Agean Fantasy

The smile on his face was mischievous
and the gods favoured us tonight.
When he winked there was little question –
we would feast near Arta
where Mercury's Rod offered light:

Anointing my body with oil
as a lyre stood at our feet
I ignored other handsome servants
and slid a dark grape
down his Scythian sheath.

Sighing with arrant ecstasy
while loosening my robe
he touched my sword while pondering,
"Were the Olympians themselves more bold?"

Approaching his fiery pillars
I prayed to Hercules for strength
then entering his quiet harbour
I dropped anchor
and to the gods
offered thanks.

Cantara:	Many LGBT folks consider the ancient Greeks as enlightened role models.
Miok:	Well, there was nothing enlightened about their system of slavery and sometimes servants were required to satisfy their master's sexual whims.
Cantara:	True – but at least they weren't so homophobic.
Tim:	(laughing) Wasn't that one reason Socrates was persecuted? In almost every society, currents of acceptance coexist with currents that isolate or reject people. The reasons for problematising any given behaviour varies from culture to culture, but the process is often the same.