Chapter XV - Dies in Ludi

Please note that this chapter contains sexually explicit and violent images and text. If you strongly object to any of these images please contact the blog author at vittoriocarvelli1997@gmail.com and the offending material can be removed. Equally please do not view this chapter if such material may offend.

"Greetings, Dominus !", Petronius said with a broad smile.

"We are honoured that you come to visit us !".

"Indeed, Petronius.

And I am very pleased to see you !", Gracchus replied, taking the handsome young slave along with him, as he made his way to the editors' box.

The 'Editor' was the title given to the individual who was financially responsible for the performances in the arena. Often the editor would be an aspiring politician or prominent public official. In Gracchus' amphitheatre the 'Editor' was, by default, Gracchus, but often he was not present, and one of his freedmen would take his place.

Petronius

Gracchus and Marcus

"I see that you have brought your young nephew, Marcus, with you today.", Petronius continued, with a conspiratorial smile to Marcus, as he played his part perfectly

It was obvious that Gracchus had ensured that Petronius was well primed.

"I trust that he will enjoy the day's entertainment that you have prepared !"
"Well, in truth, Petronius, it's the 'entertainment' that you have prepared,  and I'm sure he will enjou it.", Gracchus replied.

Having reached the Editor's Box, Petronius ensured that Gracchus and Markos had everything they required.

"Please excuse me, Dominus, but I now have to go and help with the arrangements !

If you require anything just ask young Adonios.", Petronius said, apologetically, leaving Markos and Gracchus, with Gracchus' two bodyguards and Adonios, in the Editor's Box.

In the Editor's Box

It seemed that the cute young slave-boy, Adonios, whom Markos had first met at the Munera for Augustus, had obviously been let in on Gracchus' little ploy with regard to Markos being (at least while he was at the amphitheatre), freeborn, as the blonde lad seemed totally un-surprised by Markos' new role, or that Petronius referred to Markos as Gracchus' 'nephew', 'Marcus' (the Latin version of his name)

It was probably at this point that Markos began to truly understand some of the advantages that great wealth and power could provide - for here he was, raised up above the audience - most of whom were patricians - and occupying the best vantage point in the amphitheatre, with servants at his beck and call, wearing the finest clothes - and above all he was - at least for that day - free !...

  POMPA

The Games began with a fanfare, which was the signal for the beginning of the 'Pompa'.

Roman Triumph

The 'Pompa' signalled the start of the Games; a blend of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan elements. The procession consisted of the gladiators, wrestlers, boxers dancers and actors who may be appearing in the entertainments, along with musicians, palm-bearers, the trainers and coaches, and various other officials and personnel, such as a sign-bearer whose placard gave the crowd information about the events. The 'pompa circensis' took very much the form of a 'triumphus', (triumph), which was originally a civil ceremony and religious rite, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the success of a military commander who had led Roman forces to victory in the service of the state or, originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war. Some genuine triumphs included 'ludi' (games), as fulfilment of the general's vow to a god or goddess, made before battle or during its heat, in return for their help in securing victory. During the Republic, such Ludi were paid for by the triumphing general, and it was in this way the Pompa which opened the normal Ludi became associated with aspects of the Roman 'triumphus'.

Gracchus, being a firm believer in the 'mos maiorum' - the 'customs of the ancestors' - was not prepared to turn his Pompa into an 'imitation' 'triumphus', and therefore dispensed with some of the more exaggerated aspects of the Pompa which would be seen in Ludi in Rome.

For him, the Pompa was simply an opening presentation, to the audience, of those who were to take part in the day's entertainment, and he forbade any appearance of the Editor (on this day himself, as he was in attendance), or any of his freedmen in the procession.

MANE  LUDOS

The amphitheatre didn't open until quite late in the morning, so the morning's program was quite brief.

It was to begin with some 'boy fights'.

These were fairly 'light-hearted' affairs, with young lads showing off their sword and wrestling skills, but with no intention of inflicting any real damage on their opponents.

This was to be followed by a mythological 'mime', accompanied with music.

The subject was to be one of Gracchus' favourites - the 'Rape of Ganymede'.

(That mythological subject had been the cause of Marcus nervousness at the time of the 'Convivium', mainly because Marcus had not, at that time, understood Gracchus' fascination with Greek mythology).

Petronius, who was mainly responsible for this production, was particularly proud of his achievement, and the whole piece 'went off' without a hitch - even the goats ! - as you will see, if your read on......

