Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:33:23 -0600 From: dnrock@rock.com Subject: Red 16 Red by: dnrock(dnrock@rock.com) 16: Paidi Nisi Adventures Continues Two The history tutor was saying, "The mortal Ganymede was made immortal by Zeus. He was not a god. No other temple dedicated to Zeus is known to have also honoured Ganymede, as far as I know. That is why we don't think this is a temple or sanctuary dedicated to any god or the worship of a god, but to the ideals of human male beauty and intergenerational male love. `To the Greek Way.' This is symbolized by the most beautiful human male ever to live and by the most powerful deity of that time, who divinely loved that beautiful boy. The Greek Gods all represent ideals as does Ganymede. I think it all makes sense. That is why we believe the early Christian monks preserved the site instead of destroying it. It was how they interpreted this new message of love, knowing full well that others, including the Romans, had a different view. I am sure Professor Smith will have much to add when she arrives. One other interpretation of course, is those monks were not church people at all but pretend monks, whose purpose was preservation of these old ideals. The one interesting fact, so far anyway, no Christian symbols have yet to be found. From the earliest time the Orthodox sanctuaries were always decorated with religious frescos and icons. Although no other art, symbols or writing from the pre Christian Era have been found either. All the potshards to date, were simple and undecorated. This also suggests no sacrifices were made here. The purpose of this place is a mystery, unless it was simply a place where lovers came to honour this ideal, in some symbolic and emotional way." "Tutor, does that mean those that came brought no gifts for the gods or keepers, save consumables, such as food, drink and ejaculate?" "Yes Yannie, that is what we mean. Those that came must only have been interested in expressing their love by some sexual acts, probably of their own choosing." "Is it not possible, that the last people to be here, those that abandoned the place, simply removed all the evidence?" "Yes Max, that too is possible and probable, however we are talking about thousands of years. I suspect they came with little and were fastidious in not littering. Professor Albrech also believes, that except for the post CE period of occupation, no one lived here at all and that supplicants came and went, stopping only briefly. Judging from the outbuildings and the size of the middens, it would appear only a hand full ever lived here at any one time; except for brief periods of construction of course." Kos suggested that the best harbour was right here in front of us and that the little cove where we had been swimming, was only a fair to moderate weather Anchorage, even for small craft. "I would think that evidence may be underwater and perhaps the archeologists need to look." Professor Albrech joined us at that point and after refilling our refreshments the discussion continued. He was resolute in his belief, that evidence must be here and that it was only a matter time before it turned up. Ground penetrating radar, spectral analysis of satellite and high altitude images, metal detectors and such would all be employed, in the future. Stavors pointed out, "tonight the moon will be full and at its zenith, around midnight." Jason suggested that we, the Apollo's Phallus members, visit the site and by making a game of it, demonstrate what may or may not have been its purpose. I didn't know Jason was so cleaver but I guess he is. Later, one of the brothers told me, Jason has invented several adult board games, which are marketed by a Swiss firm. Okay I thought, maybe he is on to something. Right after dinner, Kos and the older boys, took the quads and headed for the dig. They lined the pool with plastic and filled it with sea water, using a small electric pump that ran off a quad's electrical system. I guess they had to get every garden hose on the island, linked together but it worked. Just as night was falling they took down the big canvas, tent like covers. At about 11 pm we all dressed in our little togas. Someone had organized 10 men, who pulled our chips from the jar, I'm sure it was Jason. I know he had added one for me and one for Kos. Each man boy pair, would walk in the moonlight along the path and gather at the little pool. Professor Albrech and his graduate students would go along to observe. They also carried flashlights and little voice recorders, to keep their notes. I was amazed at how bright it was, with a nearly full, waxing moon and no other lights around. You could see quite well, once your eyes adjusted. My partner was Thanos and let me tell you, I was thrilled. We all walked along, holding our partner's hand and playing penis tag. Man is he hung. By the time we got to the site, I know I was rock hard and so was he. I'm sure all the others were too. We crested the last little rise and everyone just gasped, the moonlight illuminated the entire scene, it looked like the