(Portus Dubris, Britannia [modern Dover, Kent, England], October DCCCV A.V.C. [52 AD])

When I returned to my native land, Portus Dubris, set amidst towering white cliffs, had not yet become the main Roman port on Britannia’s southern coast. However, the local harbour, dominated by a newly built hilltop lighthouse, which matched the one immediately across the Fretum Gallicum at Portus Itius in Gaul, did represent the quickest landfall after crossing the intervening sea channel.

Given the frequent dangers of the Fretum Gallicum, everyone in the entourage of the new Roman Governor of Britannia, Aulus Didius Gallus, including those for whom sea travel represented their profession, were glad to cross the channel as quickly as possible. Everyone appreciated that autumn was not a good time to make such journeys.

Besides being the most convenient landfall, Portus Dubris also possessed the advantage of being the commencement point for a new road that ventured north through the equally new riverside settlement of Londinium to distant Viroconium [respectively modern London and Wroxeter – the road was later to be called ‘Watling Street’]. However, before setting off along this thoroughfare’s cobble stones, the gubernatorial party stayed overnight in the environs of the port.

The new Governor, Aulus Didius Gallus, was accommodated in the residence of the commander of the local garrison, which welcomed him to Britannia with ceremony by turning out in parade. However, their splendid appearance, including colourful plumed helmets and shiny polished breastplates and other armour, could not disguise the fact that the number of legionaries was small.

The southeast of my homeland had long been subdued. What might be termed the border frontline between occupied Britannia and the lands of tribes whose permanent acceptance of Roman suzerainty remained at best doubtful or who remained openly resistant and belligerent was much further to the northwest. That was where the bulk of the garrisons and legions needed to be strategically situated.

The harbour at Portus Dubris was busy, as we thankfully disembarked from the fast trireme that had speeded us across the last dangerous stretch of our journey by sea. To make the hazardous crossing, we had exchanged the liburnian galley, which had taken us to Portus Itius and was actually faster and more agile, for this larger and heavier vessel.

The trireme was considered more seaworthy in difficult conditions than the galley. However, the recurrence of seasickness, or ‘nausea’, created doubts in my mind about this perception.

There were other similar ships of the local fleet, the ‘Classis Britannica’, in the harbour, plus merchant vessels, with examples of the common ‘corbito’ and ‘ponto’ as usual most numerous. Late trade in both import and export cargoes was currently rather frantic, given that no-one unless they were desperate wanted to chance crossing the Fretum Gallicum once autumn had given way to winter.

We were greeted in my homeland by a dark sky and the commencement of drizzly rain. A cold breeze also arose, which further encouraged us urgently to seek shelter. Nevertheless, we were grateful that the wind had not materialised a little earlier because we could see that the Fretum Gallicum had become considerably more choppy and therefore dangerous.

I turned to and smiled at my suddenly shivering beloved, as rain soaked us and wind chilled us, and declared "Welcome to my homeland of Britannia, Gaius!"

(Grammaticus of Axenius, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

Unlike in Britannia, the autumnal weather in Rome was dry, sunny and warm. Consequently, the grammaticus attended by a new, recently assembled collection of boys, aged from 9 to 13, generally welcomed remaining open on one side to the narrow busy street outside.

As with many such educational establishments, the grammaticus occupied a unit that would more normally be used for retail purposes, when a counter would usually front the open side. The advent of the winter cold would herald boarding up to protect the solitary tutor and his class from the elements. However, the internal environment would then become relatively claustrophobic, as well as dark and smoky from illuminating oil lamps and the warming brazier, and so such closure of the aperture was delayed for as long as possible.

Only one boy currently did not welcome the ability of the outside world to peer in at happenings in the grammaticus. He was the pretty 13 year-old pupil who was presently bending over, with the lower hem of his tunic perched on his back and his loincloth underwear round his ankles to expose his bare bottom.

The boy’s humiliating anguish was then compounded when, with intrigued passers-by watching in addition to his fellow pupils, his tutor landed a stinging painful blow of a rod, or ‘ferula’, across the 13 year-old’s lustrous buttocks.

(Portus Dubris, Britannia [modern Dover, Kent, England], same time)

Portus Dubris was no longer just a military encampment. The semblance of a town was beginning to emerge around the increasingly busy harbour, equipped with some Roman features. Fortunately, one of these happened to be a new large lodging inn, or ‘deversorium’, which mainly catered for merchants and other civilian travellers.

