By Zelamir, adapted by Pueros

Chapters 93 - 98

For ‘John Sheraton’

Chapter 93

‘I won’t scream,’ the naked Marius thought to himself, ‘I won’t. Instead, I’ll show Drusus….’

Marius’ thoughts would undoubtedly have led on to hoping that he could show Drusus how brave he was. However, his mental processes suddenly froze when he felt searing heat approach his smooth and cute but currently highly vulnerable uplifted bare bottom.

Marius later believed that he might have subsequently reacted better if the Praetorian officer had now branded his bottom without delay. However, the man unfortunately did not do so, although his tormenting hovering of the searing hot iron just over the boy’s flesh was not entirely deliberate mental torture.

The Praetorian officer sadistically enjoyed the occupational perk of branding the smooth cute bottoms of pretty boys, of which species he fully appreciated that Marius was a particularly fine example. He did not, of course, realise that his latest young victim was ironically the son of the former commanding Prefect of his regiment of Imperial guards.

The Praetorian officer’s cruelty also did extend to delaying the act briefly to allow his young victims to be psychologically tormented by feeling the heat of the iron hovering above their flesh, which would soon mark their rears for life. However, there was an additional practical reason for the momentary dawdling.

The Praetorian officer fully appreciated that he would be in serious trouble with Drusus and perhaps the Emperor, if he ever became aware of the error, should his aim with the red-hot iron, which depicted the Imperial eagle, be inaccurate. Tiberius was a stickler for tidiness and he only liked his boys to display brandmarks on their two buttocks that were correctly upright and centrally positioned.

The Praetorian officer was actually displeased to see that his latest young victim was not currently whimpering cowardly or exhibiting resistance. The enjoyment that the man acquired from the act of branding, which always caused his cock to harden secretly underneath his military tunic, was only enhanced by boys’ cries and the punishment he and his soldiers inflicted to overcome opposition.

The Praetorian officer, though, knew how to eradicate Marius’ exhibition of bravery. The man achieved his objective by simply accurately pressing his branding iron initially onto the flesh of the boy’s left buttock.

Marius’ whole world suddenly became a tearing vortex of pure agony and he lost all mental and physical control of himself. Acute excruciation of an unprecedented nature drove his previous resolve to be brave away.

Marius screamed shrilly and his bladder emptied, with the stream of urine, flowing from his suddenly amazingly hard cock, just missing the Praetorian pinning his feet to the ground. Copious tears also began to flow from his tightly closed eyes.

The immense agony, as the red-hot iron etched the Imperial insignia onto the centre of his taughtly drawn left buttock, drove everything else from Marius’ mind. He did not even at first register that he was screaming, shrill shriek after shrill shriek being wrenched from his lungs by the all-consuming excruciation.

Such was Marius’ suffering that he also did not initially notice that the Praetorian officer had eventually withdrawn his iron from his flesh and returned the implement to the brazier, whilst collecting the other still there. However, when the pain gradually began to relent, the boy did detect the smell of burnt flesh, as well as the return of searing heat, this time hovering just over his right buttock.

The branding process was then repeated, with Marius reacting in a similar manner to his first experience of the activity, apart from urinating because his bladder was now empty.

Chapter 94

“Come on boy, stand up,” the Praetorian Officer commanded, “as we’ve your mate still to do!” A booted foot, thudded into Marius’ freshly branded and still extremely sore right buttock, reinforced the man’s order.

The naked, tearful and groaning Marius only now realised, amidst his acute mental distress and agony, that his hands and feet had been released from the grip of the Praetorians, their work in respect of the latest victim of the cruel branding irons having been concluded. Despite an urge just to remain where he was whilst his excruciation receded, the boy somehow, whilst attempting to stifle his tears and sobbing, managed to react to the officer’s command by standing and staggering away from the table across which he had been stretched.

As Marius staggered away, a feeling of acute shame added to his mental and physical agony. The boy believed that, despite his earlier good intent, he had ended up thoroughly disgracing himself by cowardly screaming, crying and emptying his bladder.

The realisation that his cock, although now quickly returning to flaccidity, had somehow simultaneously debasingly hardened, only added to Marius’ sense of acute shame. The boy had hoped to impress Drusus but the man would surely now judge that he was no different from any other miserable little slave brat.

As Marius staggered away and, despite the intensity of the pain afflicting his buttocks, some of his senses began to return to some semblance of normality. His ears consequently heard from the nearby quayside shouts and the sound of wooden cudgels thumping down across bare shoulders, as the overseers urged the slave gang into action.

Appreciative of the fact that he should not go too far away from the Praetorians until they handed him over to someone else, Marius now stopped and momentarily stood trembling, with his head bowed in shame. Subsequently, after blinking back his tears, he eventually forced himself to look towards where Drusus had been. He dreaded but expected to see on the man’s face an expression of disgust in reaction to his cowardly weakness.

In fact, Marius did not espy such an expression because he now discovered that Drusus had disappeared, presumably up the steep path that ultimately led to the Imperial villa far above. Perhaps, the boy hoped, the man had left before the branding irons had first been applied to his young buttocks.