statue was lit with a spotlight. We could see through the open doorway, right into the place. After this afternoons discussions, I no longer wanted to call it a temple. I didn't know what to call it. I guess it didn't matter. When we arrived at the court yard, Jason suggested we should clean or feet in the pool. Each man immediately washed the feet of his boy partner and we reciprocated. Now I knew why flashlights would be needed, to find our sandals in the dark. After the washing, which was accompanied by much fondling, petting, kissing and well you know, foreplay; we entered the shrine, two by two. It was a tight fit but we all did it. We milled around, looking at the carving, which was truly wonderful in the cold moon light. All the time Thanos' hands were very busy pleasing and teasing. I could see why these toga skirts were so short. Good idea that. I had my designs on his manhood and took every opportunity too. Since all of us were so engrossed in each other, the graduate students assisted by handing out little mats, made of dense foam. Now that was thinking and in no time at all, I was on my back with my legs draped over Thanos' massive shoulders. That's when I discovered the little pockets in the toga skirts, a condom and little tube of lube. How cleaver these Apollo Phallus guys. Thanos is hung, in fact he is very hung, bigger than Eric or Kos or Paul, way bigger then the brothers. I was not sure what to expect but I should have known, been here now for 5 days. Thanos began kissing and touching me all over my body, he let his hard cock slide along my butt cleft and all over my cheeks. All the time his hands and lips were over stimulating every erogenous zone on my body. He took my penis into his mouth in one quick gulp, so to speak. He lubed my anus, pressing several fingers in, playing tag with my prostate, I was doing all I could not to ejaculate, it was hard. I know I was begging him to enter me. Not loud like some of the boys but begging never the less. Thanos could not take it and grasping his cock in one hand, he nodded at my crotch. I got the message and pulled my butt cheeks as wide as I could, using his other hand as guide, he slowly but deliberately fed that massive prong home, until I was filled to the top and squirming with desire. I wanted to be fucked and needed to be fucked and he was fucking me. Thanos drew way back and slowly fed me again and again, each time sliding along my internal joy button. I let go with several massive bursts, clamping down hard on his penis with my sphincter. That signalled it and Thanos followed. I could feel his shots filling the condom. I'll bet those ancient Greek boys didn't use condoms, I'll bet they could feel every squirt in their bowels. Why I thought of that at a time like this, I have no idea. Thanos began licking my ejaculate from my sweet covered body and I went after his. I don't think either of us was very efficient. It was bright but not that bright in here. I guessed if all of those false walls were down, it would be a lot brighter. He leaned back against the wall and cradled me in his long arms, holding me like a big baby and continued to deliver kisses to my lips, face, ears neck and what ever else he could reach. God this was magic. I have been fucked before, lots and mostly always in a very loving way, this was special, that is for sure. I am still not exactly sure why it was so special but it just was. All around the room were other couples, a few were in the entry way, but somehow we all fit. Just, I might add. I guess we know, 10 couples is about the maximum for this place at one time. Was this a place where couples came to consummate their relationship or renew their vows of love, to renew the bond between? I do not know but it sure seemed like the right thing to do and the right place to be doing it. If this was as meaningful for me and from the look on his face, Thanos; how much more powerful would it have been for Kos and I? I couldn't imagine but I think we will sure find out before we leave. It must have been about 30 or 40 minutes before I started to stiffen up again. Thanos' almost continuous fondling and affection was working well, very well. "My turn," he whispered, he let me stand and repositioned himself on his hands and knees. I was about to protest but looking around the room the other men were doing mostly the same. I figured this had some kind of symbolism in it, so I just went along. There was symbolism in this too. This whole experience was highly symbolic. It was also highly emotional, for everyone. This little assembly was demonstrating for the anthropologists, just how this place must have been used and why it was built in the first place. While the general culture and a thousand other things are significantly different today, the interactions of men and boys and men and men, and of course boys and boys, is not changed. These intergenerational and intragender sexual relationships, the actions, reactions, love and respect between, is universal and transcendent. At its most basic level this was a bond of the souls, it was a sharing