In Greek mythology, Γανυμήδης (Ganymede) is a divine hero whose homeland was Troy. He was the son of Tros of Dardania, from whose name "Troy" was supposedly derived, and of Callirrhoe. His brothers were Ilus and Assaracus. In the myth, he is abducted by Zeus, in the form of an eagle, to serve as 'cup-bearer' in Olympus. Homer describes Ganymede as the most beautiful of mortals: 

'Ganymedes was the loveliest born of the race of mortals, and therefore the gods caught him away to themselves, to be Zeus' wine-pourer, for the sake of his beauty, so he might be among the immortals.'                        — Homer, Iliad, Book XX, lines 233-235

The myth was a model for the Greek social custom of 'paiderastía', the socially acceptable erotic relationship between a man and a boy. The Latin form of the name was 'Catamitus' (and also "Ganymedes"), from which the English word "catamite" is derived. Ganymede was abducted by Zeus from Mount Ida, near Troy in Phrygia. Ganymede had been tending goats, (see above) a rustic or humble pursuit characteristic of a hero's boyhood before his privileged status is revealed. Zeus turned into an eagle to transport the youth to Mount Olympus. In Olympus, Zeus granted Ganymede eternal youth and immortality, and the office of 'cup-bearer' to the gods. Plato accounts for the pederastic aspect of the myth by attributing its origin to Crete, where the social custom of 'paiderastía' was supposed to have originated. Ganymede was sometimes describes as the "Eros" of love and desire between men and boys. Plato calls him 'Himeros' (Sexual Desire).

Not surprisingly, Gracchus was very pleased with Petronius' efforts.
A dancer, (a slave owned by Gracchus) called Paris, had taken the part of a surprisingly youthful, and very virile and 'erect' Zeus.
He was suspended on two wires from a wooden gantry, which was constructed over part of the arena, and 'flown' in, wearing his magnificent eagle wings (overlaid with real gold leaf), and nothing else, apart from a gold laurel wreath (borrowed from Gracchus - on the understanding that it would be returned, undamaged.)
There then followed an explicitly erotic 'mime', accompanied by music, and a reading from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses', which culminated in the young slave-boy, playing the part of Ganymede, being vigorously buggered by the remarkably 'well endowed' king of the gods.
"Oh fuck ! You're too big !...", the young slave boy was heard to quietly grunt, as 'Zeus' forced open the squirming boy's anus.
(now whether this was intended 'dialogue' - which would be unusual for a mime, or the lad's natural reaction, was difficult to tell, but it undoubtedly added to the verisimilitude of the presentation being an actual 'rape'.)
In a matter of moments, however, the entire bulk of the superbly endowed older slave's huge ppenis had disappeared inside the young lad, who immediately responded by getting a good sized erection - accompanied by appreciative murmurs from the extremely discrete audience.
As Zeus started thrusting, it was plain to see, however, that the boy had become a willing partner responding, not only with an erection, but also an ejaculation and noisy orgasm, much to the satisfaction of the audience, who were fascinated by the whole performance.

DE RAPTV

'Zeus' Flies across the Arena

'The Rape' - Paris, playing the part of Zeus, managed to land deftly on the sand close to 'Ganymede' (played by young Felix). While Paris flicked a catch on his wings that removed the wires that had supported him in his 'flight', Felix mimed a suitable surprise and alarm at the sudden arrival of the 'god'. Paris, anticipating 'raping' cute little Felix for some considerable time, was already massively erect. Throughout all the rehearsals for the performance, Petronius had only ever let Paris actually fuck the boy once, although it was made clear that this would be, literally, the 'climax' of the performance. This was because Petronius wanted Paris to be extremely 'excited' when he finally had his opportunity to have sex with the boy, and because he wanted Felix to respond to Paris' exceptional 'size' and virility with a suitable reaction. 

The Rape of Ganymede

Having 'landed', Paris then gently grasped the boy, and sitting on the sand, drew the boy down so that the lad ended up sitting on Paris' huge, erect penis. As the massive 'member' entered the boy, young Felix groaned, finding it difficult, at first, to accommodate the enormous bulk. Once Paris had fully penetrated Felix, the pair of them leaned back, lying on the sand, and Paris started thrusting, as the audience applauded. "Fuck me hard - and wank me !", Felix whispered to Paris, as his penis stiffened. Paris first caught hold of the young lad's scrotum in his hand, and gently rolled and caressed the the boy's testicles, and then he grabbed hold of the lad's rigid 'tool' and started masturbating the squirming boy. For some time the only sounds in the large arena, which was nearly full,  were the moans of young Felix, as he took the repeated thrusts of Paris' huge cock. In addition to Felix's moans, there were the deeper grunts from Paris, as he repeatedly rammed his swollen penis into the naked lad's tight, hot anus. Eventually the pair managed to reach their orgasms at the same time, with Paris obviously pumping his semen into the groaning lad, while young Felix squirted his 'seed' over his own smooth belly. Having accomplished the 'rape' elegantly, the breathless pair stood, bowed to the audience and, naked, and hand in hand, left the arena, leaving the tethered goats looking somewhat bemused.  

