew that I loved you and would do so forever. However, I was truly attracted mainly by your soul and not your body."

"My feelings for you have only grown stronger every day since," Gaius kindly declared, "and will continue to do so regardless of the ravages of time on your external appearance because I know that your inner self will always remain beautiful!" However, the young man from Volsinii’s declaration did not cause my tears to stop flowing.

My tears instead increased further despite, or probably more correctly because of, the fact that I somehow realised not only that Gaius was speaking what he truly believed but also that his love, as opposed to sexual passion, really would be eternal. As the young man from Volsinii then again kissed my silky hair he added another promise.

"I’ll still be kissing you," Gaius pledged, "whenever I can when we’re both old and wrinkled!"

I am happy to tell you, dear patient reader of my lengthy life story, that my beloved Gaius Musonius Rufus subsequently kept his promise.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, early next morning)

‘Aurora interea miseris mortalibus alman extulerat lucem referens opera atque labores.’

(‘Dawn now raised her nourishing light upon the suffering mortals and renewed their daily grind.’)

- Virgil (‘Aeneid’, xi.182-3)

I had rarely come across Silius Italicus and Lucanus since they had ceased to be playmates of Nero. I was therefore rather surprised to learn early one morning that they were asking for me at one of the rear entrances of the Imperial palace, which was reserved for servants and the delivery of goods. I was thankfully awake and up at the time, as Claudius, after the excitement of the chariot racing, had gone to bed much earlier than normal, allowing me to do the same.

As Silius Italicus and Lucanus, unlike my beloved Gaius, did not possess the necessary passes to enter the palace, I ventured to the rear entrance to see what they wanted. I was naturally wary of the 17 and 13 year-olds, given my previous experiences with them. However, I also judged that they could no longer surely perpetrate any mischief against me and was curious about their arrival.

I was additionally soon to be amazed at receiving the copious polite verbal apologies from Silius Italicus and Lucanus and, despite the difference in our mutual social status, the result was further lifelong friendships, into which Rubellius Plautus and Nerva were to be drawn. I was, of course, already well acquainted with the other instigators of the acts of contrition, Persius and Quintilianus, through their association with Gaius.

Both Silius Italicus and Lucanus later confessed to me that they were glad to offer their regrets for their previous injurious actions because they had subsequently felt very guilty about them. The expressions of their genuine remorse therefore helped to salve their consciences. Given that both were almost unprecedentedly and rather courageously apologising to a mere eunuch barbarian slave, I shall forever be grateful for their repentance, especially as their action led to mutual camaraderie.

Meanwhile, their former partner in crime, Nero, merely continued to ignore me whenever we came across each other.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘Sic itur ad astra.’
(’Thus, you go to the stars.’)

- Virgil (‘Aeneid’)

"What can I do for Iri and Swnu?" Quintilianus asked of his unexpected and very early but nevertheless most welcome guests. Q was, of course, referring to Gaius and Hylas.

If you recall, dear patient reader, Gaius had once related to the then 13 year-old Quintilianus and Persius an anecdote about Aegyptia, where a few hundred years before my time there was a royal ‘swnu’, or ‘physician’, named Iri. His sole job was to look after the Pharaoh’s rectum, including expertly supervising his master’s regular enemas.

Gaius had told his tale in order to encourage Persius and Quintilianus to allow him and Hylas to help repair their bottoms. The delightful curvature had been badly beaten by Otho’s gang on the Ides of Martius in the countryside near the first milestone of the Via Flamina, just over 5 years prior to the current unexpected visit to the pair’s shared lodgings. The boys had later allocated new private nicknames to the young person from Volsinii and his slave, who were subsequently to them forever respectively ‘Iri’ and ‘Swnu’.

"I’d like you to arrange for a short codicil to be added to my will," Gaius, with Hylas as ever at his side, requested of the 18 year-old student lawyer, Quintilianus. The latter had been about to leave for the day the lodgings he shared with Persius in order to go to continue his practical legal training with Gnaeus Domitius Afer. However, Q was more than happy to delay his departure to talk to his unexpected guests.

"I’d be happy to oblige," Quintilianus honestly replied to Gaius’ request, "and what will this addition entail?" "I wish to charge the executors of my will," the young man from Volsinii answered, "with the responsibility of ensuring that, given his own acquiescence and when the relevant time comes, my ashes are mixed with those of Bicilus!"

I only learnt decades later about this codicil to Gaius’ will about our ashes sharing an urn and I immediately recognised the significance of the great honour. The marvellous young man from Volsinii had promised to love me forever and his magnificent gesture was meant to reinforce his covenant in my mind, if not, given his agnosticism, in his own opinion actually empower his pledge.

