Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:33:59 -0700
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Arden's Saga 34

Arden's Saga
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)

This is a narrative.  It is a work of historical fiction.  The operative
word in that sentence is fiction.  Sex between males, males and females,
between females, of both contemporaries and intergenerational is common.  I
am sure, not common enough for some and to common for others.  Some of the
descriptions are graphic, others not, still others are only statements of
happening or just illusions to occurrences.  The main characters are male
and most of the sex is between them.  Most of these characters are
bisexual.

If the sexual nature is offensive or you are disqualified due to age or
location, don't read it.  You have been warned.  I hope you like what you
read and find the characters and their exploits/adventures interesting.

Nifty and I hold the copyright so posting it or making money from it
without permission or sharing, is unethical.  That said, if you wish to
quote reasonable length passages please be kind enough to sight them.  You
will find a few quotations or only slightly edited passages in some
chapters.  References are provided in the text.

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34: Instruments and Venice

1318, 3rd month, 24th day:

It has almost a month since Lyuben sent his message to his mother.  The
Ambassador's response arrived today.  It was brief.  When the page brought
it to Lyuben he offered to read it to him, an offer Lyuben accepted.  The
Ambassador reported that he did call on Augusts and presented the letters.
Augusts was gracious and interested in Lyuben's adventure.  His mother was
much relieved to learn Lyuben was safe and was making a new life for
himself.  Augusts' wife was also relieved as she too is fond of the boy.
Augusts expressed understanding of why Lyuben ran away, telling his wife,
several times, he did not know that was the intention of the prospective
buyer.  His mother asked Lyuben to thank Princess Elpis for her kind words,
they are much appreciated and sends her love to him.  Augusts and his wife
were forgiving, saying they looked forward to reading more of his letters.
Ones he himself writes.

Lyuben was much relieved and just a bit sad, he would probably never see
his mother again.  Then he looked at us and started to cry.  We four
embraced him.  Sobbing he said, "I never had a true family before, a slave
has no true family, now I have something even better.  I have both my
freedom and a family.  The Princes of Parga have given me the greatest
gifts one can ever receive, your love and a future.  I know you will not
accept that I have a debt to you.  Know this Princes, I shall give back in
equal measure, becoming the best and most dedicated Argonaut in Parga."

Kastor answered, "we have no doubt of it Lyuben.  You must however do this
for yourself first, because you desire it.  We must be only a secondary
reason.  That way, we can look upon your success with the pride of having
recognized your talent and the knowledge that a loved one and free man, has
succeeded in the goals he has set for himself."

Justus took his hand and pulling on it, "Come with us brother, our parents
will want to share this good news."

"But is is their privet time," he protested.

"All the more reason.  This is family business not affairs of state."  By
now Joulous and Nikias were also pulling him through the door way.  That is
true, this is a family matter.

Panther came after, seeking our companionship and our musical instruments.
Each day more of our things are taken to the Prince Arden.  He seemed
unusually excited and it took us some minutes to calm him down.  He was
telling us about two new inventions we would be testing on our journey.  He
unwrapped them to show us.

First, was a new time keeping device that runs by springs and gears.  (TN:
Your translator was just a bit incredulous at first but once I looked up
springs on Wikipedia...While Arden does not tell us anything about the
metallurgy of his springs, a good portion of the steel and copper/bronze
technology must have been known to smiths and founders of his day and
place.  As to coil springs not being introduced until the 15th century,
being a hundred years ahead of others is obviously nothing unusual for
Parga.  Also he noted the springs were probably not tightly wound lasting
for only 8 hours and the timer large; so probably the springs were not
tightly wound.  See the chapter end for more details, should you be
interested.)

This is not like the clocks we use here in the castle, it had no pendulum
or weights.  It was thought to be accurate to better than 1/60 of a minute
in twenty four hours.  It did need the spring tightened three times a day.
It had three separate dials: one told the hour, the other the minutes and
the third the seconds.