where unequals become equal. This was the penultimate in democracy, fraternity and equality. Age, power, station, wealth, strength were irrelevant, only the sharing between mattered; only that love symbolized and shared between the most power god and the young mortal, counted. How the academics would explain and write this, was not yet clear. How they translated their convictions and theory testing, without sounding unscientific or admitting to the physical testing, was as yet unknown. Every participant came away, knowing they had been a part of a sacred experience. One that bound them to all those that have gone before and all those who are yet to come, all those that shred their experience. None of these participants, needed this ceremonial service to sanctify, that which they sanctify between themselves so frequently. Many of the visitors would also feel the desire to perform their own little ceremonies. Most would act on that desire. For the ancients as well as moderns, some of them anyway, this intergenerational love and its attendant sex that bonds them, dissolves the power differential between. This is not for every boy, It is not for every man. It was not then, why should it be now? The next day we assembled in the main hall and received our special uniforms. Kos and I had been most surprised to be included in their ranks and not as guests, when it had been announced. Seb told us this was his idea. He had quickly realized that the bond between Kos and I was more than just brothers who have sex. It was like the bond with his brothers. That we had both become a part of the Papas family and we all shared that bond among us now. With others it is shared membership in Apollo's Phallus but with us two, it is more. It was clear to him and everyone else, Kos' sketches and paintings of Ganymede and Zeus carried some kind of soul too. We were given junior officer, Aphrodite crew, uniforms. They were special, even the Papas boys had not seen them before. They were short selves, white dress shirts with epaulets on the shoulders and white shorts. We all had white ball caps, with the outline of the Aphrodite and and gold Greek letters that spelled it. Stavors who, is an apprentice seaman/officer already, had slightly different insignias. We then marched to the dock and boarded the yacht. Anglos is the First Officer and he welcomed Kos and I to the crew and assigned Max to me and Spiros to Kos, as "buddy guides", since neither of us had any marine experience or any knowledge of the ship. All the brothers work to help the ship operate but in reality, the crew is mostly made up of seasoned sailors/guardians/tutors or coaches. They had all spent six months last year, sailing around the world on the Aphrodite, the brothers were experienced. Since the ship operates in Greek and neither Kos or I speak much yet, except all those naughty and intimate words, the guides will be very important. Our purpose was to sail to Athens and pick up a whole host of guests, including our parents and even more important, Sheila. My priorities are not quite the same as others but what the hell, they don't need to be either. It only took about 8 hours for us to cover the distance, well that's what it seemed like anyway. I guess the Aphrodite is very fast. The brothers all live in a dorm on the ship too and I could see this sailing around the world thing would be lots of fun. Just before we docked, Captain Thanos brought all of us together and gave a nice but strictly worded speech, about being officers and gentlemen and reminding us that while we had visitors; mostly mothers and grandmothers along with female cousins and sisters, we were to refrain from any and all boy sex play in public. On the island no nude displays, unless we were sure the ladies were not around. I could see Max, Seb, Jason and Kon were all getting just a bit red faced, when their dad admonished them about showing off before the cousins and half sisters. I was not quite sure why. Max explained later that "the half sisters and cousins, were only blood related to Spiros, Photois and Yannie, us four are adopted and several of them are cute and our age too." I could relate to that. When we docked, it was not in Athens proper but at some exclusive yacht place on the north east side of the city. The little harbour was filled with yachts, some even bigger than the Aphrodite but not many and let me tell you, non were as sharp. The Aphrodite slid into its berth. On the dock were three uniformed men, well two men and a boy, the boy was dressed like us. Max told me it was his Danish friend Bjorn, who is deaf, he is Jytte's brother. Jytte is Photois' girlfriend. The two men took the lines and tied up. Bjorn signed something and Seb called out, "permission to come about, sir." Thanos smiled and replied "Permission Granted." Max translated for me. Seb signed that to Bjorn and he jumped, scampering up the gangway and into Max and Seb's arms and kisses. They introduced him to Kos and I and got hugs and kisses from all the others. Then we all went down and stood in a line, six on one side and five