Marius sincerely hoped so. However, he was also realistic enough to appreciate that Drusus had more likely walked off, disgusted by the sight of the boy cowardly screaming, crying and emptying his bladder.

As a result of this notion, Marius momentarily remained motionless, whilst continuing to stare through damp eyes at the now empty spot where Drusus had recently stood. Feeling utterly ashamed and humiliated, further copious tears then began again to flow down his normally exceptionally pretty face.

Yet, had Marius been able to view himself dispassionately, he would surely have realised that the very depth of the mortification that he was experiencing showed that his spirit had not been totally crushed. A slaveboy, when he was fully broken, does not feel shame.

Marius was next suddenly aroused from his own misery by the sounds of Quintus screaming. He now saw that Glaucus was dragging the naked boy to where the Praetorian guardsmen stood.

Quintus, panic stricken, was struggling desperately. The boy was throwing his nude body about in an effort to shake off Glaucus’ firm grip and was driving his bare heels into the local quayside paving in a vain attempt to halt progress and escape the inevitable.

“Well, friend, you appear to be having a few problems with that brat,” the Praetorian officer called out whilst laughing. “Yes,” the struggling Glaucus agreed with a scowl, “he’s a right little trouble maker!”

“Come on, curse you!” Glaucus subsequently shouted at Quintus, whilst jerking savagely on his arm. However, the terrified boy screeched hysterically and buried his teeth into the back of the man’s hand.

Glaucus swore loudly in anguish and released his hold. Quintus made use of the opportunity to dart off along the quayside towards the steep path up the cliff.

Glaucus did not follow but stood cursing furiously, whilst shaking his wounded hand from which blood poured. The still laughing Praetorian officer instead ordered his own men to pursue the boy.

One of the overseers supervising the gang of slaves, who were currently unloading the recently moored ship, also noticed what had occurred and moved to block the path up the cliff. Quintus was therefore compelled to check and turn but he had nowhere else to go.

Consequently, the pursuing Praetorians, who were hallooing cheerfully as a sign that they were obviously enjoying their sport, soon had Quintus cornered. They subsequently managed to grab him with military proficiency and hauled back towards their waiting officer, after first kicking the boy’s balls to pacify him.

“You’re a bit too ready to run away, brat,” suggested the now sinisterly smiling Praetorian officer after Quintus was eventually brought before him, “and it’s an affliction that we’ll have to cure!” However, the boy was at first barely able to appreciate the man’s words, as he was still suffering the after-effects of the kick to his balls.

Quintus’ awareness, though, was subsequently rapidly revived when the Praetorian officer produced a meat cleaver, which he held before the appalled boy’s eyes before announcing “This is the cure, brat!

Chapter 95

"Please, Lord….M….Master, please d….don’t h….harm me, as I w….won’t r….run off again,” Quintus pleaded, his voice shrill with horror at the sight of the meat cleaver. “But, brat,” the Praetorian officer retorted, “you don’t yet know how I’m going to use the implement to cure you of your nasty habit!” The man’s reply was, of course, correct but the boy, firmly restrained by the two soldiers, did not need an answer to appreciate that the remedy was unlikely to be pleasant.

Nevertheless, the Praetorian officer gave Quintus the unwanted details of the planned cure. “I’m going to use the cleaver,” the man declared, “to sever your big toes at the first joint. I’ll then cauterise the wounds with a branding iron before using the same implements to burn your bum with the Emperor’s mark!”

“You’ll subsequently find,” the cruel Praetorian officer sniggered, “that it’s hard to run at all without your big toes intact, let alone run away.” The man then knelt to one side of Quintus, firmly grabbed the boy’s right ankle to keep the relevant young foot still and raised his cleaver in readiness to commit the first part of the threatened deed.

In reaction, Quintus’ bladder suddenly decided that now was its time to empty.

Chapter 96

Quintus instinctively screamed as he saw the cleaver, glistening in the bright sunlight, flash downwards towards his right foot, kept firmly motionless by the Praetorian officer’s strong hold on his ankle. The boy also closed his eyes tightly, being unwilling to witness the implement’s work, and waited for the agony to sear through his body.

The relevant excruciation, however, did not strike and so Quintus gingerly reopened his eyes to attempt to discover why not. The boy subsequently saw the wickedly grinning Praetorian officer releasing his ankle to stand in front of him, with his meat cleaver, still free of blood, in his hand.

“I changed my mind,” the Praetorian officer lied by way of explanation. “I decided instead to make this an example of what will happen if you try to run away again whilst on this island,” the man added.

In fact, the Praetorian officer appreciated that he had no authority at all to inflict such a punishment without the approval of the Emperor, for whose service Quintus was destined. The man had instead just deliberately petrified the boy for two reasons.

First, the Praetorian officer hoped to scare Quintus into being more quiescent and compliant. Second, the method of trying to do pleased the man’s sadistic nature.