Given my advanced age, as I narrate my life to my worthy scribe, and the excellent nature of the appointed executors, who include Hylas, I am therefore certain that I shall soon be resting for eternity with my beloved, although hopefully not before I have finished my lengthy autobiography.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, later same morning)

‘Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artis intulit agresti Latio.’

(‘When Greece was captured, she in turn captivated her untamed conqueror and introduced the arts to bumpkin Latium.’

- Horace (‘Epistles’, ii.1.156-7)

"You’ve composed an interesting little tale," the ‘elegentiae arbiter’, Petronius, commented to Nero, referring to the 13 year-old boy’s story about a handsome young Emperor who became beloved of the people because he displayed not only exemplary leadership abilities but also immense talent in the performing arts. "However," the boy’s teacher of creative writing added, "I doubt that such a ruler could ever preside over Rome!"

"Why not?" Nero asked, whilst his now pretty face displayed clear disappointment. "Because," Petronius answered, "we Romans are a manly martial race, who like our rulers to display firm authority and competent leadership, not artistry. The latter attribute would be considered by many not only to be inconsistent with the ideal for an Emperor but also inadvisable, as it could be both dangerously distracting and symbolic of weakness, possibly even of effeminacy. However, such a king would probably be appreciated in the more philosophically liberal Hellenic world, which some people also regard as more cultured!"

Petronius did not know at the time but he had now, by his remarks, planted a keen interest in everything Greek in Nero’s developing young mind, which would have significant future repercussions, not least for me.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘Difficile est saturam non scribere.’
(‘It is difficult not to write satire.’)

- Juvenal

"What can I do for you?" Quintilianus, who had still not left the lodgings he shared with Persius, asked of another unexpected and early but nevertheless most welcome guest. Q was this time referring to 32 year-old Cornutus, in respect of whom he then answered his own question. "I suppose," the very handsome 18 year-old suggested, "you’ve come to see P!"

Without waiting for an answer, Quintilianus, pointing to an adjacent room, advised Cornutus "He’s in there, writing poetry as usual." Q then apologised to the guest about having to leave immediately to begin his day’s legal work but added "However, I’m sure that you and P will be better off without my presence to interrupt your discourse!"

With this latter comment, Quintilianus was actually sharing a private joke with the knowing Cornutus, as the 18 year-old had latterly acquired the habit of teasing his lover, Persius, by making derogatory comments about poets and their work. P responded in kind about lawyers. Neither believed in what they said and both appreciated this fact, simply enjoying the fun of their often inventive verbal insults.

"Q," Cornutus, also indulging in the amusement, retorted, "you shouldn’t underestimate how inspiring your insults can be to a poet. Such moronic remarks only stimulate P into proving you wrong by composing great verse!"

Quintilianus grinned in reply and was also tempted to debate the issue with Cornutus, just as a good lawyer should. However, aware of the hour, the still smiling Q instead just bade farewell and left the lodgings, actually hoping that his beloved Persius would truly develop into a renowned poet.

Cornutus subsequently discovered Persius in the next room, quietly sitting and writing at a table, with his back to the door. In order to announce his presence to the 18 year-old embryonic stoic poet, the 32 year-old coughed. In response, P turned his very handsome face and smiled at the sight of his literary mentor.

Cornutus now begged "Please don’t stand, as I don’t intend to interrupt your work by staying long." "You know," Persius replied with sincerity, "that I always greatly appreciate your visits and would therefore like you to remain here for as long as possible."

It was now Cornutus’ turn to smile, after hearing Persius’ kind complimentary remarks. He then approached P and asked him what he was currently writing. "I’m attempting to compose another satirical poem," the 18 year-old answered.

"Oh," Cornutus queried, "what about?" "Bad poetry," a suddenly wickedly grinning Persius replied, causing his guest to burst into laughter.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘I do not distinguish by the eye but by the mind, which is the proper judge of the man.’

- Seneca the Younger

"Now," advised Seneca, who had just assumed from Petronius responsibility for the very special group of boy pupils in the Imperial palace, "letters are a most important form of communication in Roman society. You see, they can provide a means to send messages not only to contemporaries but also to future generations. Think for example of those written by Cicero to his friend, Atticus, which have provided us with immensely valuable permanent confirmation of the great orator’s philosophies."

"Learned Roman gentlemen," Seneca continued, " recognise that letters to friends can be apt expressions of both amity and shared interests, in which inner thoughts and ideas can be revealed and recorded in a way as highly polished as any lyric or epic. I commend this notion to you!"

In retrospect, I now perceive in my old age that Seneca the Younger was, through these words, not just trying to teach good written practices. He was also being prescient about how much of his own literary legacy might be preserved for posterity.

Seneca subsequently glanced around his small select group of pupils, comprising Nero and other boys aged between 13 and 15, carefully chosen to share the young prince’s education from patrician families currently most favoured within the Imperial court. All of the companions were also exceedingly pretty, especially Suffuscus.