While the Rape in the arena may seem to the readers of this story to be nothing more that a piece of harmless, if rather explicit 'fun' (if we ignore the apparent youth of the boy Felix), like most events in the arena, it did have a link back to the ancient Etruscan, ('ancient' even to the Romans of Gracchus' day), rites of the 'Munera'. Firstly, while we would consider the story enacted to be mythology, - a legend - to most Romans it was 'religion'. Equally, as it was an act of the King of the Gods (Zeus - known to the Romans as 'Jupiter Optimus Maximus'), it was therefore a religious justification for 'pederastry' - (love, infatuation and/or lust, often involving a sexual relationship, or copulation, between older and younger males. - the love of boys). In addition the penetration of the slave taking the part of Ganymede by the older male has connotations related to gladiatorial combat, and therefore the 'Munera', in that the penis was commonly referred to, in slang terms as the 'gladius', and therefore the boy was being 'penetrated' with a 'gladius'. While it is commonly now believed erroneously (as a result of the 'mass media') that the Roman Games ('Ludi') was just one long succession of mindless killing, in actuality, many of the presentations were of drama, mime, ballet, and accompanied singing, but almost all these features made reference, in some way to the religious ethos of the original, Etruscan 'Munera'.

Markos, while enjoying the artistry and ingenuity which Petronius had displayed in mounting the remarkable episode, was a little un-nerved when he considered the subject of the 'mime'.

He recalled that Gracchus had referred to the myth of Ganymede during the interview, when Gracchus had told Markos that he was to be 'cup-bearer' at the 'convivium'.

He had thought that the matter had been put to one side, but now, at this special visit to the amphitheatre, the legend of Ganymede had appeared once again, and on this occasion in a quite explicit form.

However, Markos' mind was put at rest early on, when Gracchus spoke to him, while the arena scenery was being reset.

"Well Marcus, my boy !", Gracchus said, smiling and turning to Markos.

"I think Petronius staged that extremely well - don't you ? - And even the goats behaved themselves !..."

INTERLUDE - MYTHOLOGICAL RE-ENACTMENTS IN THE AMPHITHEATRE 

     

Mythological re-enactments were more in keeping with the Roman theatre than gladiatorial contests, and for the Romans were a no less important and distinctive a genre of displays in the amphitheatre. The contemporary media often portrays the program of the amphitheatre as one long succession of bloody (and often rather grubby) fights between gladiators. This was definitely not the case. Arena displays were varied (athletics, drama, dance and singing), and not grubby, but usually opulent and magnificent, (which is what those attending expected). While we have only one description of a gladiatorial fight in the whole of Roman literature, (in which both gladiators are supposed to have won ! - a draw, in other words), there are countless descriptions of 'theatrical' style performances (often, however, deadly, or sexually explicit), which often merged with the numerous tortures and executions. It should also be noted (in the light of the dearth of accounts of actual gladiatorial fights), that the numbers of gladiators reported to have fought in Roman arenas (mainly the Flavian Amphitheatre in Rome), are almost certainly wild exaggerations - designed to boost the reputations of the consuls/emperors reported as staging the Games.

PASIPHAE 

Theseus and the Monotaur

Martial recounts the re-enactment of Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, and mother of the Minotaur.
According to myth, it was King Minos who brought doom upon Pasiphae, cheating Poseidon of a magnificent bull that was meant to be sacrificed to him in return for legitimizing King Minos' claim for the throne. In punishment for this crime, Pasiphae was cursed to fall in love with the bull. Full of desire for the animal, she requested the craftsman Daedalus to construct for her a wooden cow covered in a hide so she could climb inside and join with the bull in his field. Ovid makes fun of the situation within his work, 'Ars Amatoria' ('The Art of Love'), stating, "Pasiphae shouted for joy when the animal made her his mistress...Well, the lord of the harem, deceived by a wooden plush-covered dummy, got Pasiphae pregnant. The child looked just like his father". Martial's poem appears to show that this event was acted out before the audience in the amphitheatre. There is other evidence for dramatic executions of criminals in the Roman arena along these lines, (presumably the woman would not have survived the encounter, which we may assume to have been some form of quasi-judicial punishment).
A somewhat more easily staged alternative was to present a fight between Theseus and the Minotaur, (with the Minotaur obviously losing), in the arena.