The first aim proved to be fulfilled when Quintus next advanced quietly and obediently to the nearby table and allowed himself to be stretched across the furniture in readiness for the branding of his buttocks. The second objective was further satisfied when the Praetorian officer again subsequently happily accurately wielded the red hot irons to mark one of the Emperor Tiberius’ new boys with the Imperial insignia.

Later, the two boys concerned, namely Marius and Quintus with their very sore bottoms, were led by the Praetorians and Glaucus up the steep path towards their new home, the cliff-top Imperial villa, the rumoured setting for much extreme debauchery.

Chapter 97

All large organisations have set procedures and supporting bureaucracies to perform them. Tiberius’ large palatial retreat on Capri was no exception and the Imperial slave charged with first receiving new boys into the Emperor’s service on the island was named Sisyphus.

Accordingly, the Praetorians and Glaucus took Marius and Quintus to Sisyphus’ office within the Imperial complex. Having completed their duties in respect of the two latest new boys, the soldiers left them there with the two adult slaves, although they did not intend to return immediately to their quayside posts. They instead first visited some colleagues, charged with guarding the villa but currently off-duty.

The Praetorians anticipated sharing some jugs of wine with their off-duty colleagues, as well as some of the Emperor’s spare catamites, who were invariably made readily available to satisfy military lusts whenever desired. After all, manly thirsts and libidos, recently boosted by the branding of two very pretty young boys, needed quenching.

The Praetorians also anticipated again seeing Marius and Quintus sometime if they survived their early months on Capri. After the boys were no longer considered new and fresh, they would probably at times be considered spare to immediate requirements and made available for use by the soldiers and other loyal Imperial servants on the island.

Sisyphus glanced at the two young naked boys now standing in front of his desk, with Glaucus just behind them. He noticed with distaste that the new nude young arrivals, who obediently kept their arms at their sides, having previously learned the hard way that attempting to shield their genitals from view was not recommended, exhibited clear signs of receiving recent severe beatings.

Sisyphus was not against physically chastising boys who had committed misdemeanours and so deserved punishment. After all, discipline had to be maintained, especially in the service of the Emperor. However, he was also aware, from past personal experience as both victim and witness, that too many young slaves were beaten or otherwise suffered severely for little or no reason and, being essentially a kindly man, he had great sympathy for them.

Nevertheless, Sisyphus also had his Imperial function to perform and in the service of an immensely perverse and sadistic Emperor could not afford as a slave himself to allow his sympathies to jeopardise him. He therefore carefully hid his compassion behind an outward façade of proficient officialdom and personal indifference to the boys who passed through his office.

Sisyphus now had another reason to demonstrate proficient officialdom. He had never liked Titus’ slave, Glaucus, whom he considered to be a rather nasty character, and so wanted to conclude the present meeting as speedily as possible.

Sisyphus was sitting with his back to a window that overlooked the sea far below. He now scrabbled amongst a jumble of scrolls that littered the top of his desk, found a wax tablet and stylus and raised his eyes again to look at Glaucus and the boys in his company.

As usual, Sisyphus attempted to display outward disinterest in the newcomers, instead exhibiting every sign of wanting to do his duty and dismiss them from his presence as quickly as possible. Unlike virtually every other adult in Imperial service on Capri, he never showed any sexual interest in the Emperor’s catamites and definitely never took advantage of the easy access of some of them to indulge his lusts.

In an age when bisexual pederasty was common, Sisyphus’ attitude was considered unusual amongst his colleagues, given the ready availability on Capri of some especially gorgeous boys who were specifically trained to satisfy the most perverse lusts. Many wondered whether he was just so completely heterosexual that he could not be tempted by such splendid specimens or, more likely in most opinions because he had never been known to be associated with any woman either, simply but strangely not interested in sex at all.

In actuality, Sisyphus was homosexual and strongly attracted to pretty boys. However, after his own experiences when young, he could not bring himself to take advantage of any of the catamites in Imperial service on Capri.

Sisyphus secretly yearned for sex with a boy but only if freely offered in love. Given that he considered that the latter situation would never arise, he instead indulged his passions furtively using his own right hand.

Sisyphus generally feigned his outward indifference towards the boys who passed through his office with well-practised efficiency. However, on glancing up again to look at the latest arrivals, the sight somehow caused his normal façade to slip a little.

Despite the temporary blemishes of the bruises created by their recent severe beatings, Sisyphus suddenly judged with furtive admiration that the latest two boys in his office were particularly beautiful. Of course, only very pretty specimens were offered to the Emperor as catamites but the newest arrivals were in his opinion exceptional. His cock, safely hidden under his clothing and desk, hardened in agreement and his mouth dried.

Marius’ head was respectfully bowed, although he now stole a surreptitious upward glance. He had then himself seen a slight middle-aged balding man, wearing a clean but somewhat threadbare tunic and displaying a somewhat complex expression on his face.

The complexity of this expression resulted from Sisyphus attempting as usual to exhibit disinterest in the boys whilst in reality his thoughts were completely the opposite. However, he somehow rapidly recovered his composure.

Sisyphus straightened his face to try to exhibit some apparent boredom and coughed to eradicate the sudden dryness in his throat in readiness to speak. However, he was a little late to disguise his real emotions from the young but maturely astute Marius.

