Gold Rush Dreams and Jaded Ladies

Content Advisory: Adult situations and prostitution.

Lottie went to the diggings.

With Lottie we must be just.

If she didn’t shovel tailings,

Where’d she get her dust?

On August 6, 1898 the rumored arrival of a ship loaded with over two tons of gold and sixty-eight newly wealthy miners spread like fire through the Seattle area. Within hours sensible men had quit their jobs, dedicated men had left their families, and fortune hunters had spent their last dime on supplies, all with the intention of journeying into the harsh beauty of the Yukon to grab their piece of the pot.



Chilkoot Pass



But men were not the only adventurous souls to set their sights on the golden dream. Women of every social station shed their mundane routines and joined the swarm of men on the treacherous trip up north and the deadly thirty-three mile trek over the Chilkoot Pass and into Dawson City.

Restricted by Victorian morality, the Klondike Gold Rush was just the excuse these daring and sometimes desperate women needed to leave a life of security or poverty, and embrace an unknown and exciting future. Any hardships they would face were well worth the trouble when the possibility of wealth and independence was the payoff.

But as so often happens, the glimmering promise of gold dimmed once the women realized there were no respectable jobs to be found. Though it was legal to file a claim under a woman’s name, it was still considered improper. Mining was backbreaking work and unless paired with a man, the chore often proved too difficult.

If a woman was lucky, she might find a job as a laundress for $5 a day plus room and board, or a housekeeper for $12 a week plus room an board. But with the skyrocketing cost of supplies and rent, it became impossible for these hardy females to buy a simple meal.

What’s a girl to do? Go home? Many had spent their last dollar on their arduous journey and arrived in Dawson City broke and hungry. Suicide? Sadly, this was too often the path chosen by the desperate. With the gender rate reaching ten-thousand men to eight-hundred women, the choice became obvious. Like the devil holding the answer to their survival, the brothels, dancehalls, and saloons became a haven for the girls and women who were so far from home.

With companionship in short supply and gold dust overflowing, many of these working girls embraced their life and learned how to work the system. Dance hall or commission girls earned approximately $40 a week plus, 25% commission on any drinks sold, 50% on dances, and $7.50 on a pint of champagne. One commission girl reported that on her best night she earned $750 simply by talking to a lonely miner.

“The poor ginks just gotta spend it. They’re scared they’ll die before they get it out of the ground.”

                                                                                                                                          Diamond Tooth Gertie Lovejoy

Prostitutes earned $3 to every dollar earned by the dancehall girls. The clever strumpet used her own scale to weigh the gold dust she received in trade for her companionship. The standard four ounces of gold, or $64, for fifteen minutes often measured out more to the tune of eight ounce by the time she finished weighing the miner’s payment.

“A Dawson City girl did not need good looks. She needed stamina, a cold, calculating eye, and utter ruthlessness.”

Cy Martin

Not everybody like the bawdy women and their practices, but most accepted them as a necessary evil. Several of the showgirls in Dawson garnered quite a name for themselves and lived the life of their dreams.



Klondike Kate



Klondike Kate, or Kathleen Rockwell as friends and family in Spokane, Washington knew her, grew up as a rebellious teenager, preferring an independent spirit over social rules and learning.

It’s rumored when Kate was denied entrance into Canada on her way to Alaska, she donned boys clothing and hopped onboard a boat heading to the Yukon. Once in Dawson City, Kate found her niche’ and became a local celebrity by performing her famed Flame Dance. With elegant and graceful moves, Kate managed to keep two-hundred yards of chiffon airborne for the duration of her dance. In her first year in the Klondike, Kate earned thirty-thousand dollars and secured a place for herself among the citizens of Dawson City.

Diamond Tooth Gertie Lovejoy headlined at the Palace Grand Theater during her stint in Dawson. Though she ended up marrying a respectable lawyer who had been her client, polite society never accepted Gertie as one of them. Perhaps the diamond jammed between her front teeth had something to do with the social snub.