Seneca could tell that he was beginning to lose the attention of his pupils. The 57 year-old tutor perceptively appreciated that his small class was not especially disinterested in the current topic but was impatient to enjoy the imminent scheduled playtime. The latter would as usual be spent in the ornate palace gymnasium, which was based on similar Greek amenities, and be undertaken under the watchful eye of an expert instructor in some form of physical exercise or game.

Seneca did not believe in wasting his precious time with minds no longer fully attuned to his own instruction and so he temporarily dismissed his young charges. As usual in such circumstances, the boys ignored his warning to depart for the gymnasium quietly, such was their relief that academic studies had finished for now and their excitement at the prospect of the fun to come. They instead left their tutor amidst much loud chatter and giggling. However, the 57 year-old stoic had long since become accustomed to such poor discipline, which he wearily forgave as one of the accepted weaknesses of youthfulness.

As the happy and smiling Nero left his presence, Seneca could not help but again contemplate the change that had overtaken the prince since he had cleverly manoeuvred the boy into friendship with the delightful Suffuscus. Such transformation had manifested itself not only in an apparent moderating of the 13 year-old’s character, which had seemingly made him a much humbler and friendlier child, but also in a significant improvement in his physical appearance.

Nero, possessor of curly fair hair, had lost the chubby flabbiness of his earlier years to become rather pretty. Seneca therefore now reflected that his plan to improve the young prince through association with Suffuscus had worked better than he had ever envisaged, which could only augur well for Rome, given the current lofty status of Agrippina’s son.

Nero had obviously advanced far since his notorious father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, had died of dropsy when his son was only a 3 year-old and, after his mother’s subsequent banishment from the court of her brother, Caligula, the then Emperor had confiscated the boy’s one third of the paternal inheritance. The sister, Domitia Lepida, of the child’s deceased male parent had then assumed responsibility for raising the infant in Rome until Agrippina’s eventual recall from exile by the next Princeps, Claudius.

Domitia Lepida was the mother of Messalina and was the original wife of Agrippina’s second husband, Sallustius Paaienus Crispus, whom the present Empress had married and then murdered for his wealth. Nero’s aunt peculiarly chose a barber and a dancer to be her nephew’s tutors, which might go some way to explaining his subsequent obsession with his looks and the performing arts.

Nero had been allowed to thank Claudius for the honours bestowed on him during the previous year by addressing the 300-strong Senate. The young boy’s speech before this august but currently rather politically emasculated body was well received, being eloquent both in content and delivery, which, in retrospect was perhaps unsurprising. After all, Seneca had written the words and tutored the prince in their oration, whilst Suffuscus had boosted his younger friend’s confidence by efficiently soothing his previous nervousness.

Nero’s high profile was in marked contrast to that of Britannicus. The latter younger prince was rarely seen in public and, when he was spotted, was still dressed in a boy’s toga praetexta, emphasising to all the difference in status between the pair.

As Seneca observed his pupils happily departing for the gymnasium, a worrying question crossed his highly intelligent mind. The older prince’s tutor wondered what might happen to Nero’s personality if somehow his friendship with Suffuscus ended in tears.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘Ambition is a vice, but it may be the father of virtue.’

- Quintilian

"I don’t think that you’re visiting me at this early hour just to find out about my current poetry," Persius perceptively declared, appreciating that his guest invariably indulged that habit in the evenings. 18 year-old P then asked "So what brings the renowned Cornutus to these humble lodgings during the morning?"

"Last time we met," Cornutus answered, "you told me that you had ambitions to acquire a part-time job in order to supplement the allowance you receive from your father and you enquired about the possibility of teaching in one of Axenius’ schools." "That’s correct," Persius replied, anticipating that his former tutor and current mentor and friend would now be offering him such a post. However, P’s sudden expectant smile disappeared when the 32 year-old advised "Unfortunately, there’s no such position at present."

Persius’ smile then quickly returned when Cornutus continued "But I can offer you a private role tutoring five lovely young foreign siblings, newly arrived in Rome!"

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, later same morning)

‘These little Greeks must have their gymnasia!’

- Emperor Trajan (in a letter of 111 to Pliny the Younger, Governor of Bithynia [‘Letters’, 10.40])

Nero and the pupils in his select class were exercising in the large ornate palace gymnasium in the Greek style, namely naked. They were currently playing ‘harpaston’, which was also copied from the Hellenes and is the most popular Roman ball game.

Much enjoyable noisy rough and tumble were indulged in order to try to gain possession of the spherical ball, or ‘pila’, which was an inflated and stitched pig’s bladder. Meanwhile, a handsome 20 year-old Greek instructor in this pastime, attired in a light tunic, looked on enviously, although his envy did not stem from wanting to play the game or from the often excellent skills being displayed by the boys. His covetousness instead entirely related to his secret desire for the gorgeous naked bodies being exhibited, which was causing his hidden cock to throb.

