Sorry about the delay but I have been at the Olympic Games.
Arden by: dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)
54: Changes and More
1319, 10th month, day 27:
Immediately after my breakfast I went to the Argonaut dormitory. I don't think these 10 and 11 year old boys were to happy. I know they were fed, warm and bathed. I also know they were not given opportunity to play games or socialize with the Argoanuts.
I called each one to me in turn and asked again for his account and reasons. That is when I discovered the problem lay where I thought it might, with the parents. It turned out one group had attached the other but it was not unexpected. When pressed, none had any real animosity toward the other. It had to do with perception and preconceptions on the part of the parents. Each group, christians, Muslims, pagans of several types, tended to associate together. Some of the attitudes and misconceptions that were expressed were most upsetting to me.
In court I quickly metered out atonement for the offenders. They would work in pairs for the next 7 days, assisting the Argoanuts in the public garden each afternoon. During the time they would go to school as normal but were to sleep and eat, do sports and so on with the Argoanuts. What I did not say in court but to the Argoanuts was, these boys should be paired not with friends but with their supposed enemy. Each day a new paring. I knew we would see friendships grow from this but told them not to mention it, let it happen. Each Argonaut would supervise a different pair each day.
It struck me too that these boys and probably all boys in the city needed to be involved in sports and other activities. I began formulating a plan.
My most beloved Iason returned to us today. He will spend most of his privet time with his wife but not today. Iason was insistent that we spend as much time as possible fucking and sucking each other. For us this was love of course but at that moment of time it became pure lust. I sat on the floor and Iason straddled me, presenting his penis to my open and desirous mouth. He placed his hands on my head and proceeded to fuck my mouth. I know he enjoyed sex with his wife but some things a woman just can't seem to do as well as a man. I did not make love to his member, I took it in my mouth and throat and let him thrust into it, as if an anus or vagina.
Iason is always a most gentle lover and even with his accumulated desire he was most considerate of me. I found it best to hold his small buttocks in my hands, to moderate his ardor and allow me to feel him deep in my throat. When spent he collapsed onto me and we kissed and hugged for some time. I than took the standing position and he ministered to my throbbing erection is the same way. I still feel Iason is the better lover, as when I spent it was as if for the first time. I was filled with pleasure and wonderment. Later we satisfied each other again in our bed. I filled his anus and he mine with seed.
In those intimate privet moments before sleep, we both agreed that no woman can give either of us the satisfaction that our asses give each other. The love and intimacy between men and women is great and wondrous but lacks something that only our male beloved partner can provide. I think it is because we are men and know from experience exactly how and what each other are feeling and experiencing, at least on a physical if not emotional strata.
Iason told me how envious he was of me, for he missed a stiff cock, mostly my cock sliding in and out of his ass, more than anything. In the morning we will need service our boys as they too have needs to be met. Needs that no other boy can quite fill, only your mentor. Dios is most in that need.
It will be important for Iason to keep his intimate relationship with our brothers and the others in our family. While he is a consummate lover, it will be impossible for him to service them as much or as often as anyone would desire. His fine mouth will see much application but his most beautiful ass will see most of the pleasure.
Father told me it took my Uncles about 4 years to return to his bed, on a most frequent interval. The first year will be the most difficult for me, as Iason and Alex both need bond to their wives. Alex will probably never be as frequent visitor as he had been but Iason will be returned to you and us as his father and uncle did to Karyakos.
1319, 10th month, day 28:
After explaining my plan to the others, they seemed to cease the idea. The Argoanuts would organize sports for boys through out the city. They would work from the various public baths, schools and the castle. Eudoxia thought the Eagles should do the same for girls. We thought that a good idea.
I called a meeting of all the religious groups for three days hence. Kastor ask that he do the talking as his words would be sweeter than mine.
The lamp project reported today. Good progress is being made on most parts of it. Mohammed asked for more testing, to better refine some of his estimates. The ingegneres wanted to work on ways of measuring the light produced from lamps or any other source. They were in discussions with several professors at the university. None had any good idea how this was to be done objectively. None had any good ideas how to do this even subjectively.
Helo pulled me aside after the meeting and told me he thought mother was having problems with her heart. He learned this by overhearing a conversation between two of her ladies. I am not sure he completely understands what this means. I am not sure I do either.
