A Gift of Fishes: the Sun and the Moon
Author: Lysis/Selket Revised December 2011 (originally written in 2006 Copyright Elizabeth C. Owens)
Note: I wrote this a few years ago. It's based, very loosely on the section in Plutarch where Alexander is noted as having sent Hephaistion a gift of small fishes, Plutarch places this incident during Alexander's time in Egypt, but I have chosen it to take place in 324 bce after the Army has survived the Gedrosian desert, the desertion of Harpalus, etc.
Summary: Alexander sends Hephaistion and symbolic gift of fish, blah, blah, blah
Warning: We're all adults, and a little orgy never hurt anyone.
The sun swam in the crystalline bowl. It floated free, entwining in on itself, doubling and then unfolding back out, uncaught - a bright streak through the clear liquid. Alongside it spun the moon, purposeful in its silver splendor it swam spinning and weaving, coming close yet never letting the sun eclipse it.
Bagoas' smile reached his eyes as he watched the two small carp slide effortlessly through the cool water each coming close as though to clash with the other then drawing back and away only to come together again. Their graceful movements a dance of perfect unison, a pattern that seemed so deeply bred within each it was unconscious. Hephaistion would find much delight in these first to look at and then to eat. Fish were a favorite of the King's handsome companion, nay, thought Bagoas, almost a passion, for he had seen the man consume several in one sitting.
Al'xsander knew well Hephaistion's tastes, which were like the man himself, elegant and sophisticated. Yet this gift was more than a gesture of their shared companionship. It was another grand gesture on Al'xsander's part of their partnership not unlike their placing of wreaths at the tombs of Akhilles and Patroklos of which had become almost legend in the Army.
There had been a mischievous little glint in those deep set blue-grey eyes when he had pressed the bowl into Bagoas' waiting hands just as they had left his tent. 'Ah, Al'xsander could appear so innocent, as guileless as a newborn babe when he wished,' Bagoas thought to himself with a wry grin. There was an air of something more than protocol here, something more than the private announcement from the King to his dearest companion. Bagoas alone knew what no one else knew the reason for the gift of the fish. That Al'xsander was going to finally formalize Hephaistion's position of power in the empire, as Chiliarch. Oh, it had become clearer and clearer as time went on, only those with so dense a mind that they refused to see the truth before them would be surprised. Yet, Bagoas also knew, and admitted it to himself with a bit of a pout he allowed to show briefly, it was also a declaration for once and for all of Hephaistion's status in Al'xsander's empire, and in Al'xsander's heart. Strangely enough, Bagoas did not begrudge Hephaistion his place. He knew well the trouble Hephaistion kept from Al'xsander's heart. His brilliance and loyalty deserved such a reward and if, the King loved him, ah, well, one could not forsake the calling of the heart, this was something Bagoas knew all too well.
Al'xsander had come upon the custom in his readings on Kyrus the Great and had been much delighted when Bagoas had taken it upon himself to help Al'xsander find these perfect creatures. He had paid a quarter of a talent of silver for them.
As he studied the small creatures playfully jousting in their small sea, Bagoas said, "Al'xsander, there is ancient legend that the early kings of Assyrian and Babylon came from the sea, they were half man and half fish and praised for their wisdom and compassion. It is a fitting gift for such a worthy man."
Al'xsander had smiled, his beautiful eyes glowing, "Yes, I well recall those enormous reliefs from the great stair case at Persepolis. Hephaistion and I were much enchanted with them. They still, ah, stand…" His face bore the expression of bitter regret. Bagoas knew how much he regretted the burning of the splendid palace for he had unburdened himself about it on several occasions. Then quick as lightening a smile flashed across his face, that kind that lightened the heart of anyone who might be fortunate enough to see it, he rose from his couch and came over to kiss Bagoas. "Thank you for this, for aiding me. It gives me much pleasure." He sighed, but happily, and Bagoas returned the smile thinking it was enough to him, no matter the cost to see his beloved Al'xsander happy again. Al'xsander had suffered much these past days, his terrible arrow wound in India and then the tortuous days in the Gedrosian desert, then the traitorous actions of his boyhood companion, Harpalus. He knew this had wounded Al'xsander greatly. It was a small thing to aid him in this, a pleasure to see the old smile glow in his tired eyes again. They were making for Susa though slowly, and Bagoas knew there were great plans afoot. Al'xsander and Hephaistion had been closeted constantly smiling and mumbling together about some great secret.
"Make sure he sees them against the sun, they'll appear then as though small wheels of Helios' chariot. Hold them up high when you present them to him. I want everyone to see them in all their glory together."
Now, Bagoas watched as Alexander jested with Leonatus who was watching Peukestas slowly kissing and undressing a willing page. Bagoas knew the page, Acteon of the golden hair and blue eyes, had spent the last three nights in Leonatus' tent and wondered if the General, whose red hair and scarred and leathery face and was inclinded to be of a high temper, would do anything to stop the seduction. Still, as he watched Peukestas entwine himself around Acteon, Bagoas did admit they made a pretty pair. Peukestas was strongly in Al'xsander's favor, newly made one of the Seven, as a reward for saving his life in India. The blond and brown eyed Peukestas had often been seen with first one handsome page and then another and the occasional pretty slave girl and had a reputation as a fierce fighter but was fickle in between the sheets.