The spring caused the second arrow (hand) to rotate around its complete 360
degrees, in one minute.  This face (dial) was marked in 60 divisions.  It
has a very small gear on the shaft that turned a larger gear, which turned
the minute arrow 1/60 of its circle for every complete rotation of the
second shaft.  Being marked in 60 divisions and with numerical notations
every six.  The minute shaft's little gear, in turn moved a much larger
gear on the hour shaft and for every rotation it made the hour arrow move
1/360 of its distance.  The hour dial was divided into 24, 60 minute hours.
Each hour was marked from 1 to 24.

This is a large device, with large faces (dials) that could be easily read
from across the room.  It is his job to see that the timing system spring
was set three times each day.  The spring drives a balanced wheel, that is
in continuous motion.  (TN: Apparently this device had an escapement of
some sort, but no pendulum or weights as most European clocks of the day
and did not use flowing water for power as the Chinese clocks did.  It
seems that the spring drove it continuously, as the electric motor of
analogue electric, not electronic, clocks of the late 20th century or
mechanical chronometers and watches before that.)

We immediately realized that with an accurate clock we could calculate our
longitude with great precision.  This is less a problem when near land than
in the open sea.

The other is what he called a far see (makiå deflte) [TN:
I think he means telescope but that is a word of Latin & Italian origin and
had not yet been invented.  Your translator also knows that writings in the
1400's make references to telescope like devices.  Although they do not use
that terminology.]  It uses glass or mineral quartz lens, like eye glasses.
Except the lenses are fixed in both ends of a long double tube.  The tube
is in two parts, one slides inside the other.  He told me by moving the
tube to bring the lenses closer or further away the images become clearer
and magnified.

"It means, when held to the eye, we can see things very far away but they
appear to be much closer, that is larger.  This was invented by the
professors at the university.  Only two exist at this time and we will have
one of them," Panther said with much breath.

We too were very excited about these two new devices.  "How did you come by
such wonderful inventions."  Poly asked.

"Captain Hermogenes was talking with Sir Hesiodos.  He sent me to see him
and arranged to test what ever new and applicable inventions might be
available.  Sir Hesiodos sent me to the Ingegnere General Archimedes, who
sent me to the instrument makers at the university.  They did not want to
let these things go to sea, since they are so new and untested.  When I
reminded them that the Prince Arden's most valuable cargo were you four
young princes and that your safe passage was the most important mission of
the ship, they agreed.  Anything which could improve the security was of
potential value and I promised to test the devices, saying Prince Arden
himself would prepare the reports.  You will won't you Arden?"

Of course I will Panther, after all you gave my word for me.  I made sure
to laugh so he knew I was not being sarcastic.  I am beginning to see just
how valuable Panther will be to us in the future.  He will be the one who
gets those delicate jobs done for us.  As Drakon the Steward does for
Father and Uncle Iason.

"You did advise him to do what we would do, Arden.  I guess Panther has
taken that advice to heart.  Well done brother, well done," Iason said,
embracing Panther kissing him many times.  I think the others feel as I do
about him.  I know we all wish to feel his prodigious penis as well.  Since
he has the evening available I am sure we shall too.

(TN: the next number of pages are missing and we are forced to rejoin Arden
and his brothers in Venice.)


1318, 4th Month 3rd day:

Lugo was most impressed with the sculpture we delivered and installed in
his estate.  It sits in the main entry way.  I was impressed with how
efficiently the Argoanuts managed to handle such a heavy object.

Odo reported that he delivered Olympia's gift to Lugo's bride.  "She was
most taken by the kindness as well as the sweetness of the fragrances, my
poems too."

Kastor and Poly accompanied him along with a small contingent of Argoanuts
and of course Captains Drakon and Silas.  Kastor thought her pretty enough,
clearly well educated and polite.  He was less impressed with her mother
who seemed rather agitated with the process.  Her father was quite
appreciative and very diplomatic.

Poly told me, "we extended the regrets of our parents, not being able to
attend but hoped the four princes they did send, showed sufficient honour
to `your household'."  Kastor delivered this to her father not her mother.
He was, as Odo said, most gracious.