1319, 11th month, day 1:
I met with Mohammed at the university the other day, he briefed me on his studies of zero. I am impressed with the idea. At this point I am not sure how it will be used in practice. I was not impressed but when he explained further I started to understand. (TN: see http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Zero.html or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_(number) for a lucid discussion)
Mohammed explained, "Zero is the integer between 1 and -1. Zero was identified before the idea of 'negative integers' was accepted. Some still do not but in algebra it is important as in geometry and coordinate systems we use. Zero is an even number.
Zero is a number which quantifies a count or an amount of null size; that is, if the number of your brothers is zero, that means the same thing as having no brothers, and if something has a weight of zero, it has no weight. If the difference between the number of pieces in two piles is zero, it means the two piles have an equal number of pieces. Before counting starts, the result can be assumed to be zero; that is the number of items counted before you count the first item and counting the first item brings the result to one. And if there are no items to be counted, zero remains the final result. All that makes sense to me.
While many of us mathematicians accept zero as a number, some non-mathematicians and some mathematicians would say that zero is not a number, arguing that one cannot have zero of something (for example, 'zero oranges').
"The value or number zero, as in the "zero brothers" example, I just used is not the same as the digit zero, used in numeral systems having positional notation. The Roman and old Greek systems had no zero as such but us and others do use a place holder where we put a zero or mark, but you know that.
Successive positions of digits have higher weights, so inside a numeral the digit zero is used to skip a position and give appropriate weights to the preceding and following digits. As you know the place between 1 and this zero can be represented by fractions of one but not written as a fraction in our numeral system. I am looking at proving or disproving that the space between zero and negative 1 is also occupied."
I told him I thought I understood this but would need read his proof. He smiled. We talked about his other work. He is trying to develop equations in simple algebra. He wants to set the terms, that is the unknown value as Alpha and the un-knows as Gamma, Delta and so on. We also talked about a measure of light intensity.
We reasoned the brightest object we know of is the sun. All other things are lesser and by a great amount. We further speculated, knowing the intensity of a light diminishes with distance from it, the sun is either extremely large or far away, probably both. This provided no help since the sun is so much brighter than other things, nothing can truly be compared to it.
We could compare a candle to the Koallime gas flame, of the same size and the same distance, by placing one in each of two different windowless rooms of the same size, each the same distance from the observer. If the rooms were next to each other and the observer could see into them at once, some kind of subjective scale could be invented.
I suggested that the koallime flame will be brighter than the candle. If we make the candle a value of 5 the koallime flame might be a 10 but an olive oil lamp with the same size wick as the candle, might only be 4. We also reasoned, if text of standard size were viewed at different distances from the sources from a fixed position and moved in fixed increments until it could no longer be read that to could form a standard. Mohammed said that is exactly the kind of numbers or values he needed for his equations to work. He went off to see the ingegneres and I to the council meeting.
The next day Kastor and I met with the religious leaders of all faiths. I wanted to know why it is that those boys thought it acceptable to hurt another boy, for no valid reason. Having examined all of their dogmas, with our scholars, it would appear none would suggest or condone this. Although many cultures looked on neighboring groups or strangers to be inferior and often unclean.
Kastor was our spokesperson. He did his job well. None of the clergy would relent, in that they could all find some obscure passage of text or extended reasoning, to show non believers were some how lesser persons and therefore could be looked down upon. That those admonitions to `love your neighbor as yourself', almost all have some identical saying, were only for believers not others.
I argued that the public peace and harmony in our society were higher goals than obscure passages from ancient texts. I also reminded them those texts were written for their time and place, not for today or in Parga. None would accept my analysis, however. I also showed that those admonitions, were not qualified by words or context, they are being interpreted by them, in light of other texts.
Kastor was forced to defend me, as they all attacked with vengeance. He pointed out the Jews for example were giving the same weight to clear rules such as the laws of Moses as to obscure passages in poems, songs, plays and stories. He also reminded them, their scholarly writings in the Talmud often qualified or even set aside some of these interpretations. I was impressed with his knowledge of these texts, as they seemed almost as great as mine. I knew I was correct, when these people agree on anything, it is usually in anything but the citizen's interest.