Ptolemy, Perdikkus and Nearkhos were taking bets to see if Peukestas, who although quite drunk was still very graceful winding his long hands in the boy's long hair and stroking his bared thighs, would simply take the boy before the entire company. Or would Leonatus leap across his couch and either join Peukestas in taking the willing Acteon or slit Peukestas' throat. Bagoas decided that Acteon was not worth incurring Al'xsander's anger should Leonnatus decide to attack Peukestas over the boy and apparently the half drunk Leonatus agreed, as he stumbled toward them and placed a smacking kiss on Peukestas' wine stained lips and whacked Acteon's naked buttocks as he made his way toward a pretty sloe-eyed dancing girl. Bagoas noticed that Al'xsander was much pleased with Leonatus' behavior and had lain back reclining on his couch. He was smiling in Hephaistion's direction, and had a glow about him like that of a new bridegroom awaiting his wedding night.
Bagoas met Al'xsander's eye on a prearranged signal and went to one of the side tables holding the wine craters and moved with effortless grace toward Hephaistion. Suddenly the loud crack of thunder split the air and the purple –grey spike of lightening could be seen through the open sides of the tent. The air smelt sultry and moist and seemed to make feral blood even hotter. Alexander watched as Bagoas presented the crystal bowl to Hephaistion and Hephaistion looked up from where he was sitting just then, next to Lysimachus and met Alexander's eyes. They both smiled at one another. Alexander rose and went to Hephaistion's side. He leaned over and kissed him full and hard on the mouth, lingering over the kiss, startling Hephaistion who turned pink. A great shout went up from Antigonous One Eye who had been watching them both.
"Are you going to bed him before our very eyes, Alexander or will you join with Peukestas and his conquest of this night?"
Lysimachus leaned over and placed a sloppy kiss on Hephaistion's cheek. "Can I join in?" Alexander pretended to glower at the lean and tall Lysimachus, and pulled Hephaistion closer to him.
"What have you there, Hephaistion?" Ptolemy, his arms full of two giggling, squirming slave girls stumbled over toward Hephaistion. He turned toward Alexander. "And what has he done to warrant such a greeting, do we not all deserve such kisses? I'll warrant my heart would beat more solidly in my breast were you to kiss me so." Ptolemy gestured good naturedly with a free hand toward the swimming fish that seemed now to be circling one another in some lazy game – one trying to catch the other's tail.
Smiling, Alexander answered for him, "He has done naught but which he has always done, kept my heart and loyalty, and for this I do reward him. So, I have given him a gift of the sun and the moon. "
Ptolemy laughed, and raised high a cup he had snatched from a nearby couch as he studied the small silver fish flutter its long diaphanous tail around the gold one, "Ah, tonight you are a poet and speak of little fish as though they were the stars. Have you been bitten by some bug, Alexander? Is it some creeping sickness that is turning your brain to mush, some malady of the heart, again, perhaps? I did think those years at Mieza were long behind you. Or has the Cypriot's wily son struck you anew with his sharp shaft?"
Alexander laughed and found himself blushing at Ptolemy's good-natured jesting, but answered him, "One does not put aside love Ptolemy one honors it."
"Come, honor it, then." Perdikkus who was sharing a willing slave girl with Krateros called out laughing, "I'll help!"
Alexander smiled and turned to Hephaistion, "Such beasts surround us."
Ah, and you, my dear Alexander, are the brilliant, blinding sun." Ptolemy laughed as he tumbled one of his female companions to the ground in a flurry of kisses.
Nearkhos called out raucously, while caressing the thighs of a black eyed Egyptian slave boy he'd been eyeing all night who had passed by his couch and been snared by the Kretan. "Thus, then is Hephaistion the moon, pale beside the golden glory of the sun?"
Alexander smiled, as he leaned over to kiss Hephaistion yet again. "Constant and quiet, the moon may be, Nearkhos, but on a dark night the moon shows the way for all to see. One cannot have the heavens without the sun or the moon."
"Well, what say you Hephaistion to such flattery?" Medius of Larissa sat up brightly rubbing his blurry blue eyes and fumbled to lose the diaphones robes of the dancing girl he had snared as she had passed his couch earlier in the evening. Before another second passed his head disappeared between her breast and her light giggles filled the air.
Hephaistion looked at Alexander and the crystal bowl in his hands. "You honor me, Alexander, I thank you." He bowed his head but shot Alexander a secret smile.
Alexander burst out laughing, "Such humility! Spit so that the gods are not jealous, Hephaistion." He pulled on Hephaistion's hand to lead him from the tent.
"Where do you go?" Ptolemy called out after them, "To view the moon in all its glory, Alexander? To see it rise to the fullest extent of its hard inches so that you may climb them thrusting your way to the stars?"
Nearkhos raised a black brow tossed back a large cupful of wine and shouted out loudly making sure his voice carried, "I think the sun will eclipse the moon tonight!"
"No, the sun will be in the moon tonight, or perchance ride it, hot and hard across the open sky until it sinks low only to rise again on the morrow." Antigonous One Eye guffawed pleased with himself that he could think so quickly after downing three jugs of uncut wine.
Bagoas stood watching Al'xsander and Hephaistion stroll from the tent pleased that the Great King and his Chiliarch did not turn back, but continued on their way with dignity. He knew he would sleep alone tonight in his own tent, but he did not begrudge Hephaistion his victory. Let them jest. He thought with a small smile that no one else saw. For the moon is rising high - it has shone long aiding us all with little praise, but soon all shall know of its glory.
FINIS