DIRCE 

Dirce - Siemiradski

In the legend, Dirce is tied to the horns of a wild bull, and dragged to her death by Zethus and Amphion, sons of Antiope, who were held prisoner by Dirce. In this case, the myth and re-enactment were essentially the same. Within the arena, a condemned woman, would be forced to re-enact this myth, and tied to the horns of a bull and dragged to her death. 

PROMETHEUS 

Later in the book, Martial focuses on the crucifixion of a man, who acted out the punishment of a legendary Roman bandit called Laureolus, until he was finally killed by a wild bear. According to Martial, this criminal simultaneously reminded the audience of the myth of 'Prometheus', whose particular divine punishment was to have his liver continually devoured by vultures during the day and grow back again at night. This is also an aspect of games that other writers pick out when they remark that criminals in the amphitheatre take on the mythological roles of Attis (who castrated himself), or Hercules (burned alive). 

ORPHEUS 

Orpheus was another easily identifiable figure in mythology, and Martial describes a manipulation of the myth. Although Orpheus would have remained identifiable by carrying a lyre, perhaps even playing music and singing, the outcome of the myth was altered. Unlike the myth, Martial records that the death of "Orpheus" was caused by a bear rather than the Bacchae.In this re-enactment, the mechanics of the amphitheatre would have been put into effect, taking advantage of the multiple entrances, trap doors, and scenic displays."Orpheus" would have entered the area with his lyre, while tame and harmless animals would have been slowly released. Some of these animals may have even been trained to interact with the character and his music. Finally, a bear, or some other ferocious animal, would have been released. Once the animal had been released, the individual playing "Orpheus" would have been killed.Ironically "Orpheus" would have been killed by the very beast he was meant to charm. 

APULEIUS 

 'The Golden Ass'

Even closer to Martial’s 'woman and the bull' is an episode in Apuleius’ brilliant novel 'The Golden Ass'. Apuleius recounts how a woman convicted of murder was condemned, before being executed, to have sexual intercourse in the local amphitheatre with an ass - in fact the human hero of the story, transformed into an ass by a magical accident. The brainy ass is not convinced that the lion (which is intended to kill the woman) will 'know' the script, and fears that it might well eat him instead of the woman, so he escapes before the performance. While it is possible that a bull may have been trained to have intercourse with a woman, the ‘bull’ may well have been a man in a bull costume, and that the ‘reality’ of the union was simply a public rape, performed in the arena. 

ATTIS 
According to Ovid, Attis was a handsome Phrygian boy who was loved by the mother of the gods, Cybele. Attis consecrated himself to her by swearing eternal faithfulness, but subsequently betrayed her with a tree-nymph named Sagaritis. Attis was then driven mad resulting in his self-inflicted emasculation. Within Catullus' song 63, Attis is also described as a boy who emasculated himself as the result of the insanity Cybele infused on him. The end result was the same within the re-enactments. The young miscreant who was to die as "Attis" would inevitably be castrated, which was may even have been self-inflicted. In order for "Attis" to actually castrate himself, it is likely that the individual would have been threatened with death if he refused to do so. It is also probable is that "Attis" would have been anally impaled, and instructed to castrate himself if he was to be freed - and if he believed this, then he would believe anything....

PERSEPHONE 

Sporus

A famous, but unsuccessful attempt at an arena re-enactment of a mythological story relates to the 'Rape of Persephone'. Persephone (also known as Kore) was the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and Zeus. Persephone was abducted and raped by Hades. When Persephone was gathering flowers, she was entranced by a narcissus flower planted by Gaia (to lure her to the Underworld as a favour to Hades), and when she picked it the earth suddenly opened up. Hades, appearing in a golden chariot, seduced and carried Persephone into the underworld. In the year 69, the young, castrated catamite, Spoprus became involved with the Emperor Vitellius.  Vitellius planned for Sporus to play the title role in the 'Rape of Persephone' for the viewing enjoyment of the crowds, during a Ludi. Sporus then committed suicide, to avoid being raped in public.

ICARUS 

Icarus and Daedalus

Icarus

During the period of our story, there was a portrayal staged by the Emperor (Nero) of the story of Daedalus and Icarus. In this reconstruction, a young slave-boy took the part of Icarus and was 'flown' across the arena on wires, and then dropped from a great height, to his death onto the arena floor.
Because of the success of Petronius' presentation of Ganymede, his next project was to be Icarus, as he could once again use the overhead gantry that had already been constructed over the arena.