on the other. We saluted each passenger as they came abroad. I know Photois wanted to rush Jytte, as much I wanted to rush Sheila but we didn't. The last passenger was grandfather Papas. He stopped at Bjorn and took his hand, kissed his cheek and lead him, followed by the rest of us. So much for Thanos' formality, I thought. No sooner had we cleared the walk way, the cargo began arriving. It was not long before it folded up and the lines were cast off. Photois and I were at our girlfriend's sides immediately. I missed her sugar and was determined to get some. Besides these Greeks are always kissing anyway, just not as passionately, except for Photois and Jytte. Kos kept mom, dad and Ed busy, while Sheila and I got reacquainted, well it had now been almost three months. Max tapped my shoulder and whispered loud enough, for just about everyone close by to hear, "We have set up some privet space on the sail boats for lovers, its time to be social now." Sheila got a bit red and well you know me, I'm red most of the time anyway. Sheila and Ed had been in Athens for a couple of days, along with our parents, as guests of the Papas and Koronios families. What we didn't know, was how they got to Athens. Sheila told me Ed and her flew to Chicago and met up with the most wonderful group of young men, the Adonis brothers. I knew about them from the Papas brothers. From Sheila's glowing report, they were even more amazing then my new brothers had suggested. Some of them apparently could not make it but most could and they would be arriving in the morning, several with their girlfriends. It turned out that Spiros' mother and step father are both anthropologists and they quickly bonded with mom. I was impressed a second time by Thanos' brother Thomas. His wife and daughters were also along. None of the Koronios, non Papas grandchildren or Dem's sisters could come but I guess they were not interested in archology anyway, or sailing, Max suggested. Sheila had met the other girls, several were our age and they not only liked Max and Seb but seemed hot for Bjorn. In fact, they seemed enthralled with him. Mystery I guess. He does appear to be the strong silent type. I think the silence is related to his not being able to hear, he sure signs non stop and types into those little electronic translators a lot. I could see Kos was quite taken with Jytte, as were Spiros and Yannie. She is quite a looker, that is for sure. I know I am only supposed to have eyes for Sheila but man you can't help but look at a body like hers. Mother though Kos and I looked very handsome in the uniforms, as did all the boys, I guess we are an impressive lot. Anyway, we moved in a little adolescent knots from one family to another, meeting everyone. Stavors was spending much of his time sitting with grandfather and grandmother Papas. I was a bit surprised at how cordial Dem and Thanos were with the older brothers' mothers and step fathers, especially Yannie's mother. I understood that his mother and Thanos had a major disagreement, about two years back. I guess that has been resolved. Max just smiled, "She had some kind of illness and is obviously better now." I took that to mean a mental illness. When you fuck each other, as much and as often, as we have over the last week and a bit, you become family and family has few secrets. The mothers, Thanos and Dem, had all known each other since childhood and well, they were family too, after a fashion. No one told me the story but I understand, Dem and Thanos were having sex at 14, with all three of these women and Thanos wound up as daddy to three boys by three different mothers. Now that's instant family. Go figure. I was beginning to wonder where everyone would sleep. Not that I expected to sleep with Sheila. You know I was hoping. Just that it may be a big house but not that big. Thomas and his wife, the brother's aunt, volunteered or were volunteered, to stay in the Captain's quarters on the Aphrodite and all the girls would use the boy's cabin (dorm). The other cabins would be used by couples. Max whispered that means Photois and Jytte, Drew Henderson and Sandra Johnson, and any other Adonis brothers that brought intimate female friends. "All of us boys will be expected to share with single male guests and they will bring in some extra beds too." The grandparents, mothers and step fathers, my parents and Jason and Eva Adonis and Ed would all have rooms in the big house. I couldn't believe dad at first. He took Kos and me aside for a quick talk. That is not unusual. What he wanted to know was how we liked the Apollo's Phallus meetings. He admired our rings and had a thousand questions about the Zeus/Ganymede statue. I described our little, okay big, ceremony in the moonlight. The smile on his face was just too wide. As the conversation went on, I got the distinct impression that his attitude was being modified a bit and that he too should honour the ideas of Father Zeus, in a more formal way. Hum, I wondered and I know Kos did too. I could see it in his eyes and between our legs. While Sheila and I were getting some