(Palatium Britannicum, Rome, same time)

‘The very spring and root of honesty and virtue lie in the felicity of lighting on good education.’

- Plutarch

Persius, after being greeted politely by Caratacus, had been left alone with his five new charges, namely the Britannian exile’s beautiful quintet of children. These comprised three boys, Cynon, Lleyn and Cyllin, and two girls, Gladys and Eurgain, respectively 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14.

The children had, of course, already been the recipients of tutoring, both in Britannia and after their arrival in Rome. However, events had naturally disrupted their education and there was much catching up to do, especially in Latin subjects and particularly for the boys, who were scheduled to start school in September, at my recommendation in one of Axenius’ establishments. A similar suggestion to Caratacus had brought, via Cornutus, Persius to the palatial home of my exiled tribal chieftain to perform the necessary preliminary private tuition.

As Roman females are not educated beyond the elementary level and so do not join grammatici, Caratacus would also require Persius’ continued private tutoring for Gladys and Eurgain after their brothers had started school in September. The enlightened Catuvellaunian chieftain believed that girls should be allowed to pursue their learning into secondary subjects.

Cynon, Lleyn and Cyllin would be joining their appointed school at the same time as two of their new friends, acquired through meeting them at Axenius’ domus. These were Gaius’ adopted sons, Achilleus and Tyanus, respectively 10 and 12 year-olds.

Waiting for them at the school, as they were already attending the establishment, would be two other new friends. These were Axenius’ younger brother, 13 year-old Anacletus, and adopted son, 11 year-old Arius.

Caratacus’ sons would also fatefully become well acquainted with another delightful boy, in the lovely shape of 13 year-old Lucanus.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘He who is bent on doing evil can never want occasion.’

- Publius Syrus

Suffuscus, displaying his usual bravado, took a particularly heavy tumble and hurt his ankle. The supervising Greek instructor therefore rushed to the boy, whom he considered the most beautiful from the select, in terms of both appearance and status, class and helped the 15 year-old to his feet and to a marble bench close to a wall.

Lust overwhelming sense, the Greek then perceived a chance to satisfy both the needs of his cock and his passion for Suffuscus. The 20 year-old therefore declared the gymnasium session over and ordered the other boys to go to the nearby baths to be washed, massaged, groomed and dressed under the supervision of other servants.

The other boys were naturally reluctant to end their play but a warning from the Greek that their academic tutor would be expecting their return to lessons soon quickly resulted in their capitulation to his command. No-one wanted to be the recipient of Seneca’s rod for displaying tardiness, even Nero, who was as subject to such corporal punishment as his fellow pupils. However, before departing, the 13 year-old prince did check on the welfare of his best friend, Suffuscus, who was currently lying on the marble bench to allow his ankle injury to be the recipient of careful attention from the instructor.

After they were finally alone together, the secretly acutely excited Greek made his move on the gorgeous Suffuscus. The instructor, looking into the 15 year-old’s sensuous brown eyes, commented "You’re a very pretty boy. I bet you have many male admirers. Do you also have any lovers?"

As the Greek asked this latter question, his nervous and unwise but keen fingers began to stray away from Suffuscus’ ankle and to move instead up the boy’s lithe leg. The instructor’s increasingly glazed stare simultaneously moved to the 15 year-old’s uncut genitals, which were nicely proportioned and completely smooth, apart from a little patch of brown pubic hair located just above the delectable organs.

The Greek gently caressed Suffuscus’ leg as his fingers advanced closer to the boy’s genitalia. The instructor was then rewarded for his manual attentions by the sight of a 15 year-old cock visibly twitching and becoming semi-erect.

Suffuscus was momentarily too shocked by the Greek’s effrontery to object with either words or action to the instructor’s own verbal and physical advances, which had obvious intent. However, the boy eventually managed to mutter, in respect of the fingers slowly moving up his leg, "Please don’t do that!" The 15 year-old then attempted to retrieve himself from his disturbing predicament by, despite his ankle injury, trying to stand. However, the 20 year-old was too overwhelmed by desire to allow this opportunity to satisfy his long denied ardour to pass.

The Greek jumped at Suffuscus, who soon found himself forcibly and uncomfortably sprawled face-down over the marble bench, with his curvaceous smooth bottom presented nicely for the instructor’s passionate attention. As the boy’s head was firmly held by his assailant, the 15 year-old then felt his own unruly cock being rapidly rubbed to full erection before, objective embarrassingly achieved, the fingers involved moved to begin to poke his virginal sphincter.

