A Slave's Opinion

My name is Blasius and I am a slave in Ancient Rome. While the rest of Rome seems to think that male to male sexuality is inappropriate, many people do not practice what they preach. My response to Caecilius is just because you like taking the passive role, it does not mean that other people should have to as well. Quite honestly, I don’t want to be a passive male and I hate being used by people like Marcus and Hortensius. To be clear, Roman society looks down upon the passive male because he is being penetrated meaning he is having the experience of a woman or of a slave which is where I come in. As a slave in Ancient Rome, I am subjected to the more horrendous parts of male to male sexuality. If I were to do something unthinkably illegal, I would be punished through penetration. Also, free males are allowed to penetrate me at will which is simply violating and sadly unavoidable. However, I hold myself to a higher standard than some slaves. At times, I have heard some of the other slaves talking about allowing themselves to be penetrated by a freeman so that their life will be a little easier. Others even prostitute themselves out. Those slaves are called scorta and they are typically older. Regardless of who you are in the slave world, you are so sexually vulnerable that you are called puer for your entire life. This goes from me, the slave who avoids sexual penetration at all costs to the scorta who will accept money to be penetrated. Sure, we are the lowest of the low in society. I understand that and I know that what I have to say does not really make a difference, but male to male sexuality is incredibly harmful to slaves. Perhaps that is why the upper class enjoys it so much, but who knows.