King Iason had enough of this foolishness and he forcefully said so. "This is not the university philosophy department or a debating society, although the sophistry is heavy. Every citizen of Parga is of equal value, that is not an assumption based on faith, it is fact based on our reality. We are all of one clan. Can our clansman be unclean or of lesser value because he prays to a different god? I say no. I do not wish to tell you what to believe, where or how your faith is directed. I will tell you how the citizens of Parga are to act toward one another; that is clearly laid out in our civil code. The hypocrisy displayed in this room today is as great or greater than I have ever seen.
No citizen has leave to attack another. No citizen has the leave to force his beliefs on another. If you can not or will not, teach your followers these simple lessons, I suggest you find some other place to live. The religious communities of Parga have two choices; you either learn to live with each other or ignore each other, which is a way of living together, or leave.
None of us are Diogenes, we do not live in tubs and we do not extoll the virtues of the dog. In one respect we are like him, we all search, in vain, for an honest man. Some would say none exist and the search is fruitless. Others the opposite. I suggest many exist but since few if any are themselves honest, they are not recognized.
Diogenes held up a mirror to Athenian society and they often did not like what they saw. This incident of young boys disturbing the public peace, is a mirror to us. I do not like what I see, my princes do not like what they see. Do you like what you see?
If such an incident happens again, Prince Arden will not allow the parents of those involved to go undisciplined, for they have failed to teach proper citizenship. I warn you also, that a clear distinction must be made, in your teaching, between that which you believe is in the eyes of your god and that which is in the eyes of this society.
You too are obligated to teach proper citizenship. I do not ask you to kiss your neighbor. I do demand that you respect his sovereignty, as he must respect yours. If you are unable to make your orthodoxy accommodate the civil laws and customs of Parga, I suggest you find some place else to live.
The four middle princes have proposed that all boys and girls, above the age of 8 are welcome to participate in sports, music, singing and other activities, sponsored by the Argoanuts and Eagles. I do not expect any opposition from the religious community. I would hope you would encourage participation. I believe this type of activity combined with our secular schools, will demonstrate to all our children, the worthiness of good citizenship and understanding between all parts of our society.
My Grandfather would often say, `because we are tolerant of each others ideas and traditions, our lives are all richer.' His message was a rich life is possible, perhaps even preferable, to baron wealth or power. I say we can not and must not be our brother's keeper, we can and should be his companion. Given our geography we have little choice."
Today we princes met all together, along with the princesses and several Argoanuts and place boys and girls. Our meeting was the first of several to look at sports not related to the military skills. We wanted things young people could do for recreation (TN: he wrote avapsmche) mostly in teams or groups. Most of the guilds have sports such as running, archery and so on for their members. The castle and advanced schools also have them.
Children pay games of tag, hide and go find, activities such as that. Most others, like foot races or even wrestling and athletics (TN: he means gymnastics) tend to be solitary. Not that they are not done with others. They are not true group activities.
Polydeukus described a game we saw in Constantinople called polo. It is played with horses but we did see boys practicing on foot. He suggested we could invent our own game, based on this idea, with rules designed for boys and girls of different ages. "We could call it Parga Polo. We will just run instead of ride horses, so the playing field can be smaller. Each player has a stick with a small basked at the end. The object is to run toward the opponents goal and throw it into his net. The opposition tries to stop the attacker's progress and take the ball away from him, by hitting his stick with his own, so the ball is dropped or lost. The attacker can flip the ball to another player on his team, if blocked and so on. His flip or pass can be intercepted. (TN: pholo meaning ball or ball game in the Balti language of Tibet, came to Greece in the first or second century CE as an equestrian sport.)
The ball is made of leather and is hard, it is about 3 inches in diameter. (TN: 1 daktylos or digit =±19 mm, about the width of your finger. See http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Measurements.htm) The sticks are all the same length with the same size basket, about twice the size of the ball. The sticks used by riders are long enough to reach the ground. Runners would use a stick about 3 feet long. The baskets are made of animal gut woven into a web. (TN: Polydeukus is describing what we today would call Lacrosse. The Byzantine Polo he talked about was played more or less as described. I have read descriptions ±1366 that back this up. Like all polo, it needed horses and was only played by the nobility or the very rich.)