alone time on the upper deck, I found out just how she and Ed had been invited and by who. She also wanted the scoop on my new ring. I told her it was signified membership in a boy only, secret society. She seemed satisfied with that explanation, mentioning that all the Adonis brothers had them too." Thanos had decided to have a big party, inviting many friends to the island. He realized, that excluding the children and adolescent girls in the family, Jytte would be the only female friend of the boys present. The Adonis clan would be bringing several of their ladies. He inquired about Russell and Kosmos and the boys told him about Sheila and Nadine. It turned out that Nadine was not able to come, on such short notice but Sheila was. One of Jason Adonis' US managers, knew Judge Carter slightly, having had some legal dealings in court, at some time in the past. Jason then called the Judge and Sheila's parents, introducing himself and the idea of surprising Russell. Sheila's parents knew from Russ' emails about his location and the archeological activities he was involved with. The Judge recognized Jason's company and his credibility was established. As we know, Ed would do just about anything for Sheila and Russ and since he was accompanying her as grandfather, not attending as Judge, Sheila being invited by Papas Shipping, a company that did not do any business in his jurisdiction.... Fortunately Sheila already had a passport. "Once we docked and got organized, taking the guests to their accommodations, Iason had us all assemble in the dorm. (Since Jason Adonis has come into the story I will use the Greek spelling for Jason Papas.) He thought we should give our guests a little entertainment tonight and combine with the Adonis group for a grand show on the next. After a bit of discussion, someone called the Fine Arts Tutor and asked him to visit the dorm. Of course everyone was talking at once, again in a variety of languages. Iason got order and everyone began sharing ideas. Given there were ten of us, we probably only generated 25 or 30 ideas. I thought it was funny. While all this idea generation was going on you could see the level of crotch play diminished. It was obvious everyone played some instrument or another. Since Kos and I both played the guitar, me acoustic and kos both acoustic and electric, we could at least all play together, the trick will be to find some music we all knew or could learn real fast. When the tutor arrived he kind of took over. He reminded everyone that the Adonis brothers all played instruments and sang too, but without a rehearsal, working together would just not work. After much discussion it was decided we should think about our guests, i.e. the audience first. He suggested we all perform as a group, when everyone went to the Ganymede shrine. The Papas brothers and some of the men could sing and play Ode To Zeus (from Canto Olympico by Mikis Theodorakis), since they had been practicing it. A hold over from the Athens games, a couple of years ago. Kos and I could play acoustic guitars, while the others sang. He said the cords were not difficult and he would write a simple score for us. That out of the way, he began to organize tonight and tomorrow. I could see Iason's eyes and his mind was working overtime, as soon as the Tutor suggested the Ode. It was like, "why didn't I think of that the other night; I'll not let that slip by me again." I knew he wouldn't. The Papas brother's little band, could play a variety of Greek folk songs, dances and modern popular music, that would work out well. I volunteered Kos and I to do several numbers we both knew and I could sing. I ran out and got dad's ipod, which I knew had all kinds of old rock and roll, that would be easy to play, with simple words non English speakers could easily understand, and the brothers could easily play back up, like drums and keyboards. That was easy. I would do several songs from the Shrek film, since all the kids had seen it. I also found a Foreigner song. Yannie volunteered to play the key board for me and Kos would play guitar for the Leonard Cone's Hallelujah and Foreigner's, I Want To Know What Love Is. That was the first night. For the second we would need to see what the Adonis brothers were going to do but Papas brothers could play the Chariots Of Fire theme by Vangelis, as they had been working on it. According to Kon the Adonis's are very fond of the Canadian Brian Adams and would probably want to do some of his stuff. The tutor left and Iason garbed the chip jar to everyone's hoots and cheers. Before he drew names, he announced his idea about the Ode to Zeus. Yes we would perform it for all assembled but we boys and the Adonis brothers should go back after dark and do it again, before we shared another orgy with them. That went over well. I guess these Adonis boys are all very well hung and very good lovers. Kos and I figure we can get dad to play with us and we could do Randy Backman's Taken Care of Business, the old BTO hit on night two, but only with him on the lead electric, Kos didn't feel competent enough