Suffuscus tried vainly to evade the Greek’s grip but he was handicapped by his painful ankle injury and the facts that the instructor was too strong and the young man’s hold too firm to permit escape. "Please don’t!" an increasingly tearful naked boy instead began to plea, as the attention of 20 year-old’s fingers to the 15 year-old’s anal opening was suddenly replaced by a larger, single and much more ominous human appendage, drooling copious precum.

The Greek was too impassioned to take any notice of Suffuscus’ desperate entreaties. The instructor instead returned his fingers to the 15 year-old’s erection and suggested "You really want it, boy, don’t you. Your own hard cock tells me that you do!"

The Greek had previously convinced himself that all boys were natural whores and that Suffuscus really would want to be raped by him. However, the instructor was not entirely stupid, as he also reasoned, possibly with good cause, that, if he successfully masturbated the 15 year-old whilst enjoying sodomy, his young victim might subsequently simply be too ashamed to level any charges against him.

The Greek additionally intended to play on such shame by threatening to rebut any such accusations by claiming that a licentious boy had seduced an innocent man and not the other way round. The instructor reckoned that such blackmail should ensure silence, as the allegations would undoubtedly cause at least some damage to the young patrician’s reputation, even if largely disbelieved, thereby making protests about being raped undesirable.

"Please don’t!" the tearful Suffuscus repeated, as the Greek’s large and engorged cock began to challenge the resistance of the little round pink muscle protecting the boy’s virginity.

(Palatium Britannicum, Rome, same time)

‘Verba togae sequeris.’

(‘You follow words of the toga.’)

- Persius (referring to cultivated Latin in ‘Satires’, 5.14)

Persius decided to test the Latin so far acquired by Caratacus’ clever offspring. P began by checking the beautiful young quintet’s knowledge of cardinal numerals by having the children individually recite numbers one to twenty for him.

"Unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex, septem, octo, novem, decem, undecim, duodecim, tredecim, quattuordecim, quindecim, sedecim, septendecim, duodeviginti, undeviginti, viginti," all of the five beautiful children subsequently successfully responded with aplomb.

(Massilia, Narbonensis, Gaul [modern Marseilles, France], same time)

‘Whoso neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future.’

- Euripides

The 12 year-old boy, who was to become another close friend of mine, was also speaking to his tutor, albeit in faraway Massilia. However, Axenius’ Gaul freedman was not questioning the very pretty child about his knowledge of Latin.

"I know Rome represents recent tragedy for your family," the teacher commented, "but your mother and I both agree that a visit there by you would assist your education. If you concur, I’ll therefore make arrangements for you to spend the summer in the Imperial capital with Axenius himself, who’ll arrange for you to see all the sights."

The 12 year-old boy was thrilled by the prospect of making his first visit to Rome since he had been a baby, when his father had been executed.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘[A wise man] will willingly assume a kingship and make money from it, and, if he cannot be king himself, will live with a king….’

- Chrysippus

The main problem encountered by 24 year-old Doryphorus in working closely with his 17 year-old lover, Helius, younger brother of Apollinus, was his regular wish to abandon all current tasks in favour of jumping into bed with the gorgeous Rhodian. His temptation was only exacerbated by the fact that the object of his sexual desires appeared recently to have blossomed even more in terms of beauty.

Nevertheless, Doryphorus somehow managed to control his routine daily urges until he and Helius finally retired for the night to their shared room in the Imperial palace, when his younger lover would quickly discover the strength of the 24 year-old’s passion for him. The 17 year-old’s clothing would be speedily shed at the insistence, and with the eager help, of his keen paramour and he would then soon be lying on their joint bed, being the subject of much lustful activity.

Doryphorus, however, currently still had to wait for several hours before he could achieve such a happy conclusion to the day, as he and Helius continued their work as young Nero’s secretariat, which entailed many administrative chores despite the fact that the boy was only a 13 year-old. Agrippina now ensured, in case something untoward should happen to her, that her son possessed independent wealth, including some rural estates. The bulk of these riches were, of course, corruptly acquired, as they were often bribes from affluent court petitioners or revenues or property, such as from bequests or confiscations, that should have gone to her husband, Claudius. However, with the present serious reduction in Narcissus’ influence, the Imperial treasurer, Pallas, easily managed to divert such funds and property to his ally, the Empress, whilst naturally retaining a significant proportion for himself.

Narcissus was aware of what was going on, not least from his own secret allies, Doryphorus and Helius, but could do little about the situation, as he had not only lost influence but also was open to charges of earlier similar personal corruption if he complained. Consequently, all the Imperial secretary could currently do in response was to attempt to retrieve some sway, particularly by somehow undermining Agrippina, who was actually now suggesting to her husband that his most important freedman should be retired.