Marius’ mental processes had returned to normal, despite the continued physical anguish caused by his freshly branded bottom. From the original expression on Sisyphus’ face, he somehow instinctively instantly knew that the Imperial slave sitting at the desk was someone whom he not only need not fear but also might sometime cultivate to become a friend. The boy had detected both inherent kindliness in the man and sexual interest towards him and Quintus.

After his time in the House of Ganymede, Marius was no longer too ashamed or reluctant to use his undoubted attractions to pederasts to better his existence. Having apparently lost his pride, he now considered that he had no assets other than his boyish beauty to offer in return for an easier life. This assumption was actually wrong because he also possessed other attributes, such as a bright mind, agile body and considerable bravery, which, as this story will eventually reveal, would be equally as important in his destiny.

“Particulars?” Sisyphus asked brusquely of Glaucus in respect of the new boys. He had managed to recover his composure sufficiently to be able to convey this question in his usual verbal business-like manner, which was in stark contrast to the untidy confusion both on his desk and in his mind.

Glaucus, being as equally happy to offload Marius and Quintus into someone else’s care as the Praetorians had been, and for similar reasons, answered concisely, whilst pointing at Marius. “This one’s called Cycnus,” he announced, whilst referring to the name given to the child in the House of Ganymede, “and he’s been brought here from a high-class boy brothel by Lord Drusus as an entertainment gift for the Emperor. As well as being experienced whore, he apparently performs dangerous gymnastics over red-hot coals.”

“This,” Glaucus continued, whilst, instead of simply pointing, cuffing the relevant boy on the side of the head, causing his young victim to sway sideways, “is called Quintus. He’s of Patrician background and has been brought here by my Master Titus to be one of the Emperor’s upper-class little fishes.”

By ‘little fishes’, Glaucus was, of course, referring to the boys who attended and entertained the Emperor when he relaxed in the villa’s pool. Amongst their duties was occasionally to swim to Tiberius’ submerged groin to perform underwater fellatio.

“He’s a troublesome little brat,” Glaucus added, “and needs watching carefully. He’s attempted to run away twice and he’s been beaten as punishment and threatened with the loss of his big toes if he tries again!”

As Glaucus said these words, he simultaneously surreptitiously winked at Sisyphus in order to confirm that he was aware that the threat of losing his big toes was just that and nothing more, being designed to frighten Quintus into compliance to his fate. Both men were aware that the Emperor did not like damaged goods.

Glaucus subsequently hit Quintus on the head once more to confirm his annoyance at the boy, whilst Sisyphus commented “I see that the boy’s beating was comprehensive.” The Imperial slave’s job was hard for a kindly man. Children were regularly brought before him, often very frightened, bruised and dirty, to be recorded as the new property of his master, the Emperor. All too often he would afterwards receive, perhaps within a few days, instructions to remove the name from the register.

For such reasons, Sisyphus disliked his job. However, being a slave himself, he had had no choice but to accept the role when he had been assigned.

Sisyphus again scrutinised the two small cowering but, despite their bruises and current haggard appearance, clearly essentially extremely attractive figures in front of him and wondered gloomily how long they would last in the service of the cruel Emperor. He judged that the boy with the golden hair looked quite hardy, with a healthy build. He could perceive that he had probably learnt the necessary skills to survive as a young slave and could understand how he would be a good gymnast.

The other boy, though, the one with darker features, was a much softer looking little creature and was clearly more frightened about his current circumstance, which, unlike for the other child, was far changed from what he had previously experienced as a young Patrician. Sisyphus could imagine the helpless confusion and terror that he was experiencing, as he was degraded and forced into a life of prostitution and probably pain and sorrow.

Sisyphus could identify this boy’s current mental condition from the way he stood, with his shoulders slumped, and the expression on his pale and presently grubby face, which exhibited obvious fatigue and fear. He instinctively wanted to draw this particular naked child into his arms, to kiss his soft sweet rosy lips and to tell the poor terrified creature that his nightmare was over.

Sisyphus always felt secret pity for the boys who passed through his office but for this one he somehow experienced more. There was an innocence and helplessness about the child that seemingly cried out for him to offer assistance and comfort. However, he was also fully aware that he could not give such succour.

Sisyphus instead could only process the boy into the Emperor’s service, where, like with the others, he would need good fortune to survive. The Imperial slave appreciated that staying alive was a matter of chance and needed luck.

Much would depend on the mood of the Emperor when he encountered the boy, and how the child reacted to the circumstances in which he found himself. If Tiberius was in a good temper and the new catamite proved attractive to him, he could be favoured and pampered for a while.

Unfortunately, however, the evidence of the register maintained by Sisyphus suggested that his Imperial master was becoming increasingly fickle, sadistic and bad tempered. Even previously favoured boys could experience his sudden wrath over very minor issues, sometimes fatally.

Even adult Imperial slaves such as Sisyphus himself felt obliged to remain as anonymous as possible as far as the Emperor was concerned. Their main aim was generally to maintain very low profiles until his death, when custom dictated that they would be granted their freedom. However, all knew that Tiberius would consider any such thoughts about their futures on his demise to be treasonable, even though, given his advanced age, the event surely could not be too far distant.