QUOD EST MORS ATTICUM

'The Death of Atticus' - After the 'Rape of Ganymede' there was some Greek style boxing (which had very little appeal for Gracchus.
He therefore took the opportunity to retire from the Editos' Box, and lounge on a couch to be served refreshments by Adonios.
Marcus stood to one side, feeling very awkward.
It was a strict rule that slaves always stood in the presence of their masters so, for Marcus, the situation was fraught with difficulty.
After a few moments Gracchus noticed that Marcus was standing.
"Marcus !", Gracchus exclaimed.
"Here you are not a slave - so take a couch and relax.!"
Adonios was grinning, seeing at how awkward Marcus looked, but Adonios was remarkably good hearted, and quickly went over to Marcus and offered him refreshments.
"Now we have some gladiators - but with real fighting, not like at the munera, and some Greek-style wrestling."
After that it is the turn of that scoundrel, Atticus to be punished.", Gracchus said, obviously relishing the word 'punished'.
"How is he to die ?", Marcus asked.
"He is to fight - as a gladiator - but for this fight the tables will be turned on him.
At the munera he switched the gladius, so that Ferox got the blunt weapon, and he got the deadly one.
Fir this fight he will find himself in the same situation as poor Ferox - but I don't think that he will be allowed to die quite so easily.", Gracchus concluded.
"And who is to fight Atticus ?", Marcus asked, intrigued.
"Wait and see.....", Gracchus replied, with an enigmatic smile.
When they returned to the editor's box, as Gracchus had said, the remainder of the Ludi consisted of some wrestling, followed by a further display by the young gymnasts who had performed at Gracchus' convivium.
Then there was a gladiatorial contest, in which, after some skilful swordplay, one of the gladiators ended up walking into a slicing swing made by his opponent's gladius, which cut his head neatly from his body.
The audience was thrilled, as the headless gladiator, seemingly unaware of his decapitation, took three more steps towards his opponent before thudding to his knees, and then toppling forwards, all the while spraying blood over himself and the sand from his severed neck.
The arena-slaves then recovered the severed head, and the decapitated young gladiator's headless corpse was stripped naked, and dragged out of the arena with ropes round his ankles.

Placard

An arena slave then entered, holding a placard - (in the absence of ancient Roman loudspeakers, announcements were usually made by parading a placard round the arena).
The placard stated simply that a slave who had cheated and killed a fellow slave was to be punished.
Then, almost immediately, Marcus recognised Atticus striding into the arena.
Atticus looked up at the Editors Box, and instantly a look of intense surprise crossed his face as he recognised Marcus standing beside Gracchus - and not wearing a slave-collar.

Atticus

Ferox

In case you have not been reading 'The Story of Gracchus' consecutively, you need to know something about Atticus. Atticus is a Greek slave-gladiator, and his name means 'the boy from Attica' - (Attica is in Greece). Atticus was a problem as he was appallingly 'over-sexed', and had a hibit of raping other slave-boys. A short time previously Gracchus held a 'munera' in remembrance of the birthday of the Divine Augustus (Divi Augusti). At that munera three pairs of  'bustuari' had fought, the losers being sacrificed in the Etruscan manner. Gracchus had 'arranged' the fight so that selected 'bustuari' would be provided with blunted weapons, thus ensuring their defeat and subsequent deaths. Atticus had been selected to be sacrificed, as his behavious was no longer acceptable to Gracchus. Atticus, however, had secretly swapped over the weapons to ensure that, contrary to Gracchus' plans, he would survive the 'munera', and Ferox, one of Gracchus' favourites, would die in his place. At the time Gracchus was unable to prevent this from happening, as the 'munera' was considered to be a 'religious' ceremony - however, he subsequently vowed to take his revenge on Atticus. Gracchus had then chosen the day he took Markos to the Amphitheater as the time when Atticus would be punished.