Narcissus perceptively appreciated that his retreat from the Imperial court would only ultimately produce one personal result if his arch-rival, Agrippina, retained her own influence over affairs. The consequence of his enforced retirement would undoubtedly be his death, and not by natural causes.

Narcissus also believed that the prospect of his enforced retirement boded ill for Britannicus, whom he was trying to protect, although not entirely for altruistic reasons. The younger prince’s eventual accession to the Principate, as opposed to that of Nero, should mean the Imperial secretary’s own survival.

Such matters of state were, however, not currently foremost in Helius’ bright mind. The beautiful 17 year-old, with the silky fair hair and sky blue eyes, was instead intrigued by the papyrus presently in his hands. The imported writing material from Aegyptia recorded the transfer of ownership from Claudius to Nero of a certain large estate in Campania, confiscated from Caius Silius 3½ years previously. The property happened to be the one on which the young freedman and his parents had once been employed as rural slaves.

The wondrous Helius did not, of course, recognise at the time that the legal document was someday to be of immense significance to himself.

(Palatium Britannicum, Rome, same time)

‘Sweat drenches my skin and I start to tremble

When I see adolescence in bloom….’

- Mimnermus of Colophon (Fragment 5)

Persius now tested the knowledge acquired by Caratacus’ clever offspring in respect of the declension of Latin nouns. 10 year-old Lleyn, rather appropriately for such a lovely young male, was given the word for ‘boy’.

"Puer, puer, puerum, pueri, puero, puero," Lleyn confidently announced in respect of the nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative and ablative singular cases before proceeding to the plural versions. "Pueri, pueri, pueros, puerorum, pueris, pueris," the 10 year-old then smilingly successfully declared.

Not for the first time on this day, a bead of sweat ran down Persius’ brow, as he watched beautiful Lleyn recite. However, the droplet was not caused by the spring heat, as its creation coincided with a further hardening of P’s cock, thankfully hidden under his formal toga.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘No man should set out to fly to heaven, or seek to wed queen….Aphrodite.’

- Alcman of Sardis (about not overreaching, especially in love, in fragment 1)

"What do you think that you’re doing to my friend?" Nero asked of the Greek instructor, immediately after the young prince’s unexpected return to the palace gymnasium.

(Massilia, Narbonensis, Gaul [modern Marseilles, France], evening, same day)

‘Words are but the shadows of actions.’

- Democritus

The 12 year-old boy was writing a letter by candlelight to his mother, who resided eastwards along the coast of the Mare Internum in Forum Julii. He was thanking his widowed parent for sending him to Rome for the summer.

Someone else, albeit for different and much more emotional reasons, would one day write a similar letter of thanks to the mother for sending the marvellous boy on a summer educational holiday to Rome.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘The genitalia themselves, fresh cut with flint, were thrown

Clear of the mainland into the restless, white-capped sea,

Where they floated a long time….’

- Hesiod (describing, in ‘Theogeny’, Cronos’ castration of his father, Uranus)

The Greek might have been petrified but he was also grateful that he was still alive. After all, betrayers of Imperial trust were often horribly executed, with their naked bodies being subsequently dragged on hooks through Rome to the tall Gemonian stairs on the Aventine Hill, which leads from the Capitol to the Forum and ultimately to the Tiber. The corpses were often then left there to rot before finally being thrown into the river.

The now former gymnastics instructor was therefore glad that such a fate had not befallen him. However, the Greek was not looking forward to the imminent loss of his balls at the hands of the palace torturer, who coincidentally had almost put me to agonising question 3½ years previously, in the wake of the failed coup against Claudius by Messalina and Caius Silius.

On that occasion, Britannicus had rescued me from the interrogator’s attentions, as well as ordering the man to be flogged for subsequently striking me against his wishes after my deliverance, an action that was to cause us both much anguish as a result of the man’s later revenge. However, such retribution was still in the future and no respite from the torturer would befall the former gymnastics instructor.

Amazingly, the entreaties of the Greek’s intended rape victim, the highly compassionate Suffuscus, had saved the would-be molester’s life, after the instructor had been arrested by Praetorians at Nero’s behest. However, no amount of pleas could save the 20 year-old’s balls after Agrippina subsequently learnt of the incident and intervened. The Empress had declared that the sex attacker, who had demonstrated immense impertinence in attempting to assault her son’s closest friend within the supposed security of the Imperial palace, was clearly a danger to all children whilst he retained his testicles.

The Greek’s large rigid cock, which had been thwarted in its quest to gain satisfaction from Suffuscus’ anus by Nero’s timely intervention, finally belatedly erupted in ecstatic ejaculation in the torture chamber. The former gymnastics instructor had earlier been tied, naked, face-up and spreadeagled, to a large sturdy table, bloodstained through copious use.

