Love and Again

[W_L]

Well, let's see, this story started out as a concept with plots from Worlds of Difference that didn't make my final cut.

 

Now, I think it's gone to be something independent of its roots. There is a evolution of relationships and complexities within society that keep getting stronger as time wore on. That was intentional on my part to develop more complex societal issues, when two people felt love for one another.

 

Chapter 1- Where we begin

 

Start of civilization and the beginnings of a long relationship with the city of Ur in Sumeria. I didn't mention it in my premise, but each story connects to the next one through subtle hints as they progress, but you will never know the destination of the next story, only a small hint.

 

Chapter 2- The Twillight Struggle

 

Now we are getting a mix of contemporary issues mixed in with semi-biblical ideas. Sodom has always interested me and making it the centerpiece of a long historic animosity between the Descendants of Lot, aka Jews, Christians, and Muslims versus homosexuals, seems to feel right. Of course, the numbers of Lots converts will always exceed the numbers of homosexuals, but the ideal to strive for a better world is set against these overwhelming odds.

 

I consider this a small tribute to fallen crusaders of our cause.

 

Chapter 3- Equal before the Sun

 

Well, Karma is always going to catch up on you. Centuries of Nomadic Barbarism and destruction have caught up to the Descendants of Lot. I feel pity, which I hope that would be translated for the plight of these people. Slavery is a wrong, no matter how justified you may feel about it.

 

Egypt and pre-Exodus story is another of my nods to the Bible; not really true account, but it works to complete sort of my revenge cycle between one of my main characters and Lot's people. Also, I placed a lot of subtle and not so subtle hints about sexism in ancient Judaism, very true to the facts. Sorry, if this portrayal makes people uncomfortable.

 

Chapter 4- Beyond the Walls

 

Ah, my final break from the ancient world bronze age era. The Dorians are a mystery and possibly a lie concocted by British Historians trying to explain migration patterns, but I contend that mythology is rooted in actual history. Heracles/Hercules is known to be bisexual, but his greatest lover is Aeolus. Heracles anger and love for Aeolus is deep and very heart felt; under necessity which the story hinted at, Heracles was forced to take wives and breed children at the urging of Aeolus to continue his royal line of Dorians. Well like most non-centralized warrior kingdoms, this dynasty broke down pretty badly after his death, resulting in the 200 year Dark Age of the Aegean.

 

Kevin Sorbo would never portray a homosexual like that, so ignore the old TV show when reading this, but imagine the young Heracles and Aeolus engaged in their sex scene. This was my first large scale sex scene in any piece of literature. Hoped it was an equal to Nifty's many erotic archives, hehe!

 

Chapter 5- Simple and Simplicity

 

The turning point, at least in my storytelling techniques, I wanted to try emulating Jane Austen and what I came up with was a bizarre free form of consciousness. It is interesting and complex with certain areas that can be compared to the 19th century.

 

Hmmm....Would we characterize the 19th century as the Dark Ages due to social stagnantation? By the way, the nod to Aeson and Timeus heading to Thebes is for the next installment, which will not be out for atleast 2 months so enjoy the wait.

 

Discuss and argue? Maybe make a little love in between to get time accelerated.

[Marco Polo]

I absolutely LOVE the concept of this story, and you've executed it beautifully, I especially love Chapter 5 so far it has been a favorite which just means your getting better and better.

 

Give me some time and I'll come up with a much more fluid and appropriate comment.

 

But so far.

 

LOVE IT!

[W_L]

Chapter 6- Age of innocence is up

 

I dedicate this one to Lord Byron, who is my major inspiration for this Greek tale. I even tried my hand at mimicking his poetry; Britons give me some advice on how to improve my iambic pentameter; it is so hard to get that rhyming scheme right with that many syllables.

[Dolores Esteban]

I've just finished this chapter. Great!

[W_L]

I've just finished this chapter. Great!

 

Thanks, it's a bit different than most of my other installments and it is also my last Ancient Greek based story. The focus needs to switch to a new perspective and new area of interest.