Sisyphus had long since decided that he must just keep on doing his work in as quiet and efficient way as possible. Meanwhile, he would keep himself to himself and not become involved in any of the sordid goings-on taking place around him, or in any intrigues or even mere exchanges of gossip. He hoped that by maintaining such a low profile and avoiding upsetting any of his superiors, especially the Emperor, he would survive to gain his freedom.

As part of this policy, Sisyphus decided, despite his instinctive urge to comfort Quintus, to conclude his current chore as soon as possible. He therefore asked of Glaucus, whilst pointing his stylus at Marius, “Age, date and place of birth and name and status of parents?”

“I’ve no idea,” Glaucus smirkingly replied in a dismissive tone. “Is such information really necessary,” he added, “as I don’t expect that the brat even knows the answers? He’s probably just the son of slaves or is an unwanted bastard, sired by some master on a slave-woman.”

Despite Marius’ recent acceptance of his drastic change of circumstances, he immediately felt enticed to dispute Glaucus’ insulting suggestions. The boy’s pride had somehow been spurred by the man’s comments to reappear from the depths of his young soul, to where his self-esteem had earlier fled to avoid being hurt by the many degradations to which he had been subject.

Marius was lured towards revealing that he was not the son of slaves or the unwanted bastard offspring of some callous master. The boy was tempted instead to announce that he was the child of Lucius Aelius Sejanus, of proud Patrician status and for 17 years Praetorian Prefect. However, sudden recall of his raped and murdered brother and sister quickly quashed such folly and he remained silent.

“The register that I’m charged with maintaining,” Sisyphus responded to Glaucus, “requires such information. You wouldn’t want to be the cause of incomplete record-keeping would you, as such shoddy work might seriously displease others of higher status than me?”

Sisyphus’ response instantly wiped the smirk from Glaucus’ ugly face and instead encouraged him to acquire the data asked for by the Imperial slave. He did so by now slapping Marius’ head and instructing the boy to “Give the man the information he needs, brat!”

Marius did so but not, of course, with full truth. He gave his age correctly as being twelve but followed Crastus’ fictional precedent in lying about his background.

“I believe, Sir, that I’m the offspring of unknown Roman citizens,” Marius lied, “who fell on hard times and sold me into slavery on a rural estate, where I became a companion of the master’s son. I was therefore educated with him.”

“Do you mean that you’re literate and numerate?” an amazed Sisyphus interrupted to ask, incredulous that a former boy prostitute could have such skills. “Yes, Sir,” Marius answered, “and such education also explains my accent and grammar.”

Marius was keen to pass on this information so that Sisyphus did not dangerously delve further into why he had such refined diction. Fortunately, the Imperial slave nodded in response, apparently satisfied at the explanation for a young slaveboy’s unusual attributes.

The relieved Marius therefore continued with his lies. “My precise place and date of birth are also unknown, Sir,” he suggested in order to assist further his desire not to be identified, “but the time was rumoured to have been sometime during the early autumn twelve years ago.”

“Hmmm, twelve, early autumn of the year DCCLXXIII after the foundation of the city of Rome….unknown….unknown….Roman citizens,” Sisyphus remarked to himself, as he wrote down Marius’ answers regarding respectively his age, date and place of birth and name and status of parents. The Imperial slave had already entered the new arrival’s name as ‘Cycnus’ as reported by Glaucus, and the boy was happy to be continued to be known by this pseudonym in order further to protect his true identity.

Sisyphus subsequently acquired similar data from Quintus. During this process, which was clearly mentally painful for the boy, he had been unable to prevent his eyebrows from rising in surprise on hearing details of the child’s noble parentage.

Despite having now lived on Capri in the service of Emperor for several years, Sisyphus was aware from his time in Rome of the Patrician family concerned. He was truly shocked that their circumstances had become so desperate that they had given up one of their sons to be an Imperial catamite.

Having obtained the information required for his register, or, in respect of the boy with the golden hair as much as was possible to secure, Sisyphus gladly dismissed Glaucus. The latter was equally happy to depart.

After Glaucus had left, Sisyphus waited, as the sound of the man’s footsteps receded down the outside corridor. He then looked again at the two grimy and obviously apprehensive naked boys standing side by side, with their heads bowed and shoulders stooped. In his opinion, the pair, especially Quintus, epitomised utter dejection and, remembering his own time as a child slave, were also probably very hungry. At least, he thought, he could do something about that situation and about their grubbiness.

Sisyphus had never previously personally done what he now proceeded to perpetrate. However, his strange concern for Quintus in particular stirred him into unprecedented action.

“Stay here,” Sisyphus ordered the two boys and hurried from the room. Marius and Quintus subsequently looked at each other, with the pair independently contemplating making use of the opportunity of being left alone to try to escape. However, the bright minds of both boys soon concluded that any such attempt, on a small secluded island like Capri, infested by Praetorians guarding the Emperor, would undoubtedly prove not only futile but also highly precarious if not fatal to their health.