Simultaneous to his current orgasm, the Greek’s scrotum was being punitively and agonisingly sliced away, before being thrown into a nearby bucket of water. After cauterisation and eventual healing of the resultant unpleasant genital injury, a new 20 year-old eunuch would later be presented for sale in Rome’s main slave market, whilst a replacement gymnastics instructor was recruited from Greece.

(Lodgings of Persius and Quintilianus, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

‘I lie tortured by desire.’

- Archilochus (Fragment 25)

Persius confided in Quintilianus, after he had eagerly rid himself of his sexual frustrations, accumulated by being in the presence of such gorgeous young creatures as Caratacus’ five children for much of the day, by thrusting his erection into Q’s rectum until satisfaction was attained. P then confessed, as he dismounted from his fellow 18 year-old’s rear, that asking Lleyn to inflect the Latin noun for ‘boy’ was a major mistake.

"Having the gorgeous smiling Lleyn," Persius advised, "shouting the twelve declinations of ‘puer’ at me only stimulated my passions further by reminding me of the allures of beautiful boys!" "I’m rather glad he succeeded in energising your libido so much!" Quintilianus responded, as he happily turned round to reveal, on the bedclothes, his own spilt cum, which matched that leaking from his well-entertained sphincter.

(Imperial palace, Palatine Hill, Rome, same time)

‘As soon as there’s a bloom on him, one loves a boy,

Thighs and sweet lips, objects of desire….’

- Solon of Athens

Before Gaius today made his nightly appearance in my room at the Imperial palace, I finally became aware that Claudius knew about my sexual liaisons, which explained why the Emperor had latterly considerately excused me from his service for the same few hours most evenings. Such regular prolonged breaks had recently enabled me to schedule my daily meetings with the young man from Volsinii more consistently than had been the case in the past, when he had frequently simply waited for me to enjoy a respite from my Imperial tasks.

My duties for Claudius, who was rather a night-owl, gaining much of his sleep in daytime naps, often extended deep into the hours of darkness or even until after the sun had risen at dawn. Nevertheless, my beloved Gaius, with Hylas often slumbering in his arms, would inevitably still be waiting, within the palace room I shared with Apollinus, for me to finish.

Any tiredness that I might have felt because of my long hours of service for Claudius would then be immediately dispelled by the sight of Gaius awaiting me and anticipation of and indulgence in the imminent joys to come. Such pleasures did not just concern the passionate sex we usually enjoyed but also our pillow talk, as well as quieter embracing whilst awake or asleep. We truly felt that we were in paradise in each other’s company, be it loudly active or silently passive.

On this evening, Claudius let slip that he had enabled Gaius and me to enjoy our daily liaisons at more regular and respectable times after learning of my love affair. However, the Emperor did not tell me from whom the information had been acquired, although I correctly guessed the source.

The Imperial secretary, Narcissus, with whom I was in furtive alliance in order to try to help Britannicus, and for whom I was acting as a double-spy in respect of Agrippina and her supporters, later confessed. He kindly declared that he knew that Claudius now greatly appreciated my services, especially for the faultless efficiency I demonstrated in my job and the obvious pleasantness of my character. Such regard had apparently made me the Emperor’s favourite slave, which, given the vast numbers of such servants in his ownership, was indeed an honour.

Narcissus advised that he thought that I was due some compensation for the secret and dangerous help that I was providing him by spying on Agrippina’s camp and for my loyal and proficient service for Claudius. The seemingly all-knowing Imperial secretary had also astutely recognised that time with Gaius was more precious to me than anything else.

Before the fiasco at the Fucine Lake and Narcissus’ resultant loss of influence, the Imperial secretary had therefore told Claudius about my affair with a certain handsome young equestrian from Volsinii, dropping the hint that the relevant liaisons might be enjoyed better if they could somehow be regularised. The Emperor had accepted the bait, wanting, like his then most important freedman, to reward me and the result was consistent time off every evening, simultaneous to when my Imperial master rarely required a food-taster because his common routine during these hours generally involved historical research, followed by leisurely bathing. My return to duty would coincide with his dinner, which was usually consumed much later than in most Roman households.

Today, Claudius had again dined alone. As usual, Agrippina had denied him her company, presumably because she currently did want to coax another favour from him. The Empress was probably instead conspiring in her rooms, possibly with someone alongside her in bed. I later judged that the Augusta actually indulged in sex with her husband and her allies only to aid her plotting for ultimate power. She knew men’s weaknesses and used her undoubtedly still immensely attractive 37 year-old body as a tool to help her ambitions.

As was now common after eating his ‘cena’, the rather lonely sexagenarian Claudius, in his dotage but still intellectually capable and currently desirous of convivial conversation, invited me to sit close to him so that we could talk. The Emperor’s hefty consumption of Caecuban wine, as well as the fact that there was to be no personal embarrassment resulting from his unfortunate physical mannerisms whilst in the sole company of an amenable young barbarian eunuch slave, thankfully enabled him to speak without too much stuttering.

