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Caligula was quite
the guy. Some think he may
have been just a wee bit effeminate.
Others might agree, but also consider him brutally placed in
history at a time when the factions surrounding the leadership of Rome,
took the accounts to new levels of exaggeration. One thing remains
clear in all accounts. He
was a man of few words and a littler than average penis, or so it is
told. His mouth only got
him in trouble at orgies and oratory. He had parents of renown and a
somewhat “relative” reputation so that Caligula never really knew
the truth surrounding his parents courtship. But hey, it doesn’t take
much to release the raging hormones of an arrogant and pompous young
man. Caligula sauntered around in army boots as a boy and earned himself the name, from the Latin caligula meaning little boot. It’s suggested he pulled the legs off insects and possibly the little girl in the adjacent villa, but that’s sheer speculation. One thing is for sure. He grew up in a time of suspicion and subversion. His family reunions were undoubtedly an amusing gathering of killers, spies and mouthy politicians. Such were the glory days of the Roman Empire, until that dolt Nero burned the place down, but that’s a different story.
He flouted stability
when the Empire needed it most. He
let himself appear weak like a woman, attending festivals dressed as
Venus, goddess of love, causing serious speculation about his sexuality,
scattered amongst the tales of his massive orgies. He would stock his
parties with courtiers of quality and invite the wealthiest of citizens.
His aim was to appear well loved and thus well connected.
Wealth and connection equal power and Caligula saw this as an
advantage when funding war and burning through money faster than he
could recoup it. His “banquets” were said to include human trays of fruits and sweets, the sampling of which was encouraged, provided one keep one’s hands behind one’s back. Festivals of fertility were celebrated with decorations including giant penis and testicles and huge vaginas. Human statues, naked and elaborately made up were said to have littered his hall. This, of course, is only hearsay.
Unlike a later fellow
in history, his tales are not colored with the brush of sadistic
cruelty. Yes, the
occasional orgy might have got out of hand, so to speak.
The sadistic rompings of a certain Marquis later in history are
not applicable here with Caligula. We see him flitting around the party,
dressed as a goddess, falsetto voice bestowing all kinds of godlike
blessings upon the couples present (probably insistent these
“blessings” occur immediately for his viewing pleasure) sure of his
own godlike status. Mind you, the godlike status didn’t stand him too well when he was nearly assassinated for trying to erect a statue of himself in the temple in Palestine. In the end, he really did go to far. Or rather, he went too far in the end of Rome. The empire’s idea of leadership did not go so far as to allow that leadership to thumb its nose at civil rule. His own guards took him out while the tyrant emperor watched the gladiatorial contests.
Ó 2003 – Sex Scrolls |