The small personal party accompanying me, namely Gaius, Hylas and Agricola, were not allocated accommodation alongside Aulus Didius Gallus in the cosy residence of wood and stone of the garrison commander, which was in the middle of the local military encampment. We were instead offered one of the legionaries’ empty tents, which looked rather the worse for wear and pervious to the elements.

Given the climactic conditions, we preferred the greater comfort of the deversorium, which was owned and run by a native of Rome, to whom I showed my Imperial pass. However, his initial reaction, after seeing the warrant with Claudius’ seal, was to declare that the document was a fake.

"How can a mere slaveboy like you possess such a pass, even if you’re in the entourage of the new Governor?" the owner of the deversorium queried. His suspicions about me attempting to gain unwarranted favours had apparently been aroused by my very youthful appearance and a certain item I wore, which gave away my servile status.

I was no longer wearing the whitish purple-edged tunic of an Imperial servant. However, like all slaves were required to do by Roman law, even those in the personal service of the Emperor, I displayed around my neck a bronze tag on a thin chain of the same alloy, denoting who owned me.

Gaius, who in contrast displayed a gold ring on his hand denoting his equestrian status, interrupted before I could launch my own protest to correct the mistaken assumptions of the owner of the deversorium. The man obviously could not believe that an Emperor would award an Imperial pass, demanding the fullest co-operation to the bearer, to a mere slave, and a boy one at that.

"Bicilus is actually 20 years old," Gaius informed, with clear annoyance in his voice that was evidence of his displeasure at the effrontery of the owner of the deversorium in disbelieving the authenticity of my Imperial pass. "He is also the Emperor Claudius’ favourite and closest servant," he added kindly but truthfully, "who, as he is of Catuvellauni origin, has been sent by the Princeps not as a slave to the new Governor but as a valued temporary adviser!"

"Unless you wish to be arraigned for treason in disobeying the clear command in the Imperial pass," Gaius added menacingly, "I suggest that you treat Bicilus and his warrant with the respect both deserve!" We were immediately assigned the best accommodation in the deversorium.

I subsequently decided to let Gaius flash my authorisation and promote my cause whenever required in future. His eloquence was undoubtedly superior to mine in resolving potential difficulties. Nevertheless, I later ordered the evening meal because I had promised to acquaint my companions with some of the delicious cuisine of my homeland in recompense for introducing them to the commonly foul weather.

Unfortunately, I discovered that Romanisation already extended to local deversoria because the menu was consistent with that offered by most common inns, or ‘cauponae’, back in Italia. I therefore could not order for my companions the same sort of simple but delicious stews that I remembered my late mother preparing for me, my father and my older brother and younger sister.

I instead reluctantly eventually presented my companions with typical caupona fodder, as usual spoilt by an excess of fish sauce. "What happened to the promised thick venison, veal, beef, lamb, mutton, pork or chicken stew with potatoes, carrots, leeks and other vegetables, to which I was so much looking forward?" Gaius protested, between the snivels and sneezes of an encroaching cold, on seeing the unappetising dish eventually presented before him in the communal dining room of the thankfully centrally heated deversorium.

The new basement hypocaust, which fed hot air into gaps under floors and between walls as well as heated the deversorium baths, was apparently happily performing its function of efficiently warming our environment. This fact was just as well because my homeland’s first welcoming gift to Gaius was obviously his gathering cold, which was an ailment that I had never previously known him to develop.

As Gaius frequently wiped his streaming nose with a cloth between sneezes, whilst his hazel eyes were developing a watery lustre and his voice was becoming increasingly hoarse, he looked disappointedly at the Roman cuisine in front of him. "The cook isn’t a native of Britannia," I sadly answered, "but is a Greek slave who learnt his craft in a caupona in the Subura and who, like most of his type, ignored my request for no fish sauce!"

"Oh dear," Gaius snivelled in reply, with a little humorous mischief, "things are indeed looking black for your homeland, Bicilus, if Subura cuisine, as well as Roman legionaries, has succeeded in conquering Britannia!"

(Domus of Axenius’ residential pupils, Subura Quarter, Rome, later same day)

As was common on most evenings, Persius and Quintilianus were using, in preference to the public baths, or ‘thermae’, the similar but smaller washing facilities, or ‘balneae’, in the residential domus where they used to live when they had been pupils of the late Palaemon and which had been inherited by Axenius. As was also usual, Lucanus joined them for their daily ablutions, and the trio would additionally invariably dine later in one of the better of the local cauponae.