"You know, Bicilus," Claudius compassionately commented, as he had previously done whilst surveying my face and whilst now also revealing his knowledge of my affair with Gaius, "you really are b….beautiful. I can see why an equestrian of excellent b….background and potential loves you. As I’ve said previously, I’m sure that I would be much better off if my sexual tastes involved pretty b….boys like you rather than women. However and alas, my passions are only for the feminine form."

"A p….predilection for boys," Claudius continued, "would also have enabled me to follow in the footsteps of some very worthy men!" "Really, Sire?" I remarked with clear and real enthusiasm, despite the fact that I appreciated that my clear interest might engender a lengthy one-sided verbal discourse from my historian master. However, on this occasion, I was for once very keen to be on the receiving end of such a talk, as, for obvious reasons, I had become instantly very curious about the topic because of the nature of the subject matter.

"Certainly," Claudius began by answering my query, whilst his eyes displayed a liveliness that I had not seen in him for a long time, probably because I was exhibiting obvious genuine interest in learning more about the subject. The Emperor then rapidly and happily warmed to the prospect of a lengthy informative talk.

"Let me, dear B….Bicilus," the grinning and delighted Claudius suggested, "therefore tell you all about the most famous lovers of boys in history!"

(Forum Julii, Narbonensis, Gaul [Modern Fréjus, France], 2 months later, Iun. DCCV A.V.C. [late June 52)

‘Think of your ancestors and your posterity.’

- Tacitus (‘Agricola’, xxxii)

Julius Caesar had renamed the place, which became ‘Forum Iulii Octavanorum Colonia Pacensis Classica’, when he located a colony with plentiful jobs there for veterans of his 8th Legion. However, he was as usual not being entirely altruistic in establishing a busy settlement for his old soldiers because, after destroying Massalia, he urgently needed another decent supply port on the southern coast of Gaul.

Julius Caesar therefore employed his veterans in first the construction and then the operation of an artificial harbour, built on swampland and connected to the sea by canal. Later his heir, Octavian, who would subsequently be awarded the honorific title of Augustus, brought the ships he captured from Antony and Cleopatra at Actium and continued developing the port.

Forum Julii, named after Julius Caesar’s clan, would eventually eclipse most other ports on the Mare Internum in size and importance during Augustus’ era. This development was accelerated after the city became the primary Roman naval base, as epitomised by the presence of a magnificent admiral’s residence on a flattened hill.

Forum Julii was to remain Rome’s main naval base until the honour was moved to Misenum on the Sinus Cumanus, known to some as the ‘Bay of Neapolis’, about 17 years after the arrival of a certain boy in Massilia. This military relocation was to prove fateful for a close friend of mine, as I shall relate much later in my saga.

The victor of Actium’s association with the development of the port at Forum Julii is marked by the presence on the southwest corner of the harbour-mouth of a turret lighthouse nicknamed ‘Augustus’ Lantern’. The solid tower is in the shape of a steep-edged six-sided pyramid and is ten paces tall.

The city of Forum Julii itself possesses walls, over 2½ paces thick and about 2 Roman miles in diameter, with towered gates. Fresh water is brought to the port by a long and massive aqueduct from hills over 20 miles to the northeast.

Forum Julii’s impressive public buildings include resplendent official residences, a nice but small theatre and now, as I relate my life to my worthy scribe as an old man, a 12,000-seat amphitheatre. However, at this time, the city’s best attribution was a certain 12 year-old boy, who had just temporarily returned home from his residential grammaticus in Massilia.

Each of the grandfathers of the 12 year-old boy from Forum Julii had been an Imperial Procurator of the highest equestrian rank. His father, Julius Graecinus, had been a distinguished, philosophic, eloquent, brave and principled member of the Senate, who earned for himself by these very virtues the displeasure of Gaius Caligula.

The boy’s father, whilst holding a position of authority within the Senate when his son had only been a baby, had been ordered to impeach a fellow legislator, Marcus Silanus, who had displeased the mad Caligula. However, Julius Graecinus courageously refused to participate in judicial murder and so was himself put to death on the orders of the furious Emperor.

After briefly visiting his mother in Forum Julii, the 12 year-old would then fatefully sail to spend the summer with Axenius and his family and friends in Rome. As the boy subsequently watched his home city disappear from view, from the deck of the merchant ship taking him to the Imperial capital, he contemplated his executed father. The child also pondered how he might restore his injured family’s fortunes.

The 12 year-old’s name was Gnaeus Julius Agricola.

(To be continued in chapter XLVIII – ‘Gods’)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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