Atticus was equipped very much as he had been for the 'munera' at the villa, with a bulging white loincloth.
He carried a gladius - but on this occasion it had been checked before it had been given to Atticus, and it was blunted, and completely useless as a weapon.
Whether Atticus knew this or not was a moot point, but regardless, he looked remarkably confident as he entered the arena.
Gracchus had given Petronius special permission to face Atticus in the arena, and Petronius had been given exact instructions as to how to conduct the fight (such as it was).
The senior arena-slave, accompanied by two other slaves, (each carrying a gladius), drew the line in the sand, and the two boys stood either side, waiting for a signal from Gracchus to begin.
Atticus and Petronius then began sparring, their swords clashing.
After a few moments, Petronius brought his gladius down hard against Atticus' gladius, and Atticus' weapon fractured on impact (this was the result of some work on the gladius performed by 'Vulcan' - Gracchus' mute armourer).
Atticus was, as a result, defenceless, and had no option but to sue for mercy, which was exactly what Gracchus had planned.
Of course, Gracchus was not prepared to show any mercy, (just as Atticus had shown no mercy to Ferrox).
Atticus was immediately held by two arena slaves, while Petronius stripped the helpless boy of his loincloth.
Atticus was partially erect, and his semi-stiff penis, which was dribbling clear liquid, jerked suggestively, as he stood facing Petronius.
The question was - was Petronius going to rape Atticus before mutilating and killing him ?
Petronius intensely dislike Atticus, and had no inclination to have sex with the boy, and in addition, Gracchus had forbidden Petronius from indulging in such activity in the arena.
Markos was also waiting to see what was going to happen.
His feelings for Petronius were such that he was loathe to see his handsome young friend demean himself by having sex in public with the despised Atticus.
"Now, Atticus, if you want this to end quickly and easily, you'd best give us a little performance !", Petronius said gruffly.
"What you mean ?", Atticus asked, looking completely confused.
"Jerk-off and 'cum' - here and now, and you'll be finished off quick and clean !", Petronius said, wondering if Atticus would agree to such a demeaning request.
"What ? Now ? On the sand !", Atticus asked, finding difficult to believe what he was being offered.
"Yes ! You're already quite 'hard', so get on with it ! The audience is waiting !", Petronius hissed.
And the audience was waiting, restless, and wondering what the two fighters were talking about.
"Alright !", Atticus agreed, "But then just finish me off - quick.", Atticus said, sitting on the sand and grabbing hold of his stiffening penis
A murmur went trough the audience..
Atticus probably thought that anything was better than dying immediately, and while he was alive there was always a slim chance of a reprieve - and even if he was to be killed, at least it would be quick and clean, and he would have one, last orgasm - so he started masturbating !
The audience were mesmerised, and Gracchus was surprised that Atticus had 'taken the bait', and was prepared to publicly humiliate himself.
As Gracchus had arranged, however, Petronius had no intention of 'finishing-off' Atticus quickly and cleanly - and he would see that, after Atticus deposited his 'seed' on the sand,  the boy would have plenty of time to rue the day he ever imagined that he could cheat his 'dominus', and cause the death of one of Gracchus' favourites.
Meanwhile, Atticus, who, as was explained in Chapter X was disgustingly 'over-sexed', was working hard on his huge, stiff penis.
With his legs spread, the hairy root of his penis exposed, and his heavy, fat testicles jerking suggestively, Atticus made an obscene display of himself, and probably unintentionally provided obvious titillation of the audience.
After a short while it was obvious to everyone one that young Atticus was getting highly 'excited' and very close to an orgasm.

Atticus Abuses Himself in the Arena

"Oh shit !... I'm gonna fucki n' cum !....", the naked boy groaned loudly, as he jerked his hips forwards and up, in an attempt to further fuck his own fist.
By then his hefty scrotum had pulled up to his hairy groin, and he had started splattering his creamy semen over his sweaty belly.
Having ejaculatd on the sand, Atticus was expecting either to be shown 'mercy', and allowed to leave the arena, or (more likely) to be finished off, by either decapitation, or by having his throat cut.
As it turned out Petronius had instructions to take neither course of action.
Two arena-slaves then took hold of Atticus, who was still dribbling semen from his softening penis, and laid him on his back.
"What ?", Atticus managed to grunt, confused by what was happening.
"There's my  fuckin' spunk !", Atticus shouted.
"So you said you would end it... after I spunked !", Atticus insisted.
The slaves then each grabbed one of Atticus' legs, spread them, and then, lifting them up, pulled them over so that Atticus (on his back) had his ankles either side of his head, by his shoulders.
The boy was literally 'folded over', with his naked backside exposed.
"Please !.. No !...", Atticus pleaded, thinking that he was probably going to be raped - probably by the two arena-slaves and Petronius.
Atticus was then handed a pilum (javelin) by another arena slave.
"Oh no ! Not that ! .....Please don't spear me !.. Please !.... Mercy !...", Atticus cried out.
"You didn't show any mercy to Ferrox, and he was castrated and decapitated, so ..... no mercy will be shown to you !", Petronius said quietly and coldly.
The hushed audience waited to see what would now happen to the naked, helpless boy.
Markos watched intently, interested to see how resolute Petronius could be.
On his back on the sand, in an appallingly ignominous position, Atticus' twitching anus was fully exposed, and Petronius, cruelly let the tip of the javelin rest on the trembling boy's quivering 'hole'.