for it. The touter had also reminded us that Yannie's step father is a very famous stage actor in Greece and if we included him in something, it would be well received. Iason drew names from the chip jar, each pair found each other and the nearest bed. I got Photois, man is he a smooth lover, once you get the camera out of his hands. I know he wanted to save his spunk for Jytte but he sure knew how to get my motor running. By now all formalities were abandoned and we both just stripped and hit the nearest open space. I think it belonged to Kon. He just engulfed me his his powerful arms, our lips engaged and my cock was rock hard. In no time at all I was pressing my penis in his ass. Between his hands and his mouth he had me so wound up, I thought I would come if he took another lick across my nipples. His ass muscles seemed to take control of my cock. I mean I was pushing in and out but he just seemed to control it. It was like, he would clamp real hard or just a little and he kind of milked it. It didn't take very long before I unloaded into his volcano hot rectum. I wanted him to come too but he just held me against his powerful chest. "It's Ok Red, Jytte needs it more than you do." His hands slid down my back, each one taking one of my butt cheeks. Man is he cool. I know he got pleasure from giving me pleasure but this was more than that." "Spiros will engage Thomas in conversation and Jytte will get Sheila and sneak off the Aphrodite. You will have your time with her, I promise." I was going to ask about the Judge but he whispered. "Dad and the other old men will all be drinking brandy." "Why would Jytte do that for me?" "Lots of reasons. First, it is so romantic and girls like that. Second, you and Kos are our "adopted" brothers. Third, my brothers helped me and her get together on the Aphrodite the first time, so she kind of wants to play the game too." "The game?" "Sure, its a game Red. Our dads can't very well say to us, you can fuck your brothers, any willing adult on the island but not your girlfriend. It won't wash. Now they couldn't give us permission either, our mothers and her parents would have objected. All they could do is make an honest effort, which they did. We just found a way around it and they were big enough to accept our cleverness. They would be some upset if we forced ourselves but we all know the rules. When Jytte and I got safely in her cabin, we were sure we put one over on them. Our dads got the last laugh, they had a little present for us sitting on the bed. A little package of condoms." We both giggled at that. "Well," I thought, "maybe there is something to this flowers on the statue of Eros. There sure is something to brotherly love. At least all my brothers and sisters are prepared to be Eros' little helpers, where Sheila and I are concerned." I figure Kos and dad have the same kind of opinion. I sure don't know if Sheila is ready or not. I don't know if I am either. I'm sure Ed would not approve of Sheila and I doing it, at least officially but like Photois said, its a game. Since Jytte and Photois are over the age of consent, they even get their own room now. I guess that would be to much to expect for us 13 year olds. All of the boy couples were cuddling together, except the servers, until the little bell chimed calling us to dinner. Then it was a mad rush to find your clothing and get dressed. My grandparents are all real old, in their 80's, but the Papases and Koronioses are not that old. They were all still quite lively, playing games and stuff with the younger ones. One thing for sure, they do command a lot of respect. Those half sisters are real lucky too, they have eight, not four grandparents. Then I guess Kos and I are too, at least that is the way we and the girls were all being treated. After dinner, Grandfather Papas made a little speech. He heaped praise in Thanos and Dem for the wonderful job they had done, with the four older boys and announced that Stavors had been promoted to Apprentice 1st class and gave him new insignias for his uniform. He further announced the Yannie, Photois, Spiros and Stavors would be attending the University of Athens, starting in October. (European universities have a different schedule then in the US.) All the half sisters and cousins cheered at that. I guess they will live in Athens. He shocked Kos, by presenting him with several commissions, one of which was a life size painting of the Ganymede statue. I figure that will insure several visits for us in the next year, at least. Kos, I think, was a bit shocked. All the while Sheila and I were holding hands and sitting as close together as possible. We all went to the patio for refreshments and socializing. The younger children were allowed to play games. Man was I glad Sheila was with me, since Max, Seb, Kon, Bjorn and Iason were immediately surrounded by the older girls. But then Jytte and Photois were forced to sit with his parents and Kos with mom and dad. I wanted to hear the adult conversation but that was just not always possible. So did the other boys, Max and Seb signed a lot for