The Death of Antinous || bxb ✔︎

DULCE PERICULUM

Antinous chewed on the end of his stylus as Apollodorus showed them plans for the new temple in Hadrian's study. The Temple of Olympian Zeus was the crown jewel of Hadrian's building programme in Athens. It would be adorned by statues of gods, personifications of the Roman provinces and Hadrian himself, naturally.

He tried to focus but his eyes stared right through the etchings on the parchment and into his own debauched thoughts of Leonides.

They had been in Athens for over a month and were still unable to enjoy their clandestine meeting. Leonides found a room. A secret passageway led from the slave quarters to an old antechamber that had fallen into disuse. Antinous claimed that he could not find an opportunity to meet him. That was untrue. There were opportunities at night while Hadrian slept, and during the day when he was in the forum or at the library, Antinous simply did not have the courage to take advantage of such moments.

Instead, they satiated their urges with passing looks, brushing fingertips and many, many hours languishing by the pool, while the soldier took in every inch of him—metaphorically that is.

Antinous too spent hours in the courtyard watching the guards train. Leonides was no better with a sword than the others but he was swift-footed and ran circles around his sparring partner, disarming him and putting him flat on his back. Antinous liked the way he teased his opponent, leaning on his left leg to lure him, before shifting to the right to strike. He especially liked the sound of his grunts with each swing. He was louder and his swings had more flare when he knew Antinous was watching.

"Antinous? Are you listening? What do you think of a chryselephantine statue of Zeus for the cella? It's a touch archaic, but it will echo Phidias' statue of Athena in the Parthenon and cause quite a stir, don't you think?"

Blinking at the sketch in Hadrian's hand, it occurred to him that he had no opinion whatsoever.

"Maybe you should consult Commodus."

The Emperor pursed his lips, while Apollodorus delighted in what he interpreted as wild jealousy between the Emperor's new and former lover. It was no wonder old squid eyes was an architect, Antinous mused, for he constructed the most elaborate fantasies about Hadrian's love life and wasn't shy about sharing them.

"Oh, how they fight over you! What I wouldn't give to have those two beauties tousling over my—"

"That will be all, Apollodorus."

"Sacratissime Imperator, I'm only too happy to mediate! I can entertain this honeysuckle while you consult the rose blossom. Do you want to go for a swim, Antinous? Or to the courtyard to exercise? Greeks exercise naked, of course. It's healthier that way. Your cheeks look like they could use some color."

Antinous folded his hands on the desk and placed his head upon them.

"Ah, you're unwell." Hadrian tucked a curl behind his ear. "Don't trouble yourself."

At that moment Sabina was gliding past the door with her palla over her head. She had just come from the Cybeline temple, where women worshiped at the altar of the Anatolian goddess, Cybele. The only men allowed in the temple were the eunuchs that castrated themselves on the Day of Blood before the goddess. It was no wonder the cult appealed to the Empress.

"Wife, will you offer your opinion on the new temple for Zeus?"

"I have just been cleansed at the feet of the Mountain Mother."

He held up the draft. "A chryselephantine statue of Zeus for the cella? Or is ivory and gold too much?"

She removed her palla revealing a rope of dark hair coiled atop her head like a sleeping viper. "Husband, if you truly valued my opinion you would have asked it the day we were married."