Not far behind the sinner travels the saint. Church-going women soon arrived on the scene, rolled up their sleeves, and tried to help out or cast out the soiled doves. But the roots of prostitution and the need of the miners had burrowed too deep to eradicate the practice completely. The Reformists were somewhat successful in relocating the red-light district to the edge of town and building a tall green fence around the area. However, their efforts could never fully purge the city of sin.

“Of all the predatory, gold digging, disease-eaten, crooked female devils this side of Hell, the worst were in the Klondike in the early days.”

                                                                                                        E.C. Trewlawney-Ansell

Six prostitutes in Dawson City

As the discovery of gold in Fairbanks drew more miners, the prostitutes followed, as did the Reformists. Thomas Marquam, a brilliant criminal attorney quickly made a name for himself by defending the prostitutes, gamblers, and bar owners in the area. He also became the editor of the Fairbanks Times and was later elected as the mayor.

After the death of his wife, Marquam sought solace in the red-light district and namely in the arms of Ray Alderman. His affair with the prostitute was well known throughout Fairbanks but didn’t cause him problems until Fairbanks became the focus of a visit from the president of the United States, Warren G. Harding.

A delegation of irate matrons confronted Marquam and demanded he end the tawdry relationship with that woman. They argued his association with her would make the citizens of Fairbanks a laughing stock. Taking their dispute to heart, Marquam asked Ray Alderman to be his wife and she accepted. Much to the meddling harpies’ consternation, Ms. Alderman not only became the first lady of Fairbanks, but also the first lady in the reception party for President Warren G. Hardy. One must wonder if Thomas Marquam thought, “Take that you old battleaxes.”

Though landing a husband was like shooting fish in a barrel, many of the women decided they liked the independent life prostitution afforded them. Gussie Lamore, a nineteen year old prostitute, turned down a miner by the name of Bill Gates who offered to pay her her weight in gold if she married him.

She replied, “Independence is a good deal too.”

Miss Violet Raymond was the undisputed belle of the camp. Once the reining queen of burlesque in Juneau, the owner of The Gold Hill Hotel paid an enormous amount for her to move to Dawson City and perform.

“Her admirers numbered by the score,” reported gold king, Antone Stander, Violet’s future husband. To woo her away from the limelight, Stander bought every diamond in the camp and presented them to Miss Violet in a necklace that hung nearly to her knees. He also gifted her with $20,000 in gold dust, a lard bucket full of odd-shaped gold nuggets, and offered her $1000 a month allowance if she married him.

“I make good money—but not that good,” replied Violet.

They were married a short time later.

Klondike Kate is the only good-time girl to receive any recognition for her part in the Yukon Gold Rush. In 1931, wearing the $1500 Parisian dress she wore during her glory days in Dawson City, Kate was honored by over a thousand aging pioneers.

Many of the Gold Rush sirens and wealthy prospectors found joy in each others arms for short span of time, but few were able to keep the flames of passion burning once they left the wild atmosphere of the mining camps. Greed and suspicion replaced all-consuming passion and the very gold that brought the lovers together, soon tore them apart. Divorce, swindles, gambling, and even murder litter the pages of history for these unfortunate gold rush marriages.

Praying the north still held the key to happiness, many penniless Gold Rush veterans traveled back to Alaska in hopes of regaining their fortune. Few ever achieved the measure of success they’d previously experienced, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

Like the thousands of men who journeyed into the unknown to find their fortunes, these spirited females of the Klondike fought and slaved for their part of the dream. Gold Rush history would not be nearly so colorful or interesting without these jaded ladies.

~Boone Brux~

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If you missed any of our previous posts and would like to catch up, you can purchase Everything Erotic - Volume I, Everything Erotic - Volume II, Everything Erotic - Volume III and Everything Erotic Volume IV anthologies as ebooks for only $2.99 each! Want it in print? Everything Erotic - Volume I-III is now available in paperback for $12.95.