On both realising this truism independently in their minds, the boys, instead of fleeing the scene, just smiled briefly at each other before, as their thoughts returned again towards their uncertain futures, their expressions resumed being rather morose and their eyes once more contemplated their own toes. Their current lack of spirit was not helped by the continued soreness still afflicting their freshly branded bottoms, which, although finally thankfully dulling, remained painful.

Sisyphus returned a few minutes later carrying a large earthenware bowl filled with bean stew. He contentedly noticed that the two boys were still obediently standing where he had left them.

The boys glanced up at Sisyphus as he re-entered the room and their hungry eyes immediately fastened on the steaming bowl in his hands. The Imperial slave felt their eager gaze on him, as he walked over to his chair and sat down, simultaneously clearing some space on the top of his desk on which to place the dish.

Sisyphus subsequently pushed the bowl to the other edge of his desk and suggested “Well, eat it then and quickly.” The famished boys needed no second invitation and were soon shovelling the warm and nourishing stew into their mouths with their cupped hands.

As Sisyphus simultaneously watched, he reflected that his suggestion to the two boys to be quick had been unnecessary. He also perceptively noticed that, as he had anticipated, the child with the golden hair, Cycnus, was surely going to consume the majority of the food, so fast and furious was his shovelling of the fare.

Sisyphus, however, realised that the boy was not necessarily being greedy. The child was clearly more accustomed to servile status and was therefore just making best use of the moment to fill his belly, probably knowing from experience that such attitudes improved his prospects of survival as a slave, whose next meal was uncertain.

Quintus, on the other hand, being new to the status of slave and given his Patrician background, would not be accustomed to fighting for survival. The darker-featured boy would also undoubtedly possess a residual of good table manners as befitted someone of previous noble status and so would not yet race to consume most food.

Having somehow accrued considerable secret concern for the future welfare of Quintus in particular, Sisyphus decided that he would intervene to ensure that he received his equal share of the stew in the bowl. However, being a fair man, he also determined not to do so until Cycnus had consumed his half, which he was about to do.

Sisyphus was subsequently about to command the boy, whom he knew as Cycnus, to cease eating when the relevant point had been attained. However, to his immense surprise, before he could do so Marius stood back on his own initiative, away from the bowl and whilst wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand. He then remained in this position, watching quietly until Quintus had cleared the residual food.

Sisyphus knew that the boy with the golden hair remained hungry from the way in which he watched with envy Quintus clearing the bowl. However, he still remained selflessly motionless, seemingly wanting the other child to have equal shares as much as the observing Imperial slave had done.

The amazed Sisyphus did not comment in reaction. However, he did think to himself that he might be advised to ensure that the two boys, who would imminently be heading for different duties, subsequently remained apart.

Sisyphus knew from experience that close friendships between boys in their circumstances could be deep and passionate. They could therefore easily give rise to problems through divided loyalties.

Only one loyalty was allowed on Capri and that was to the Emperor.

Chapter 98

After Marius and Quintus had finished their equal shares of the stew, Sisyphus led them to the Imperial villa’s slave quarters, which were actually mainly for adults. Children in Imperial service here were generally accommodated within the many ornate rooms and amenities of the Emperor’s own personal facilities. However, this situation could not be regarded as a privilege, given what they had to endure there.

Sisyphus supervised the boys’ bathing and grooming in the villa’s slave quarters. He also organised some treatment for their injuries and brandmarks.

The Greek physician who was allocated to tending the slaves was of their status but was fortunately also very capable, as he needed to be. He had a very unenviable job, given the regular brutality inflicted on the children in Imperial service in particular in this palatial but wicked place.

The physician did as much as he could to improve the physical conditions of Marius and Quintus, mainly by gently rubbing highly efficient herbal salves onto their bruises and brandmarks. The boys were very grateful because the pain suffered because of their recent injuries was immediately greatly relieved, not least the excruciation previously felt on their bottoms.

The physician confirmed to Sisyphus that the bruises suffered by the boys through their recent severe beatings would dull and eventually disappear over the next few days, aided by him attending them daily to smear more salve. He added that the anguish caused by their branding would actually disperse even more quickly.

The physician’s news allowed Sisyphus to judge when the two boys would be ready for Imperial service. The Emperor liked his catamites to be completely unblemished unless he was responsible for their wounds, either through personal action or that stimulated by his commands.

After their appointment with the baths and physician, Sisyphus subsequently led the two boys through the Imperial villa, away from the slave quarters towards those of the Emperor. They left behind them the narrow passageways and mean rooms of areas inhabited by the servile staff to pass eventually through a succession of wide sunlit marble-paved colonnaded courtyards, where fountains played and the sounds of splashing water and birdsong were everywhere.

Sisyphus did not hurry, as he and the boys approached the Emperor’s palatial personal quarters, located in the innermost parts of the villa. The accommodation concerned was not only where Tiberius now lived largely in seclusion but also where he indulged in his perverse private pleasures.

