(Untitled)

[3scoremiles_10]

This belongs here too. A very short piece writen a few months back, it's my own version of Hephaistion's reaction to the advent of Bagoas.

Title: Conquest
Summary: Alexandros and Hephaistion discuss Darius' boy.
Rating: Oh, for hell's sake, I'm not doing a rating. We're all grown ups.
Feedback: feel free.

Comments

[qaddafi]

Very nice. I especially liked the bits of dirty humor, as I found them appropriate for Alexander and Hephaistion (they are soldiers, after all). One thing though: I found it strange that Alexander would call Bagoas "Darius' old pet." I mean, he's already slept with him, so even if he wouldn't call him by name, I'd think at least "the boy" or something similar. It's not like Hephaistion wouldn't know who he meant. Well, that's just my take on it; feel free to disagree.

[3scoremiles_10]

Actually I don't disagree - I just hadn't noticed it before. It does seem a little odd ... unless he just hasn't got used to idea of Darius' boy being his boy too. Hmm. Thanks for pointing that out. Fair comment.

Re: so strange...

[3scoremiles_10]

Or actually, maybe not so strange if you look at it from a purely practical perspective. Bagoas was effectively spoils of war, like everything else that Alexander won. He came along with the rest of Darius' stuff - Darius' palaces, Darius' tent, Darius' horses and chariot, Darius' cloak, Darius' bloody family, hell, Darius' empire for that matter. Just because a thing had belonged to another master in the past doesn't mean he's not going to use it. He slept in the palaces and the big flash tent after all, and I'll wager he rode the horses and had the slaves and servants go about their tasks as usual. Why should Bagoas be any different? He's a trained pleasure slave after all, a dancing boy ... what else is he for, if not that? If Alexander found that he had a fondness for the boy as well as a use, fair enough - but let's keep it in perspective, yes

Re: so strange...

[3scoremiles_10]

You know you're preaching to the converted on this one Nicky ... well, except about that Haley Joel Osmondt thing. But then, you have the dodgiest taste in men sometimes. ;)

[_hiddenwolf_]

Very good. And kudos for having your own perspective on the Alex/Bagoas relationship and not 'copying' it from TPB.

[3scoremiles_10]

Thank you. TPB is a very good book and beautifully written, but whatever else it is, it is also a fiction. As is what I write, for that matter. The sources are pretty bare in relation to Bagoas; there is scope for different interpretations, and this is mine, based on ... well, a few things. Different from Renault, yes, but then I'm not working in Renault's universe, I would not presume to try. I'd rather try and write my own stories, hope they're halfway decent, and if other people end up enjoying them too so much the better.

[_hiddenwolf_]

Yeah, the sources are really vague about it, so no one knows and can have their own take.
Renault based Bagoas' character, his relationships and feelings merely on her imagination (him loving deeply Alexander,hating Hephaestion,Heph being jealous, etc). She could be right. But one can imagine it very differently- like that there was no jealousy between him and Hephaestion and to be actually like friends (like Patroclus was with Briseis, Achilles' concubine), or that there was no bond with him and Alexander- and could also be right. So it's nice to see different versions /ramble
Rock on.

[3scoremiles_10]

Renault needed a character who could be placed well enough in the history so as not to upset the apple-cart to support her first person narrative technique. Her Bagoas was the perfect creation for that role. But as you've rightly pointed out, the character and the depiction of his relationships with others is based on little more than imagination and the needs of the story. None of which is a criticism, it's just damn good writing

Re: Hmmm...

[3scoremiles_10]

Bagoas and Roxane both should be presented as being in their teens ... but if we can have 30-something year old actors playing high school kids in movies as a matter of course, I'm sure they can make their chosen actors fit the parts. Make up and lighting do wonders, after all. Still, in the name of authenticity and all that ... ;)

Could it be that Olympias(Angelina) doesn't seem to age because from the time Alexander crossed the Hellespont, he never saw her again so that's where her part ends? Or maybe we just haven't seen the right pictures yet. Have to wait and see. Agreeing with you on the Oedipal moments though - ew. Though I would not have thought that popcorn would go very well with martinis. ;)