The girls did not like this but thought if they had a ball that rolled on the ground and could be directed by a stick, they would like it better. It could be played by boys too. We know our ancestors played a game not unlike this but it died out long ago. We saw several similar games in France and Genoa. None of us know what the Greek name for this old game was. We will call it Parga Ball.
Boys are always batting stones and the like around, it is fun but one needs be careful not to harm others. A leather ball, if hit hard can hurt but not like a stone. We think if the leather covers cork, which we import from the Spanish anyway, and the cork has a core formed by a small round piece of lead, it might work quite well. The polo ball need be smaller and perhaps it could have a larger lead to cork ratio. We will experiment with this and making the sticks. (TN: This is field hockey, or hockey in most of the world. As Arden points out, hockey is very ancient and probably had as many names as their are languages.)
Harpastum was a Roman game that kicked a ball between players. We saw a number of these games on our western travels and we even played a few; the size of the ball and the rules seemed to be different in each place. We thought that too had some potential. Here a light, leather covered ball with a cork center would work; the ball would need be much larger than for the other games but no stick would be needed. Perhaps a boot with a hard sole, that was firmly strapped on would be useful. We would call this game Parga Football.
Once in our bath the talk was centered on these games and soon all around were talking about what was possible. The older boys thought the rules should allow for considerable body contact. The rougher the better. We did not think the females would like this as much but they could have different rules. Helladios suggested that young boys should not be as rough. He thought the body contact and hitting each other with the sticks would discourage some, perhaps many and that was not our purpose.
The size of the teams, the shapes and size of the goals and many ideas about rules of play were talked about. It seemed everyone wanted to participate in some way. The guilds could have teams that played against each other and so on. I think everyone was getting excited about the possibilities.
Father thought we should try to hold some demonstrations of these sports at the solstices sports day. Poly suggested the university fraternities might make up teams to play each other. Not many students are dedicated athletes but most desire some form of physical recreation. As this was daddy and son night, many of the younger boys were with us. They all thought these sports ideas most wondrous. The only one who was puzzled and expressed no interest was Thoren. He chided me that I may teach the blind to run but a team sport like those we described, was probably not possible.
1319, 11th month, day 3:
Yesterday after my classes I went to the plaza, partly to visit the statue and partly to inspect the work. I was a little late in doing this. The Argoanuts were hard at work along with the team of boys doing service, for breaching the public peace. Edward and Philon were also in attendance giving advice on plant care in the gardens. It seemed that everyone who passed by knew me and wanted to stop and talk. What I thought would be a short visit was now taking hours.
This would be the last day for the young peace disturbers. They would return to their families in the morning. From what I could see and was told, we would not have any further problem from these boys. As I walked among them I spoke to each and every one. I think they were impressed that I remembered all of their names and the name of every Argonaut. Volos whispered in my ear that one of the boys obviously wanted to talk to me but was to shy, "the little one in the yellow tunic." I nodded and slowly walked back toward him. I could see he was already flushed with embarrassment. Akakios, I said, would you come with me for a moment, I need your assistance. He was at my side in an instant. I took his hand and strode toward the statue. I had an idea to pick a flower and having him sit on my shoulders, reach up and fix it in the outstretched hand of the figure. Pyrros lifted him up and sat him on my shoulders. When taken down Pyrros and Volos moved a bit away, giving the boy a chance to speak to me.
"Why did you put that flower on the statue's hand?" I took his hand and moved to the statue's base and sat down. Do you know the story of this statue, I mean how and why it was erected, I asked? He told me what he knew. That is correct but perhaps just a bit incomplete. I suspect few know the missing part. My beloved Iason the Crown Prince said to me that we will never know how many boys were lost at sea that day and if we did not morn and remember them, they would be forgotten. That flower is my way of remembering them, of honoring their lives and accomplishments, even if others forget or died with them.
"Why did you pick me to help you?" Because I suspected you want to talk to me but were to shy. "No Prince, I was not to shy, I was afraid." You do not seem afraid. "Not any more, I know now you are everything they say." That is? "The bravest, kindest, most loyal of all." I think that is a bit of exaggeration, it sounds like Odo's poems. "Yes, but all agree, even the other princes, Price Helladios told me." My little brother and family poet are perhaps not the most reliable of sources, they are not objective. We both laughed at this. "Prince Arden, I want to come and live in the castle." What will your parents say? "My parents are both dead and I live with my uncle's family. I have five cousins. They are good people but I know it is difficult for them to have me."