The threesome customarily chose to oil and massage and use a strigil on each other in preference to using any of the slaves made available for such chores. Their motivation had nothing to do with the efficiency or otherwise of the bath attendants, who were, like most of those recruited to serve in the educational establishments now owned by Axenius but actually run on a day-to-day basis by Cornutus and Servius, very good at their jobs. The reason was instead entirely linked to the fact that the threesome liked manhandling each other’s handsome naked forms.

After Lucanus had disrobed, it was immediately evident to Persius and Quintilianus from the red stripes on the sumptuous curves of the boy’s bottom that their young friend had been subject that day to painful attention from his schoolmaster’s ferula. Such a phenomenon was very unusual because the 13 year-old was normally a very conscientious pupil.

"What earned you the misfortune of a couple of strokes of the cane on your bare bottom?" Persius enquired first, as his eyes surveyed the dark stripes providing the proof. Lucanus answered mysteriously "Catuvellauni!"

(Portus Dubris, Britannia [modern Dover, Kent, England], same time)

For the sake of his developing cold, I had tried to persuade Gaius to go to bed early rather than to venture on a sightseeing trip at night round a dark, damp and chilly Portus Dubris. However, my beloved retorted between snivels and sneezes that the evening might represent the last time that he was ever in the port because the as yet unscheduled return journey to Gaul might be from some other harbour. The always curious and adventurous tourist did not want to leave before looking round the embryonic town more comprehensively by adding to where he had previously ventured.

Consequently, Gaius, Hylas, Agricola and me, all protected from the elements by wearing hooded cloaks, or ‘paenulae’, above warm woollen long-sleeved winter tunics, walked round night-time Portus Dubris. The lack of light from the moon, which was hidden by the rain-clouds above, was thankfully compensated by the strong illumination provided by the nearby hilltop lighthouse.

Gaius was particularly intrigued by the local tall white cliffs, some of which eerily reflected the glow from the lighthouse fire, and by the array of ships, which were illuminated by night-lanterns in the choppy waters of the harbour. Their crews were undoubtedly currently enjoying the increasing number of raucous taverns and brothels in Portus Dubris. Roman civilisation had brought not only straight roads, brick and concrete edifices and dubious cuisine to Britannia but also commercial enterprises designed to satisfy customer thirsts for either drink or human bodies.

We naturally excluded the quarter where most of the less salubrious taverns and brothels were located. Having come across the area during daylight, we knew better than to frequent the locale at night, when muggings and other criminal activities, plus drunken brawls, would be common, as would pestering by prostitutes and beggars.

Outside Italia, where in Rome and Ostia cohorts of ‘vigilae’ act both as firemen and police, law and order is the army’s responsibility. However, the problem with this situation is that bored off-duty legionaries are often the commonest troublemakers and so detection of malefactors and administration of justice might not be reliably pursued, even if those in authority who are responsible possess any real interest or talent in the subjects.

The highlight of the latest excursion in a strange town was when we climbed the hill to look more closely at the constantly lit lighthouse. The beacon conveniently amply lit most of the steep path we had to take.

"I notice that this lighthouse does not illuminate certain male attributes in the same way that the one at Ostia does," Agricola mischievously mentioned, as we approached and glanced up at the glowing hilltop edifice. The boy was, of course, referring to the fact that the one in Rome’s new main harbour is crowned by the large statue of a naked man, purportedly representative of an Emperor, whose impressive genitalia are particularly highlighted by the light from immediately underneath.

Later, back in bed in our lodgings after supper, I used my body to warm that of Gaius, who had also consumed some hot medication, made of honey and herbs. The prescription had been both recommended for curing colds and prepared by the deversorium cook, who, like many Greeks, apparently fancied his own skills as an amateur pharmacist. The mixture certainly appeared to be far more beneficial to humans than his fish sauce.

Whilst Gaius and I lay in bed, the medication did indeed seem to help my beloved prove that, despite his cold, his own genitalia, unlike those on Ostia’s lighthouse, were both capable and eager to function in an energetic sexual manner.

(Domus of Axenius’ residential pupils, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

Lucanus explained that the new class of boys assembled by Cornutus and Servius at the beginning of the academic year in September, of which he was the senior member, was regularly becoming rather rumbustious, despite attempts by the normally very efficient tutor, Nestor, to maintain order and discipline. The teacher had a deserved reputation for keeping control of his pupils through force of personality rather than rod but this had not worked on this occasion, nor had increasing use of the ferula on young palms and first clothed and then uncovered bottoms.