 

On the story's plot: I inherently added a subtle dislike for Athens, which was a very open society at one point, where homosexuality was accepted for a time, then slowly the people turned against both the practice of Homosexuality and Pederasty. Thebes would be the real home for any type of equality between gay men.

 

Athens is going to be visited in another story, but for now, I leave it.

 

Greece was the ancient birthplace for many of the ideals of western civilization, but it also spawned some pretty bad habits. Non-consensual child abuse being one highlighted in my latest chapter.

 

On the characters: If you have not gotten the idea yet through my writing, then it should be pretty obvious from my personal beliefs. I started these guys off in a traditional top/bottom relationship and they change and reform over time to be more than just top/bottoms relationship based on society, culture, and situation. I do agree that some people are inherently more of a bottom type like H'Ajar, Aeolus, and his future forms, but it does not preclude them from taking on top roles as well. Others like Paki, Heracles, and his other forms are mainly tops, but they also desire to love their partners in all ways possible.

 

It's much more than a sexual dynamic; it's a core ideal I believe in that there is no absolute line for people to be a dominant partner versus a submissive partner, which has erroneous flowed through western and even eastern history. Homosexuality, Heterosexuality, or even Bisexuality works well if the particpants are willing to share both pains and pleasures, not merely take control. This story is about as much on relationships as it is about history; we may all have inner tops or bottoms, but love is built on mutual acceptance and sharing.

 

Well hope that adds to the discussion, you can protests my idea if you wish.

 

You can also protest my Iambic, since I realize much later I made a mistake on the feet of poetic movement. Byronic poetry is very difficult and writing it in only 5 stanzas along a short story plot might have been too much for a writer unfamiliar with it.

[W_L]

Next chapter is up for Love and Again: Olympian Deeds Part 1

 

Alexander the Great must be written Greater!!!! (hehe, I am big fan of Alexander's epic)

 

Three part mini-vignette series, Historical information, realistic speculation, and some very interesting background information based on ancient sources.

 

Enjoy!

[David McLeod]

Enjoyed your version of Alexander...so much more clear than Mary Stewart's!

[W_L]

Next one added it's now a six part vignette.

 

Struggle, Death, and Rebirth part 2

 

It's interesting to chronicle his early wars as Macedonian king; the problem with keeping Greece unified, and for my story the sad symmetry that Alexander and Hephestion would responsible for the destruction of Thebes. The same city that they help to build in their past lives.

 

I love symmetry and it is fun.

[Dolores Esteban]

Very good chapters! I do love this story

[W_L]

Very good chapters! I do love this story

 

Thank you,

 

Next part is coming up. If you look closely, I had added a few hints about future issues coming up.

 

Also, get ready for the deciding battle for the Mediterranean at Gaza in the land of Canaan. (Didn't I mention the Canaanites earlier in my installments, something about the destruction of Sodom and the repression of sexual rights. )

 

It's getting complex and this mini-arc will have huge ramifications for ages to come.

[W_L]

The next vignette segment is up: Lines in the sand

 

I think some people might have expected me to go deeper into the military aspect of the Alexander's campaign here as I did in previous segments, but I chose to go in a different direction. It was interesting to write this segment; it is controversial with the not-so subtle meaning hidden behind my words concerning Alexander's compromise with the early Jewish and Zoroastrian people that he conquered.

 

It's a real truth about warfare that I do express in my stories, you don't simply win a war by winning a battle or winning a handful of friends. You win a war by winning hte people's hearts and minds. I would consider Alexander's strategy to be light years ahead of George W. Bush' in Iraq, but I also know the costs of his decision to appease those groups. For one thousand years afterward, including the Roman period, homosexuality will become a pariah sect of humanity through the strengthening of monotheistic demands on moral purity.

 

Historians view the Hellenistic era as the first era of global thought, where Indian, Middle-eastern, and European philosophies converged. It was an age of great peace, but under the peace was an exchange of lives and peoples, who were short changed in order to attain it.