Copyright © 2011 Boone Brux

White Tigeress and the Jade Dragon

Content Advisory: Descriptions of sexual acts and graphic launguage, erotic art.

“The Dragon quietly returns to Heaven. The Tigress roars and roams the earth.”

 —White Tigress Manual

Secret societies, sex, and immortality—the description smacks of sensationalized Hollywood, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The sect of the White Tigress dates back to ancient China and still exists today. Just as the male Taoist master sought the gift of immortality through vigorous sexual discipline, so did the female practitioner.

Every bit as ferocious in her desire to achieve eternal beauty and spiritual immortality, a student dedicated years of intense study to learn the ways of the Tigress.

“Hmmm,” you might say. “Eternal beauty and spiritual immortality, I’m down with that. How can I enjoy the benefits of being a White Tigress?”

Though gaining access to the society is easier today, in ancient times the private, all-girls club was by invitation only. The society was so secretive that a Tigress might have no knowledge of other practitioners within her own family.

As a rule, Tigresses avoided contact with each other. A student might have known a handful of other women taught by a shared teacher, but would not have known any of the students who came before or after her. A Tigress guarded her identity and never shared her practice outside the elite community.

Once a woman decided to undertake the life of a Tigress, she spent the next nine years immersed in the lifestyle and training. Sometime during the first three years, a Tigress could acquire a Jade Dragon. No, this wasn’t a green dildo. The Jade Dragon was a male Taoist, who engaged in sexual practices with the Tigress. Though not her only partner, he was her benefactor and protector.

Together they forged a mutual agreement based on helping each other and furthering their instruction. Normally, the couple remained together for the duration of a Tigress’s first three years, at which point they would decide whether to separate or continue their partnership.

Green Dragons were an important part of a Tigress’s training. Unlike a Jade Dragon, a Green Dragon’s sole purpose was for acquiring sexual energy and semen by the Tigress. These men were crucial to the success of her practice, and as such, a Tigress and her Jade Dragon spent great time and effort meeting and securing worthy men.

However, before a Tigress’s training even began, she needed to decide which of the four classes she would enter.

Suckling Tigress—named for a young tiger cub, the Suckling Tigress was a trainee and was not required to practice with Green Dragons or pick a Jade Dragon. Her training consisted of a six-month period where her teacher provided surrogate males for her to practice and learn the basics of becoming a Tigress. At the end of her six-months, the student reviewed what she had learned and chose one of the next stages for fulfilling her training.

Wandering Tigress—like the tigress roaming the forest, this type of Tigress was on her own and consulted with her teacher every few months for advice. She had no Jade Dragon and provided her own means of support.

Denned Tigress—This Tigress lived and practiced with a Jade Dragon, and relied completely on him for support. Together they engaged in a three-year contract, during which the Tigress consulted with her teacher every few months. Usually the Denned Tigress saved any earnings her Dragon gave her for the time when their agreement ended.

Leashed Tigress—a Leashed Tigress was on the high road to becoming a White Tigress. If a student did not wish to leave her teacher, she could be symbolically leashed to them. But this rarely happened, for like the Jade Dragon, the teacher would be responsible for all financial support to her/his student.

“The Tigress first learns from her mother how to survive.

She then has three paths in which to begin her hunt.

No matter which path she walks, the Green Dragon is her prey.

She gathers the essences of the Dragon and Tiger.

When the essences fuse, the spirit embryo manifests.

The spirit embryo carries her to the Heavenly Abode,

Where Hsi Wang Mu happily bestows the

Peach of Immortality upon her new daughter.”

—White Tigress Manual

Consuming the Peach of Immortality

The Tigress lies on the bed with her head supported on a pillow and her Jade Dragon nestled between her thighs. Another pillow is placed under her buttocks to position her peach for stimulation. The room should be quiet, incense burning, and both participants should refrain from talking. (However, this seems obvious for the man since his mouth will be full.)