Atticus Impaled

"No !... Don't spear me there !... Don't' stick it up my fuckin' arse-hole !", Atticus groaned, as he stared at his now stiff jerking penis, which was dribbling clear liquid onto his chest
Petronius ignored the pleading boy, and began pressing forward and down.
The javelin tip immediately began to open up Atticus' anus and blood began to trickle down between his muscular buttocks
"Fuck !.... ", Atticus squealed, as his well defined, bulging balls moved oddly in his straining scrotum.
Petronius pressed down harder, and the large head of the javelin disappeared inside the squirming boy, as his already stiff, swollen prick jerked upwards in response.
"Shit !... You cunt !.. It's in my guts !...", Atticus screamed as his hips rose up automatically, and he inadvertently impaled himself further on the spear.
Petronius then leaned on the shaft, and the javelin passed right through Atticus' torso, deftly missing his spine, and emerging from his straining back, - finally fully impaling him.

Arena Floor

Here, a brief explanation is required: While Gracchus' Amphitheater had been temporarily closed, the arena floor had been renovated. The floor of the arena was covered with sand (hence the name - harenam, meaning sand in Latin). More sophisticated amphitheatres, like Gracchus' Amphitheatre, had the sand laid on a wooden floor. The wood, of course, when liquid passed through the sand, would eventually start to rot - hence the renovation. The wooden floor itself was laid over voids, which allowed for storage, and the installation of trap-doors, lifts etc. The wooden floor also allowed for the stable securing of structures on the sandy arena surface. In the case of the appearance of Atticus in the arena, the wooden floor would serve another purpose .....

"Fuck !... No !...", Atticus moaned helplessly, as he was held firmly by two of the arena slaves.
Petronius then called over another arena-slave, and together they both pressed heavily of the metal javelin shaft, forcing it deep into the wooden floor of the arena. (see diagram above).
The result was that Atticus was not only impaled through his ripped and ruined anus, but was also pinned helplessly to the arena floor.
Then Petronius draped Atticus' tiny white loincloth, along with his white leather waist belt - now no further use to the naked boy, - over the butt of the pilum.
Petronius then stepped back, looking down on the trembling, sobbing, naked boy.
"Now you can stay there....and suffer !", Petronius said, his voice expressionless.
"No ....Please !.... Help....! Help me !...", Atticus moaned
Petronius then walked away, to some polite applause from the audience, and the arena slaves let go of Atticus, as the boy was now firmly and helplessly attached to the arena floor.
And there was absolutely nothing that poor Atticus could do.
There was very little external bleeding, but his penis, which had become flaccid, after he had masturbated himself to orgasm, had now stiffened, and become enormously erect, as a result of his anus and rectum being penetrated by the considerable bulk of the spear - (the ultimate public humiliation for an adult Roman male - even a slave).
It was not, however, a sexual arousal, but simply an automatic, physiological reaction, accompanied by regular spurts of glistening semen.

Atticus Impaled

At the same time his legs started to tremble, and then develop spasms.
Interestingly, Petronius seemed to be in no hurry to 'finish-off' the unfortunate lad, and he called for the next contest, to start, which was to feature two naked pancratium wrestlers.
So, as the wrestlers grabbed the attention of the audience, poor naked Atticus was simply left - humiliated, and moaning in agony, - helplessly pinned to the sand.
The ludi went on for another hour, and Atticus remained all that time in the arena, moaning and sobbing, with his legs twitching spasmodically, - occasionally dribbling semen, and spraying urine.
While he was pinned to the arena floor, Atticus' penis had become enormously engorged as a result of the large bulk of the javelin shaft, which had horribly stretched his anus and rectum, and his foreskin had been forced back, humiliatingly exposing his dark, gleaming 'glans'.

Romans and Latins, like the Greeks, were by tradition always uncircumcised. While male nudity was accepted completely by the Greeks, and to a lesser extent by the Romans, and normally considered acceptable for slaves, if not citizens, the exposure of what the Romans referred to as the 'glans', (literally in Latin - 'acorn'), was considered the ultimate obscenity, as it was associated with rampant sexual activity.

For the audience, who were seated well above Atticus, it was possible to look down, and observe his 'privates' (but 'private' no longer), between his legs, and his unnaturally engorged, twitching penis, with its exposed 'glans', and his horribly swollen testicles, which were objects causing considerable amusement, titillation (and possibly arousal) for those watching.
However, as the Ludi had come to an end, it was time to be rid of Atticus.
Petronius approached the naked, groaning boy.
"Well ....Atticus... Do you remember, at the munera, saying to Ferox, 'What's it feel like, Ferox ?', after he had his balls cut off .
Well now you're gonna find out, boy - except that you're gonna have that big cock of yours cock cut off as well !", Petronius said, with a grin, as he bent over the squirming by.
Petronius then unsheathed his vicious looking, ivory handled castration knife.

