Spartans 3

By Pueros

for Tom

Chapter 3 – Xerxes

(479 B.C.)

Lysander’s journey to the capital of the Persian Empire took only two months to complete in contrast to the quarter year experienced by the previous young Spartan captive, now the well-used compliant eunuch catamite of a Satrap. The shortened journey time primarily resulted from Mardonius’ agreement with the royal agent to send the most precious captives, numbering over a hundred and comprising a number of beautiful boys, girls and women, plus some valuable craftsmen, to Anthedon, a Boeotian port under Persian control. The prospective new slaves were boarded onto a fast galley that speeded them first to the north along the Sin Eubocicus, the narrow strait which separated the mainland from the island of Euboea, so avoiding the strong Greek navy to the south, before heading east through the Mare Aegeum into the Mare Internum. It had been recognised that, whichever route was chosen, land or sea, there would be significant wastage on the way.

The voyage to the Syrian port of Myriandrus took almost a month. The chained captive Greeks, many of whom had never been on a boat before, suffered greatly in the dark, cramped, dirty and humid conditions of the hold, particularly at first when sea-sickness was rampant. A third of them did not reach the port, either because they died or became so mortally ill that they were thrown overboard. However, Lysander survived the horrific conditions, and even made a friend.

Lysander had been placed next to a boy of similar age, Alexias, a pretty brown haired and eyed Athenian. Although Sparta and Athens had allied to combat the invading Persians, the states were great rivals for the dominance of Greece. However, this did not stop the two lads, in their lonely despair, from establishing a close rapport.

The remaining human cargo, dishevelled and filthy, was grateful to be disembarked from the galley to see the sun for the first time for weeks. They were taken, in their chains and under heavy armed escort, to a holding shed on the quayside, where the conditions for their confinement were much better. Baths, grooming equipment, medicines and salves, fresh plain garments and decent food were provided to aid the recovery of the valuable goods. Once locked inside, the chains were removed to enable them to use the facility and items properly.

There was no privacy, as all activities had to be performed communally, but few cared, too intent on restoring their bodies to healthy cleanliness. Lysander and Alexias helped each other to wash and apply creams, ignoring erections caused by weeks-long celibacy and the feel of their friend’s hands on their bodies. The sorest areas were the neck, wrists and ankles, where their shackles had caused their skin to chafe.

Lysander and Alexias, thoroughly refreshed and partially restored after their awful experience, eventually sat together in a corner of the large communal cell and discussed, at the former's instigation, the possibility of escape. They thought of rushing the now few guards when the gates were opened but their scheme came to nothing when the few were later replaced by many. However, their intense sexual needs were eventually met in the overnight darkness through succumbing to the lure of their friend’s many physical attractions and the pleasures of mutual masturbation.

Lysander, like a true Spartan, had initially resisted temptation, thinking that he would use his own hand to gain relief, but his companion, like a true Athenian, was not so reluctant. An Athenian hand reached out to caress a Spartan thigh and subsequently further upwards. The intrusion did not encounter the usual vigorous Spartan military resistance but met meek surrender instead.

A large Persian cavalry contingent, based locally but now relieved by another so that a furlough in the homeland could be enjoyed, arrived the following morning to escort the Greeks to Susa. The commander had no intention of losing any of his charges. The communal cell was therefore swamped by his men, who applied new, less harsh, chains to the prisoners before loading them into wheeled horse-drawn cages, covered by tarpaulins as protection from the sun. The two 13 years old friends had no chance whatsoever of implementing their escape strategy.

The caged wagons, heavily guarded by cavalry, headed east until it finally joined the Persian royal road, which came from Sardis in western Asia Minor and headed south-east to Arbela and ultimately Susa. The link had proved to be a very significant adjunct to the Empire’s military machine.

The month-long journey was not as distressing for the captives as the voyage in the galley but was still unpleasant because of the humidity underneath the tarpaulins, relieved only by a regular supply of water. The Greeks were grateful for nightfall, when they would be unloaded and, under close supervision, be unbound to toilet, wash and have their only meal of the day before being re-chained and returned to their transports to sleep. The exception was Lysander, for the soldiers had too much respect for unbroken Spartans to release him from his bondage. Alexias therefore had to help him with his various bodily requirements.

It was late October when the cavalry commander recognised the many roofs of his sprawling capital city on the skyline, that of the Great King’s, Xerxes’, splendid palace being the most prominent.

(Susa, Persia, October 479 B.C.)

Reports of the disaster at Plataea had already reached Susa, Persian communications being very fast because of the relays of messengers on fast steeds that plied the royal road. Information could be flashed by these gallopers from one end of the Empire to the other in days. As a consequence of the bad news, a very angry Xerxes brooded darkly in his palace, vowing revenge, especially on the Spartans whose general, Pausanias, had led the Greek allies. He did not yet know that the first opportunity to extract some vengeance was now arriving in his capital in the delicious shape of a 13 years old boy.

The royal agent arranged only for the captured craftsmen to go straight to the city’s slave market. The remaining beautiful boys, girls and women were taken instead to the vast royal residence as his master was to have first choice of the select items. The Greeks, now about fifty-strong, were taken to cellars in the slave quarters, where they were finally unchained, divided up by age and sex and deposited in large locked dormitories. Lysander and Alexias found themselves sharing their windowless dormitory with about fifteen other boys.