None of the pupils were openly rebellious but inattention and play behind Nestor’s back were rife. For example, boys flicking each other’s ears, throwing little pebbles or other small objects or simply making funny faces or rude gestures at each other, whilst the poor teacher tried to conduct lessons, had become commonplace.

Lucanus claimed that he was innocent of participation in such miscreant activities, in which the three sons of Caratacus, namely Cyllin, Lleyn and Cynon, respectively 11, 10 and 9 years of age, were apparently the main mischievous instigators. Persius, who had personally tutored the three Catuvellauni princes, along with their slightly older sisters, Gladys and Eurgain, to prepare the boys to attend a Roman grammaticus, expressed surprise at the development.

"I always found Cyllin, Lleyn and Cynon to be very attentive and obedient when I taught them," Persius declared. "As well as stunningly beautiful!" added a smiling Quintilianus.

Persius chose to ignore Quintilianus’ tease and instead asked "So what’s made the three young Catuvellauni princes so naughty?" "You conducted your lessons in their new home," Lucanus sagely answered, "the Palatium Britannicum. However, the boys attend school elsewhere. I wonder if freedom from direct parental control, possibly for the first time in their lives, has encouraged them to shed their previous self-discipline and be more like what they truly are?"

"What’s that?" enquired Persius. "Well, not princes" replied Lucanus, "who, as the sons of a mighty king, are expected to act with due decorum, but rather instead merely energetically and occasionally mischievously playful schoolboys!"

(Near Castra Vetera [modern Birten near Xanten, Germany], Germania Inferior, same time)

Gaius and I were not the only lovers, one of whom was genitally whole whilst the other was a eunuch, to enjoy each other’s bodies that night. Similar activity had taken place on a riverbank in faraway Germania Inferior.

Pliny and Axenius knew that their final arrival on the following day at the fortress of Castra Vetera, where Palaemon had died and been cremated, represented the end of not only their outward journey from Rome but also their time together for now. It would not be seemly for a senior Roman army officer of patrician rank to have a live-in homosexual lover at his military base. The fact that the paramour was a eunuch of local barbarian extraction would only add to the unseemliness.

Anyway, both lovers had their hectic duties to fulfil, both immediate and for posterity. Pliny had his military role and career to pursue in Germania Inferior, whilst also writing his books. Axenius had Palaemon’s educational legacy to tender in Rome and elsewhere, plus two young twin siblings and an adopted son to rear.

Pliny and Axenius were furtively spending one last night together in a small cabin on the barge that was taking them up the mighty Rhenus to Castra Vetera. The vessel was currently moored for safety during the hours of darkness on the west riverbank. They were sharing a single bunk and were in each other’s arms, feeling melancholic because of both the usual post-sex malaise and thoughts about their imminent separation.

Pliny’s dark eyes were slightly damp whereas Axenius’ lighter blue variety was unashamedly more tearful. "I promised Gaius Musonius Rufus that I would never break your heart," the Roman commented, with shame evident in his quaking voice, "but here I am doing that very thing!"

"You’re not breaking my heart," Axenius retorted between sobs, with mild admonishment clear in his even shakier vocal tones, "just distressing it a little. You’re keeping your promise to Gaius because I know that you still love me and will return to me!"

"I should have resigned my commission," Pliny next remarked, "so that I could have remained in Rome with you!" "No, you shouldn’t have!" Axenius responded with force, whilst trying to encourage his shedding of tears to cease so that he could show a braver front.

"We both discussed our futures in depth back in Rome," Axenius added in explanation, "and concluded, correctly I’m sure, that we would never forgive ourselves if we abandoned our respective careers. Your military job means too much to you, whilst protecting Palaemon’s educational legacy is equally important to me. No, we’re doing the best. Our fate is to be part-time lovers for now. Anyway, you never know, absence might make the heart grow even fonder!"

Pliny did not answer Axenius’ selfless wisdom verbally but instead extended his lips towards those of his extremely handsome younger lover.

(Domus of Axenius’ residential pupils, Subura Quarter, Rome, same time)

"If you’re so innocent of any misdemeanours," an incredulous Quintilianus asked of Lucanus, whilst revealing some of his new sceptical lawyer mentality, "how come you were caned? Are you sure that you haven’t been revealing your dangerous republican instincts by being rebellious?"