Lugo told me the woman was put out that the only nobles attending the
wedding were his guests.  "She seems more concerned with appearances and
pretensions than substance.  Dario is far to diplomatic, always was, to
speak openly.  I think my father in law is a good man.  I rather like him
and we get along well.  She pretends to be a prude, maybe she is.  I have
no doubt that when she sees that statue she will be speechless and hope
against hope, refuses to visit my house while he stands naked in the entry
hall.  As for my bride, nature will have its way, as will I."

I found a couple of young men living near by that are also runners.  It was
good, very good to have others to train with.  They are strong and both
able to go long distances.  I was challenged and I loved it.  Here they do
not do sports naked, so I had to keep a kilt on.

Lugo's household staff were all quite amused and surprised at the lack of
formality among ourselves and between us and our host.  His steward is
quite old, as are a number of the staff, being people retained by his
parents.  Ikaros immediately made friends with the old man, they have much
in common.  Since we have arrived Odo's translation skills have been
greatly tested and I see little end to that.  Since Lugo is the only
surviving male child in his household, he was and is always treated as a
prince.

Dario told me it took him a couple of years to teach Lugo how to do things
for himself.  "It is not that you don't have staff to do them but you must
know how and why they are done, I told him."

Dario has use of his apartment in Lugo's house until a proper place for an
Ambassador could be found.  The wedding would be tomorrow, tonight the boys
would have run of the place and run we did.  Many of Lugo's friends came
that evening.  I must say the sex and the wine flowed freely and in large
quantities.


1318, 4th month, 4th day

I am writing this on the Prince Arden as we sail for Taranto.  I had no
personal comments to make about Padua or the other ports and places we
visited.  I did put my comments along with the others into our official
travel log.  I will use the narrative form to describe the wedding.

We are so many staying here that 5 Argoanuts are assigned, on a rotating
basis, to assist in the kitchens.  For the large wedding party, many of the
neighbours have loaned staff to Lugo.  I was happy about that as the
Argoanuts will be providing some of the entertainment as will we and
forming an honour guard to escort guests into the house and gardens.  Since
we are staying here Iason's standard flies on the pole, along with Parga
and Lugo's.

Captain Hermogenes, Panther, the other marine and navel officers, Admiral
Pantaleon, Demokritos, Olympos and the others were all invited.  With all
of us, Parga was as well represented, perhaps better than Venice.  Lugo's
family is quite large and due to his business interests he has many family
friends.  In all, almost 300 adults attended.

The ceremony was at a local church which is very large and grand.  I was
impressed by all the theatrical elements it involved.  Once assembled in a
long line, the newly wed couple proceeded along it, greeting everyone and
thanking them for attending.  Odo and the Argoanuts played his processional
march and sang.  This was their gift.  It was very well received.  I also
learned Venicians love to dance almost as much as Greeks.

The Doge and his wife arrived very early on.  Lugo and Dario met them at
their carriage.  The Doge's lady inspected the Argonaut guard of honour.
Corrado presented her with a small golden Argo, that she immediately pined
on her frock.  She was so impressed that she waved off her Venetian
military guards and taking Corrado's arm, had him escort her inside.  I
later learned the inspection and Argo pin were Ambassador Dario's idea.

As the guests assembled I could not help but over hear many conversations,
to a woman they were about the statue.  I guess it is impressive.  One of
the ladies asked me if I knew the model.  I admitted I did and that he was
one of my uncles who greatly favors my grandfather.

"You look to be every bit as handsome and as well constructed but you do
not favour him."

I know I blushed.  I told her both my father and I are adopted but Kastor
and Polydeukus favour Father.  Dario came along at that time and freed me,
remaining to explain to the ladies a little of our strange ways.

Iason came into the room and gained everyone's attention.  "I am Crown
Prince Iason of Parga, Lugo has asked me to play the role Master of
Ceremony.  He did this because I am an honoured guest from afar.  All of
you are honoured guests from Venice.  This way he avoided the pain of
choice among so many deserving men.  It is a perk of office, since I am the
only Crown Prince here.  Think of it this way, I now have a job which
restricts my consumption of wine and all of you, who are mildly
disappointed, are free to celebrate without limit."