The accommodation was basic but clean and not harsh. It was illuminated proficiently by oil lamps and was not cold. Individual uncovered mattresses, padded with straw, and communal toilet and bath were provided. As at Myriandrus, grooming equipment, medicines and salves, fresh plain garments and decent food were also supplied. Slaves frequently entered to make sure that the occupants were using such largesse properly, as they were being prepared for inspection by the Great King’s Chief Eunuch.

Unlike most of the others, including Alexias, Lysander did not accede quietly to his situation and, like the young Spartan captive of the year before, regularly exhibited his hatred, resentment and unwillingness to yield to Persian suzerainty over him. However, unlike the year before, the royal agent discouraged any reprisal other than maintenance of a close guard and, whilst travelling, constant bondage. Such a seemingly nonchalant attitude actually infuriated the young Spartan even more. However, whilst in the confines of the dormitory, he was consoled by his Athenian friend’s frequent lustful manual and now occasionally oral attentions to his cock.

(Susa, Persia, November 479 B.C.)

It took fifteen days for the attendant slaves to be satisfied that the prospective new royal concubines were ready to be viewed. After giving extra attention to supervising the quality of their charges’ cleansing and grooming, the slaves kept them naked whilst they returned shackles to their lovely bodies. The nudes were then led out of their dormitories in turn in groups, to proceed up some wide stone stairs and emerge into a large flagged outside courtyard. The Greeks were placed in line to await the Chief Eunuch, who would decide their destinies.

The women were first, followed by the girls and finally the boys. However, Lysander did not accompany his companions as his fate had already been decided. Xerxes now knew of his presence and the boy was to have an unprecedented personal audience with the Great King.

The superbly groomed Lysander was dressed in a short white Greek apron, which resembled a modern-day pleated skirt. The re-chained young Lycian was then led, by two handsome eunuchs, both aged about 20, and accompanied by several palace guards, up a stairwell and along a number of corridors to the magnificent opulence of the royal quarters. The boy noticed that many of the glazed walls displayed portraits of the elite of the Persian army, the Immortals, dressed in flowing, calf-length tunics.

The party eventually came to the door of the throneroom, where they had to wait until other audiences concluded. After almost half an hour, another handsome young eunuch came to the entrance to grant access to the young Spartan and his attendants.

The Persian Empire was, at this time, at its zenith. Its setback in southern Greece did not prevent it from dominating lands from Macedonia to India, including Egypt. It would continue to do so until the rise of an independent Macedonia and the arrival on the scene, almost a century and a half later, of a certain Alexander the Great. The supreme head, more properly termed Great King instead of Emperor, was all-powerful.

Lysander saw the leader of his enemy, Xerxes, sat on a magnificent throne at the far end of a large ornately decorated chamber, surrounded by many officials. All were dressed in rich colourful flowing Persian robes which, to a Greek and especially a Spartan, looked ridiculously unmasculine, but the boy was not laughing at their appearance. He was instead trying to look defiant whilst hiding his overwhelming emotions, shame and fear.

Xerxes, like many high-born Persians and military officers, spoke fluent Greek but court etiquette did not allow him to address the young Spartan directly. The royal chamberlain, after nodding to the eunuch escorts to release their hold on Lysander, therefore did so on his master’s behalf.

“You may prostrate yourself to the Great King of the Persians!” the official announced. “Never!” was Lysander’s unequivocally firm reply. The chamberlain therefore smiled and nodded again at the eunuchs. The boy felt his ankles being grasped and then lifted backwards, forcing him to fall forwards onto the floor, bruising his forehead as it crashed onto the hard marble as his hands were unable to afford protection, being chained behind him. The lad heard laughing and the comment from the courtier “In which case, we’ll enforce compliance!”

After recovering from the shock, Lysander tried to stand up but a foot roughly applied to his aproned bottom forced him back to his demeaning position. “You will rise only when permitted,” advised the chamberlain and so, naturally, the defiant Spartan again tried to regain his feet but with the same result. The boy eventually conceded defeat after six more attempts.

Noticing that Lysander was, for the moment, quiescent, the chamberlain suggested sarcastically “You may rise now!” Both he and the boy knew that the latter would not oblige and would be brought back to his feet by the eunuchs, which he was to reveal his darkening brow under his gorgeous silky golden fringe. However, the sweet large blue eyes below now displayed anger as well as continued hatred and defiance.

The chamberlain looked at his royal master, who nodded, and so the official commanded the third young eunuch “Strip him!” The court servant had difficulty in unfastening the buckle to Lysander’s apron, as the young Spartan began to struggle against the restraining arms of his escorts, but eventually succeeded and the garment fell to the floor. The boy, used to nudity in front of other males in Greece, now blushed from head to toe whilst being viewed in that state of undress by the enemy, discomfort reinforced by display of an unwanted erection.

The eunuchs showed off Lysander’s immaculate form to Xerxes from all angles, even bending the 13 years old over so that their emasculated colleague could confirm his virginity. The Great King was delighted with what he saw, lessening his disgust with his slain general, Mardonius, who had sent a letter with the royal agent, written on the night before the commencement of the battle of Plataea, recommending the young Spartan’s attractions for the function of royal eunuch concubine.

Meanwhile, Alexias, in an outside courtyard, had just been selected for the very same role by the Chief Eunuch.

The two 13 years old friends were to meet again later that day. They were both taken, with a few others, to a certain specialist workshop where, almost a year previously, another young Spartan had lost his testicles.

(To be continued in chapter 4 – ‘Castrations’)