"No," Lucanus answered with a smile, "I haven’t been a rebellious republican. Nestor today instead finally devised a common sense solution to the classroom ill-discipline!" "What was that?" Qunitilianus queried in response.

"As the senior pupil in his class," Lucanus replied, "Nestor has made me responsible for all classroom discipline, although not as the enforcer. Instead, if there’s an incident that requires someone to be chastised, my bare bottom alone receives two strokes of the tutor’s ferula!"

"But that’s manifestly unfair!" objected Persius. "Not if you look at the situation from Nestor’s viewpoint," Quintilianus suggested, again whilst displaying quick insight resulting from his current training as a lawyer. Q’s studies had caused him to learn about many interesting and novel judgements made in trials and the like over the centuries, some of which actually bore the symptoms of wisdom.

"Nestor is playing on the sense of honour of the other pupils," Quintilianus propounded, "believing that they will curtail their mischief so as not to disgrace themselves by being the cause of harm befalling Lucanus!" "But what if they have no pride and are sadistic, or dislike L so that they quite enjoy seeing him punished?" Persius protested.

Quintilianus smiled at Persius’ protest and asked "You know most of the boys concerned quite well, as now does Nestor, so do you think they lack honour or are sadistic?" Q then glanced at the always amicable and gregarious Lucanus and also enquired "And do you, P, really believe that any of L’s fellow pupils could possibly dislike our lovely young friend, let alone want harm to befall him?"

Persius thought about Cyllin, Lleyn and Cynon, plus Gaius’ adopted sons, Achilleus and Tyanus, and that of Axenius, Arius, as well as of the absent Germanian’s younger brother, Anacletus, who were all members of Nestor’s highly pulchritudinous class. P then felt compelled to answer Quintilianus by confessing, whilst he also now glanced at the naked form of the beautiful but currently blushing Lucanus, who had been embarrassed by Q’s description of him as ‘lovely’, "No, I don’t!"

"I’ll also soon be able to prove that the other boys in my class possess honour," Lucanus added, despite his recent embarrassment and rather cute facial redness. "How can you do that?" asked Persius.

Lucanus did not have to reply because the answer then coincidentally arrived in the form of another very pretty naked boy, who chose that moment to walk into the tepidarium, to where P, Q and L had progressed during their conversation to immerse themselves in the warm bath. "Hello, Cyllin, what brings you here at this time of night?" the surprised Persius asked of Caratacus’ 11 year-old oldest son, whilst attempting not to become too sexually excited at the sudden sight.

"I’ve come to bathe," Cyllin answered, "and then to receive four strokes of a ferula across my bare bottom!" "Who’s going to inflict that and why?" an incredulous Persius next enquired.

"I am," Lucanus replied, "because all of the pupils in my class have kindly agreed that anyone who causes me to be caned will in recompense receive twice the dose across his own backside at my hands!"

(Palatium Britannicum, Rome, a few hours later)

Cyllin eventually returned home in one of his father’s new litters, which had originally transported him to the residential domus on the fringes of Rome’s notorious Subura Quarter. The ‘lectica’ had been carried by four sturdy slaves, whilst a similar number provided added protection and held torches to illuminate the way.

On the return journey, Cyllin tried not to rest on his sore bottom, the delightful curves of which had been besmirched by four vivid red stripes. Lucanus had proved almost as effective a wielder of the ferula as Nestor.

Caratacus had earlier granted Cyllin his unusual request to go during the evening to the domus of Axenius’ residential pupils to bathe with friends only on condition that his son was well protected. The darkening streets of Rome were no place for a young pretty well groomed and dressed boy to venture alone, especially near the Subura.

Caratacus had granted permission despite the fact that his own residence possessed its own luxurious ‘balnea’ complex and boys usually used such amenities earlier in the day to allow men to have the privilege in the late afternoon or evening. The exiled King of the Catuvellauni was helped in his decision by being honestly told by Cyllin about the real reason for the request after the royal father had quizzed his princely son regarding the matter.

Caratacus had been unhappy to learn about Cyllin’s unruliness in school. However, the King was also pleased to observe his son being bravely and honourably prepared to go to accept his due penance.

Caratacus additionally smiled at Nestor’s wisdom, as he watched Cyllin depart in the curtained litter. The King correctly appreciated that the tutor’s ploy would prove successful in restoring on-going discipline to his class, although, as boys will be boys, there was bound to be the occasional slippage.

Lucanus thought similarly, although, for the sake of his own bottom, he sincerely hoped that lapses would be very infrequent.