Iason was on stage again and he was more than enjoying every minute of it.
He asked the guests to form a reception line and got the Argoanuts to start
the music.  The party had begun, it was a wonderful party too.

During the party we all circulated meeting other people and engaging in
conversation with them.  Many were dancing and the wedding couple were
engaged in continuous conversations with well-wishers.  After some time we
found ourselves: my brothers, Panther, Ikaros, Odo, Corrado, Hermogenes and
a few others sitting along one half of a large oval table.  Dario was at
the side of his friend Lugo at the head table.  Our guardians were at the
next table, the Argoanuts and ship's officers et al., distributed
throughout.  People began coming to us in small groups or one at a time.
They would sit and talk to one or all of us, wanting to learn about Parga,
or us.

Presently Lugo's young cousin, Gergorio (TN: From the Latin Gregorius,
which was from the late Greek name Gregorios, which was derived from
gregoros meaning "watchful, alert") came to join us.  He is the boy who
will be returning to Parga with Dario, to study at the university.  He is
just a bit younger than us and very handsome in a boyish or even feminine
way.  He is slim and diminutive in stature.  I judged from his speech and
mannerisms he was much like Ikaros and Dysme, much more girl than boy.  I
already knew he had been a frequent visitor to Dario's bed and I assumed
Lugo's as well.  Lugo had told me he was his mother's sister's only son,
his cousin.  That his aunt was a controlling woman who ruled her house and
husband with a firm hand and sharp tongue.

Everyone moved a bit so Gergorio could sit between Kastor and Poly.  He was
filled with questions Dario could not answer, mostly about the university.
He claimed to be like Odo, a poet but not a composer of songs.  He was more
along the lines of Virgil or Dante Alighieri in style, not in content.
Kastor told him about our Fraternities which he seemed to be interested in.
From the questions he was asking I began to wonder if he was a man who only
loved men.  Poly began asking a few questions to bring this out, he to must
have drawn the same conclusion.  Gergorio evaded them at first but when he
became more comfortable with us admitted that was his situation.  He
quickly added this was very upsetting to his parents and frowned upon in
some parts of Venetian society.  Now I realized just why he wanted to study
in Parga.  We assured him that men who love men were accepted in Pargian
society.  Dario had told him this and I guess demonstrated it in his and
Lugo's bed

His mother had been looking for him and when found at our table she was
visibly angry.  We invited the parents to join our table, which they were
forced to do, since it would have been impolite not.  Iason quickly took
centre stage and began performing.  It was masterful to say the least.  He
apologized for his limited knowledge of Italian, which in fact is
extensive.  He launched right into thanking them for sending such a bright
and promising student to our new university.  While he was talking I could
see Panther was beginning to pay much more attention to the lad, I
suspected he figured Gergorio was more interested in receiving than giving
in bed.  He probably believed once his skilled and prodigious penis lodged
in his ass it would have found a home.  Presently he exchanged places with
Kastor.  I could see he intended to court the boy in the presence of his
dominating mother.

The father said little until Iason made a point of introducing all of us.
Two things got his attention.  First the Prince Arden which he had seen in
the harbour but did not know anything about and second Ikaros who was even
more famine than Gergorio.  He stammered at first but Hermogenes invited
him to visit his ship on the next day as that would be our last day in
port.  Ikaros casually mentioned that his second degree Knighthood was
based mostly on his skill with a sword, having bested all of those third
levels at the next table.  "Is that a skill learned at the university," he
asked?

"No," Kastor replied, "Gergorio is welcome to take lessons with our younger
brothers and the other pages.  Those classes are taught by the same master
that Ikaros and we trained under."

This brought a bit of a smile to his face and a distinct frown on that of
his wife.  Once out from under her thumb he would never go back to being he
obedient child.  A dutiful child but not obedient.  Once he learned he
could master the skills, some of them anyway, that other men had, he would
be independent from her.

"Younger princes."  she inquired?

"Yes, we have two younger sisters and five younger brothers," Iason
answered.  The look on her face was priceless.