Sisyphus dreaded entering the Emperor’s quarters. At other times, he could block from his mind the nature of the appetites he was in his role essentially serving but here, amongst these elegant colonnades and spacious courtyards, there could be no such mental escape.

Eventually before Sisyphus and the boys rose three broad marble steps, leading to a lofty portico, beyond which the Imperial slave knew that the horrors really began. Nevertheless, he reluctantly moved forward with his two young charges.

The large courtyard the threesome now entered was sunny and as elegant as all the preceding ones but here the sound of water and birdsong mingled with other less innocent noises. From the various broad alcoves that abounded here came almost constant soft ecstatic groaning, contrasted with distressed whimpering, punctuated by the occasional loud cry of passion or pain.

These new background noises appeared to a very apprehensive Marius to represent a sort of human symphony of lust and suffering and in response he could not help but add to the sinister sounds by issuing his own frightened gasp. Quintus was obviously sharing such thoughts because he uttered a similar scared muted cry.

Sisyphus heard the two boys gasp in surprise and terror. He immediately felt great shame that he had brought them to such a sinister place but he also appreciated that there was little else that he could do. The Emperor would surely have him crucified if he did not correctly perform his function.

Sisyphus also, as customarily in this place, attempted to keep his eyes down but, as usual, his curiosity overcame his distaste and he could not keep doing so. He was instead occasionally tempted to raise his head to look at where some of the scary noises that he heard had emanated.

Glancing into one of the broad alcoves as Sisyphus and his young charges passed, he saw a strong hairy naked man in a sitting position, impaling a slim, similarly nude boy, at most twelve years old, on his swollen cock. His heavily muscled buttocks worked hard to drive his large erection into the screaming child.

On another bench further towards the back of the alcove sat three further men, all fearsomely well-endowed in various stages of sexual excitement. They were clearly awaiting their turn with the boy.

Sisyphus appreciated from previous experience that the boy was fated to be enjoyed by teams of men throughout that day, just to provide an arousing tableau to fire the desires of the Emperor, which were waning with age, if he should happen to pass. As Tiberius became less capable of enjoying sexual pleasure himself, he liked watching others doing so, especially if they satisfied themselves in cruel manners.

Sisyphus wondered what sort of condition the boy would be in by the end of the day. He perceived an almost lifeless body, with copious spilt ejaculate smearing his face and bottom, being dragged away and another young catamite thrust forward to take his place in the alcove.

In the next alcove, Sisyphus noticed that a young girl was similarly suffering, whilst in the neighbouring niche young children of both genders gambolled wantonly with rampant dogs under the forceful supervision of yet more lecherous groups of men. Each succeeding recess also housed different combinations of humans, now sometimes including some women, engaged in never-ending rounds of sexual excess.

The two boys in Sisyphus’ company now ceased gasping in horrified reaction to such depraved sights, instead remaining completely quiet, having been shocked into utter silence. Even Marius, who had become accustomed to much sordid perversity in the House of Ganymede, was stunned by what he was witnessing in the Emperor’s villa, whilst also wondering how such an obvious sexual monster like Tiberius could come to rule the Roman world.

This alcoved courtyard actually formed the vestibule to the Emperor’s private palace of delights. Beyond, three steps led down to a wide shimmering pool of crystal clear water, in which naked boys splashed and sported, their excited playful cries ringing shrill in the still air, apparently oblivious to the obscene horrors so close at hand.

In fact, the boys concerned knew fully about such nearby horrors, not least from their own occasional forced participation. However, this very knowledge caused them to want to enjoy themselves whenever the opportunity arose because they also appreciated that their time to suffer and even perhaps die in the Emperor’s perverse service might be imminent. They were therefore currently simply delighting in the pleasure of the moment in being allowed to play freely in the pool.

Even at this moment in this place, though, Sisyphus and his two young charges saw something to remind them of the cruel cause that the threesome now served, for lying on the white marble flags by the poolside was a small lightly tanned nude body. The prone boy was being attended by a loincloth-clad thickset man, from whose belt menacingly dangled a short whip.

“Is he dead?” a worried Sisyphus asked, as he approached with Marius and Quintus in tow. “Nearly,” the man answered, “but thankfully I think he’ll live. I’ve managed to expel the water from his lungs and he’s breathing again.”

“How….?” Sisyphus next began to enquire. “Oh, his sadly increasingly common grumpy trick,” the man interrupted to reply, referring to the Emperor.

“Whilst in the pool, he summoned the boy to perform the underwater fellatio that he likes,” the man continued, “but, as is now usual, he didn’t cum quickly in response to the licking and sucking. He blamed the brat’s ineptitude instead of his own ageing and so grumpily didn’t allow him to surface for air but instead kept his head submerged.”

“Thankfully,” the man added, “the boy’s understandable struggling caused the Emperor to tire quickly. He also probably became rapidly bored, which is another common recent trait, because he eventually released the brat and returned sulkily to his rooms, leaving me to try to clean up the sad mess he left behind.”