Akakios, do you have some special talent or interest that could benefit from living in the castle? "Prince Helladios said I sing like an angle, almost as well as some boy named Alfred." Helladios told you to ask me about living at the castle? He looked at the ground. "Yes, Prince." Well then I guess the castle is the place for you. His face looked up the the biggest smile imaginable. I suppose Helo also told you how I should make this happen? He smiled even more. "He told me to ask you to be my foster father, please Prince Arden." I also suppose he told you that if I should any reluctance to start crying. "How did you know that?"
My little brother knows me but I know him even better. You will remain at the castle, that I can promise. I will gladly be your foster father but I must first ask your prospective foster mother. It would be unfair to place another child in her care without asking, wouldn't it? "I guess so but I thought a Prince could do what ever he wanted?" Not what ever he wants, we too must follow the laws and rules of the land. Nikias can tell you what happens to princes that think they are above them. It is wise for a man to consult the ladies of his household, before he makes major changes in it, prince or not.
I also suppose Odo had some hand in this and that he taught you a song to sing for me? He proceeded to sing the song Odo had taught him, it was one of Fathers songs with many very high notes. He did well for an untrained voice. Did Odo tell you who was the author of that song. "Yes, he said it was Prince Karyakos and that it was one you were very fond of."
I thought, but did not say to Akakios, that I have been set up by my boys and probably with my brothers assistance. I asked for his uncle's name and where he could be found and departed to make arrangements. I gave his uncle five gold coins and my assurances Akakios would receive the best musical training Parga had to offer and that he would be well cared for. I must say the uncle did not wish to part with the boy. His cousins and aunt were most disappointed. It took some persuasion on my part. When I pointed out that it was in Akakios best interest and that he would be available to visit and with his family frequently the deal was struck.
I then had the task of convincing Euthalia to willingly accept him or find another family. I did not think this would be to great a problem if enough incentives were provided. I stopped to see Darkon the steward and asked if he could arrange a larger apartment for her and the children. He told me that was possible but not until the new year. My next visit was Father. He was most supportive but also cautioned me. "Arden you must also think of Euthalia, a ten year old and an eight year old plus two suckling babies is asking much of her. This Akakios will only be with her for 19 months from what you told me. You must resolve and tell her so and that any more older children you wish to foster will be girls. I should tell you, something you did not hear from me of course, Umar, Helo, Alfred and Lysandros were all laughing and giggling over some mischief or another. Your name was mentioned several times in that conversation." Then I was politically tricked in this.
"No son, not tricked. Positioned to take advantage of your kind and loving nature. Not something you and your brothers have not done to Iason and myself, if I remember correctly." I know I blushed bright as Father was most correct. At least Helladios did not need stretch the truth this time. "If Euthalia is not happy what then?" Perhaps one of the musicians has room in his family to foster him for that time. Father pulled me to himself and kissed me several times. I wanted to melt into his arms, having the sudden urge to be fucked by only him.
After our baths Akakios was brought to our apartment, Solon found him an appropriate tunic and kilt and he was introduced to all. Most of who he already knew. I am sure my brothers had some hand in this. Karyakos came in with his flute and with Akakios sitting on his knee played my favorite song to accompany his singing. I must admit it was even better then his singing in the plaza. Uncle Iason came off the terrace having heard the singing and gave much praise to Akakios.
I have the feeling that this may not be the idea of just my boys and brothers. Alex will be pleased that we have added another voice to his Boys Choir. Euthalia was most understanding and appreciative of the larger apartment. As to my suggestion that if another child were brought to her it would be a girl, she was just a bit skeptical. While I played with the children she embroidered his name and my symbol on the tunic Solon had provided. She told me Akakios' parents were both distant cousins to hers by way of her father. She has still not told me who that father is or was.
I can see we are one very large clan here. I also wondered how she knew about distant cousins. It struck me that her father must be someone who is or was important in Parga but not part of the castle or government. It also struck me that Akakios did not know this, as he was quite surprised to learn it.