Polydeukus added, "Kastor and I were not born of Princess Elpis and three
of the others are adopted.  If you ask Princess Elpis she is our mother and
we are her children.  Three of our brothers and one of our sisters and a
female cousin are all pages.  When working as pages their titles are set
aside.  King Iason or Prince Karyakos are either father or uncle."

I know it is confusing perhaps Ambassador Dario or the Venetian Ambassador
to Parga can explain it to you, at a later time.  The customs of Parga are
as strange to you as those of Venice are to us.  We would keep Gergorio
with us, as a guide for the evening, since Dario is not available to us, I
said.  His father nodded in agreement and took the surprised women away to
gossip with other female relatives.  From the look on Georgios face he was
pleased with my request and with the attention his boyhood was receiving
from Panther and Poly.

That night after the party we all found beds to sleep in, including
Gergorio and Panther.  In the dime light of the lamps I could see Gergorio
kneeling over Panther, each greedily taking the others erections into the
mouths.  Looking again later Panther was driving his cock into the boys ass
with much vigour.

In the morning Gergorio came to us begging that we take him along with us.
It was Ikaros that talked him out of that idea, suggesting that he instead
become Dario's secretary until they depart for the university.  Dario would
keep him both well satisfied and give him some valuable education.  "The
best way to learn Greek is in bed you understand," he admonished, while
gently stroking the lad's buttocks.


Translators notes:

(TN: Your translator was just a bit incredulous at first but once I looked
up springs on Wikipedia... I combined the following with my knowledge of
iron ores, which is extensive, realizing that some of the ores available to
Parga as well as the Franks, which he mentions earlier, would be high
silica, greater than 8%.

The Greek engineer Ctesibius of Alexandria developed a method for making
bronze with springlike characteristics by producing an alloy of bronze with
an increased proportion of tin, and then hardening it with hammering after
it is cast.  Coiled springs were introduced in the 15th century.  Spring
steel is a low alloy, medium carbon steel with a very high yield strength.
This allows objects made of spring steel to return to their original shape
despite significant bending or twisting.

Silicon is the key component to most spring steel alloys.  An example of a
spring steel used for cars would be AISI 9255 (DIN and UNI: 55Si7, AFNOR
55S7), containing 1.50%-1.80% silicon, 0.70%-1.00% manganese and
0.52%-0.60% carbon. Most spring steels (as used in cars) are hardened and
then tempered to about 45 on the Rockwell C-Scale.

According to Machinery's Handbook, "The spring materials most commonly used
include high-carbon spring steels, alloy spring steels, stainless spring
steels, copper-base spring alloys, and nickel-base spring alloys."
According to the same, the most widely used spring steel is ASTM A228
(0.80--0.95% carbon) known as "music wire".

(TN: Although Arden does not tell us what books he has read or he is in the
process of reading, it is clear from what he has written so far, that he
must have read or knew about:

-- In Rocca (Syria), the mineral Alum is discovered.  [Alum, the double
sulphate of aluminum and potassium, AlK(SO4)2 + 12 H2O, is a common
compound of Aluminum, which was not isolated until 1825 by Hans Christian
Oersted (although anticipated and named in 1807 by Sir Humphrey Davy).]
Alum comes to be used for dyeing, leather making, medicine, paper sizing,
fireproofing and pickling.

-- The alchemist known as "the False Geber" (born circa 1270) first
publishes a description of what we call Sulphuric Acid: H2SO4.  He takes
his name from the alchemist Geber of roughly 500 years earlier.  Having
access to strong acids would have been important for the chemists of
Arden's day.

-- 1304: The master general of a Dominican order suggests to Theodoric of
Freibourg(ca.1250-ca.1315) in GERMANY that he figure out the mechanism of
the Rainbow.  Theodoric experiments with spheres of water and gives the
first correct (albeit incomplete) explanation of this meteorological /
optical phenomenon in the book "De Iride" (On the Rainbow").  [Isaac Newton
discovered (1672) how a prism can separate all the colors of white light by
refraction, into a spectrum (from the Latin word for Image" or
"apparition").]  Arden must have known this but probably not why.)

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