The small lightly tanned nude body on the white marble slabs suddenly began to cough and revive, as eyelids also opened. The thickset man subsequently helped the initially groggy boy to his feet until, after ensuring that his mind was again functioning properly and he was reasonably steady, he tapped the child’s cute bare bottom and told him to go and rest.

As the man watched the boy disappear to some quiet and secluded spot to rest, he commented “That was a close one!” He then turned to look at Sisyphus and, seeing the pair of newcomers in his company, asked hopefully “Two more for me?”

“No, Polephemus,” Sisyphus answered, whilst revealing the man’s name to the two young newcomers, “I’m afraid I’ve just one, namely the dark-featured boy. The other with the golden hair is a gymnast.”

“Titus will have to do better than that,” the thickset man responded, “as the Emperor’s current mood makes him likely to begin expending his little fishes fast. Nevertheless, I suppose one for now is better than nothing!”

The thickset Polephemus, who was of course the major domo in charge of the Emperor’s pool boys, nicknamed his ‘little fishes, now began closely to scrutinise his latest recruit, Quintus. Sisyphus simultaneously provided him with details of the boy’s name, age and background. Meanwhile, having witnessed one of the dangers of his prospective new role, the subject of this transference of data rather naturally became even more worried about his future.

Being a slave himself, Polephemus, the pool major domo, rather enjoyed being allocated offspring of Patrician background and teasing them. “Looks as though,” he suggested, as he closely examined the child’s naked body, “that the brat’s had a soft life till now. Mummy’s little favourite, pandered by her, were you? However, I also presume that you weren’t held in such high regard by your dad because he’s given you away for the Emperor’s pleasure to gain his favour.” He was rewarded by the sight of the boy’s pretty face blushing deeply in shame.

“Well, you’ll lose any pampered softness here soon enough, boy,” Polephemus subsequently menacingly advised to compound Quintus’ degradation and concern. As he spoke, the pool major domo also began to fondle the child in a deliberate attempt to accustom him to the demeaning trauma of being intimately handled.

Polephemus tipped Quintus’ head back and ran a finger slowly along the boy’s rosy lips, which were partly opened in shock. The man’s hands subsequently strayed down the young naked body before him, caressing the flesh, squeezing the nipples, stroking the flanks.

Quintus stirred uneasily under Polephemus gentle touch, especially when the man’s exploring fingers brushed his stomach and lingered briefly at his cute navel before advancing inexorably further downwards towards his groin. “Be still, boy!” the pool major domo eventually felt compelled to demand, whilst finally gently playing with the child’s hairless balls.

Sisyphus watched with both fascination and revulsion as the all too familiar process, whose end would be the undoubted destruction of any remaining innocence and modesty in Quintus, unrelentingly continued. The boy eventually visibly trembled, as animal excitement in reaction to Polephemus’ genital fondling banished initial consternation and shame from his young mind. His small cock also grew and quivered in arousal.

Polephemus now slid his spare hand round the back of Quintus’ body. For a moment, the man’s palm rested on the curve of the boy’s bottom, carefully avoiding the fresh brandmarks.

Sisyphus, watching Quintus’ pretty face, subsequently saw his mouth and eyes open wide in shock. He knew that now Polephemus’ index finger had touched the lips of the boy’s virginal anus.

Quintus’ breathing now came in short pants and his naked body arched in excitement, with his little hard cock jerked upright, with the pink tip pressing against his belly. The boy was clearly on the brink of shameful orgasm.

At the sight, Sisyphus sighed and averted his eyes. The scene appeared sadly to prove to him again that every boy was a natural whore. He now believed that Quintus might have been brought up a privileged and pampered free child in a rich Patrician home but his sexual nature was actually no different than that of the slave, Cycnus, who was an experienced prostitute.

That experienced prostitute, Marius, could not avert his eyes. He was too fascinated with Quintus’ reaction because such response was guiltily so similar to his own in similar circumstances that he could only agree with Sisyphus’ assessment about boys if he had known the man’s thoughts.

Meanwhile, Polephemus had enjoyed teasingly and debasingly bringing the former Patrician boy, Quintus, to the brink of public orgasm. However, his action also had a useful practical side, as the child’s response proved to him that he was mature enough to satisfy the Emperor’s particular tastes. Tiberius liked his catamites to possess some sexual liveliness.

Polephemus, though, chose not to reward Quintus for the induced demonstration of his sexual maturity by allowing him to climax. The major domo instead asked of Sisyphus, whilst still gently fondling the boy’s balls and anus, “Can the brat swim?”

Sisyphus was initially rather disgusted to realise that he had not himself ascertained with Glaucus Quintus’ ability to swim, which was of course an essential qualification for his new role. The Imperial slave guiltily put his unusual oversight down to his strange early fascination with the boy. However, he also did not have time to contemplate his error for long.

Sisyphus’ concentration was instead diverted by the sight of Quintus being hurled with a huge splash into the nearby pool by Polephemus, who simultaneously suggested “Lets see if the brat can indeed swim!” The boy, who had been on the brink of orgasm, instantly disappeared beneath the water and did not quickly resurface.

Marius, watching in horror, immediately began to panic, believing that Quintus was about to drown.

(To be continued)