Ivory Handled Castration (Gelding) Knife

Ironically, the handle of the curved castration knife was in the shape of an fully erect penis, with the 'glans' exposed, and the pommel was carved in the form of a scrotum, containing two bulging testicles. The curved blade of the knife was not only designed to facilitate the removal of penis and testicles, but was also ideal for slicing open the belly, as part of the process of disembowelling.

"No please !... Not my fuckin' bollocks !....", Atticus groaned.
Then there was an odd pause - as if Atticus was desperately trying to think of  way out of his hopeless situation.
"I'm sorry !... I'm sorry for what I did to Ferox.....really !"
But just spare me !....", Atticus screamed.
"Finish me quick, but not my fuckin' balls an' my cock !....Please !", the naked boy begged as he squirted yet more spunk.
"Too late for that !", Petronius replied.
With that he grabbed hold of Atticus' bulky genitals.
"No !..." Atticus screamed, as Petronius sliced through the hairy root of Atticus' bulky genitals.
Atticus squealed hysterically.
'What's it feel like, Atticus ?!', Petronius asked, coldly.
"F-u-c-k !....." was all that sexless Atticus could reply, as his whole body jerked spasmodically.
Petronius then held up the bloody, severed genitals for the audience to see.
With his mouth gaping in disbelief, Atticus stared, wide eyed, at the sight of Petronius holding up his severed, and bloody testicles and penis.
"It hurts so much !", Atticus finally mumbled - an obvious understatement, to Petronius' almost rhetorical question.
The audience, the arena slaves, Gracchus, Markos and Adonios all applauded politely.
Petronius then threw the severed genitals onto the sand, and bent over Atticus again.

Petronius' Pugio

This time Petronius drew his large Pugio (knife), with a gilded handle and pommel - the knife that he used to 'finish-off' fighters, and those being executed.
"Oh shit....!  No !..", Atticus grunted - but too late.
"So..... Ferox is revenged !", Petronius said, viciously, as he slit Atticus' throat.
"Cunt !", Atticus grunted, and then gurgled, blood frothing up from the gaping slit in his neck.
The naked, emasculated, impaled boy's hands clutched fitfully at the sand, grasping as if trying to find and hold his severed genitals for the last time.
And he took well over a minute to drown noisily and horrifically in his own blood.

LUDI AD FINEM

'The Games End' - The arena-slaves had great difficulty removing the javelin from the wooden arena floor, and further difficulty removing the javelin from Atticus' naked, mutilated corpse.
Gracchus and Markos, however, did not wait to see the 'clear-up'.
They left the Editor's Box immediately after Atticus' throat was cut, and made their way to the prothyrum, to see Petronius.
Petronius, still wearing his black leather braccae, but having had a quick wash, came up to them, looking serious.
"Ah ! There you are Petronius !", Gracchus said, smiling.
"Good afternoon, Dominus !
I hope that everything was done to your satisfaction, and that young Marcus enjoyed his first visit to the amphitheatre.". Petronius said.
"Yes, Petronius ! As always, I can rely on you !", Gracchus replied, patting the youthful slave on the back.
"So Ferox has been revenged ... "Gracchus said reflectively, pausing.
"And now I shall sleep better tonight.", Gracchus continued.
Petronius turned to Markos.
"And I hope, young Marcus, that you did not think it too bloody or cruel."
"Not at all Petronius.
It was a fitting and humiliating punishment for a cruel, dishonest, and - so I am told, a very lecherous boy."
Gracchus and Petronius looked at one another with some surprise.
"That's what I would hope to hear from a young master !", Gracchus said, with obvious approval and pride.
Petronius looked startled.
It was the first time that he had heard the title  'young master' ('iuvenes dominum') applied to Marcus.
It was what he hoped for, and had suspected of Gracchus, but he was surprised that Gracchus, (always a careful man), had made such an obvious slip.
"Now we must go !", Gracchus hurriedly said to Petronius, sensing that he may have said too much.
"And I am very much in your debt !", he added.
"Not at all !", Petronius answered.
"I am here to serve you, Dominus, - and you, dear Marcus !"
As Petronius said 'dear Marcus' , he gave one of his 'heart melting' smiles.

and the story continues - 

having spent a day at Gracchus'  Amphitheatre in Baiae - Markos' enthusiasm for the 'Games' is such that he now spends his mornings helping Petronius at the arena.

This chapter considers the origins, history and nature of the 'Games' - along with Markos' involvement.

CHAPTER XVI
MARCUS ET GLADIATORES
(Marcus and the Gladiators)

Please note that this chapter contains sexually explicit and violent images and text. If you strongly object to any of these images please contact the blog author at vittoriocarvelli1997@gmail.com and the offending material can be removed. Equally please do not view this chapter if such material may offend.