Bjorn. Photois' mother and stepfather are very nice people. His stepfather is also orthodontist for the entire family. I know he was telling Ed that Sheila needed braces and offered to fit her since she could accompany Kos and I back to Athens for quarterly adjustments. Ed thought that was a decision for her parents, not grandfather. What I wanted in on was the discussion between mom, Sepp, the history tutor, Spiros's parents and the grad students. I mean the professors were getting right into the meaning and origin of the shrine. Even the actor was quoting lines from some of the old plays. Anyway Yannie's mother asked me, if I knew the origin of the, now rather wilted, flowers adorning Eros' statue. I know I turned fifteen shades of red. So it was no use in anything but being honest. I told her Seb showed me where they grew and I picked them. I didn't tell her about Seb's translations. Anyway she smiled and told Sheila about the old story. Sheila just hugged me and kissed my cheek. At least she thought it was romantic. In my understanding of Eros's efforts, they were more aimed at men and boys, then women, since most heterosexual relationships were arranged in the old days. But I'm only a modern boy, what do I know anyway. Well, I sure do know that when we boys, use our personal arrows to stick each other, oh Ya, love sweet love, is often the result. I wonder if that works when you stick a girl with it? I sure hope I find out. I hear mom saying: "On Crete, Zeus was worshipped at a number of caves, examples are: Knossos, Ida and Palaikastro. The stories of Minos and Epimenides suggest that these caves were once used for incubatory divination by kings and priests." I had no idea what incubatory was, neither did Sheila. We were both sure it had nothing to do with premature babies. The history tutor defined it for everyone in Greek and Spiros translated for us. "Incubation is the religious practice of sleeping in a sacred area, with the intention of experiencing a divinely-inspired dream or cure. Incubation was practiced by members of the cult of Asclepius and votive offerings found at his ritual centres at Epidaurus, Pergamum and Rome detail the perceived effectiveness of the method. Incubation was adopted by certain Christian sects and is still used in a few Greek monasteries. Cf. incubus (demon), or a nightmare." Mom went on, "The dramatic setting of Plato's Laws, is along the pilgrimage-route to one such site, emphasizing archaic Cretan knowledge. On Crete, Zeus was represented in art as a long-haired youth rather than a mature adult, and hymned as ho megas kouros "the great youth". With the Kouretes, a band of ecstatic armed dancers, he presided over the rigorous military-athletic training and secret rites of the Cretan paideia." Now I started to get what the history tutor and Sepp had been telling us. "The Hellenistic writer Euhemerus apparently proposed a theory that Zeus had actually been a great king of Crete and that posthumously his glory had slowly turned him into a deity. The works of Euhemerism have not survived, but Christian patristic writers took up the suggestion with enthusiasm. The only problem with that is no other writers or poets seemed to agree and these early Christians often had suspect motives." To the ancient Greeks, Paideia was the process of educating man into his true form, the real and genuine human nature. It also means culture. It is the ideal in which the Hellenes formed the world around them and their youth. Since self-government was important to the Greeks, Paideia combined with ethos (habits) made a man good and made him capable as a citizen or a king. This education was not about learning a trade or an art, which the Greeks called banausos (mechanical) unworthy of a citizen, but was about training for liberty (freedom) and nobility (The Beautiful). Paideia is the cultural heritage that is continued through the generations. The history tutor repeated his lecture about early boy-boy love practices on Crete. He went on to remind the ladies that in early times the society was not so paratactical and that even after the Dorians and probably until the Roman conquest, inheritance was through the mother not the father. Spiros's parents asked lots of questions of mother and Sepp. They are professors of archeology/anthropology but specialized in foreign cultures and places. That didn't mean they didn't have lots of questions for Sepp and the graduate students about the science and methods they were using and the reasoning behind their conclusions. At the time the geology professor had not finished mapping and none of the dates were back from the samples, so some speculation was still possible. Sheila and the other girls were just a bit upset to learn just how male centred, ancient culture was. The two lady professors were more philosophical about it, pointing out that in modern times things had changed and that the number and role of goddesses in ancient times, suggests women enjoyed more power than the male writers seemed to have recorded. But they were not voting citizens and had few property rights.