The Jade Dragon gently places his index finger, up to his first knuckle, inside her vagina. The Tigress cups her breasts and begins gyrating her hips in an attempt to push his finger deeper—but he won’t allow it.

Once sufficiently wet, the man places the head of his cock inside her vagina, supporting his body over hers. He isn’t allowed to lie on top. Only the head of his penis and her vagina may touch. She again gyrates, trying to drive him deeper, and again he refuses. At the same time, she offers both her nipples to her Jade Dragon. He circles his tongue around her nipples and lightly sucks them into his mouth.

Talk about upper body strength!

As her climax draws near, the Tigress signals her partner. They change positions, him on the bottom and her top with her moist peach pressed over his mouth, and his cock completely engulfed by her—to the base if possible.

With gentle sucking motions, the Jade Dragon draws all of her fluid into his mouth and swallows. When the Tigress reaches orgasm, she removes his penis from her mouth and lets out the haa sound, pushing her pussy hard onto his mouth. He leaves his mouth open to receive the fluid. When she is done, the Jade Dragon places his tongue against his teeth, closes his mouth, and sucks the mixture back and forth thirty-six times. Sitting upright, he divides the mixture into three equal parts and swallows with a big gulp. Yum, yum.

“Twirl the lotus, but do not harm the petals. The Dragon plays in the Tigress’s cave.”

Twirling the Lotus —White Tigress Manual

Twirling the Lotus

When a Tigress decided to let a Green Dragon perform oral sex on her, it was with the ironclad condition that he must bring her to orgasm. No longer submissive, the Tigress turned fierce in her insistence that the Green Dragon stay on task until she climaxed. Yet another reason to admire the White Tigress.

Lying over the edge of a bed, table, or reclining in a chair, the Tigress spread her legs wide and places her hands on her inner thighs to expose as much of her girlie bits as possible. She then instructed the Green Dragon to place a thumb directly into her vagina and place the other hand under her buttocks in order to raise her vulva to his mouth. At this point her command was something along the lines of, “Lick, and don’t stop licking until you’ve rocked my world.”

Their play may have varied, but no matter what position, speed, or exact location she ordered her Dragon to focus on, the desired result remained the same.

Spanking

According to the White Tigress manual, a healthy spanking awakens nerve endings and helps draw blood to the area for softer, smoother skin. From a sexual standpoint, being spanked was a high form of submission, placing the spanker in control. The Tigress made sure to moan with pleasure so her Green Dragon remained comfortable with the situation.

The spanking was to be just strong enough to redden her ass. In doing so, sufficient blood gathered to strengthen her muscles and nourish her skin. After a vigorous session of spanking with her Green Dragon, a Tigress often found it cathartic to have her Jade Dragon spank her in pretend punishment. This helped soothe the sting of watching his Tigress with a Green Dragon or listening to her reenact how giving and submissive she’d been with another man. Her Jade Dragon would question, then spank, question, and spank. In reality, the Jade Dragon never spanked unless his Tigress asked for it.

The Dragon Leaps on the Tigress’s  Back

A woman gained a great deal of energy from partial anal penetration, but only if performed gently and in moderation. Of all the forms of sex, anal penetration can be one of the most destructive if done too vigorously. Only the head of the penis was inserted and slowly pulled out. If done correctly the act stimulated the hui yin, returning yin, or kundalini gland. This offered big kudos in restoring a Tigress’s youthfulness. However, ejaculating while in the back door was a no-no. His release dissipated the sexual energy, which definitely was not her desired outcome.

The White Tigress believed in the power of sexual energy, and the necessity of practiced and guided use to gain its full positive potential. If not respected and protected, only physical and psychological damage can be the result.

“Sex is like a poison, and like most poisons, it is also its own antidote.”

 —Master Taoist and White Tigress



Please return for more Sexy History February 23 and February 9 for Boone’s final installment of Pumpkin’s Great Escape.

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Copyright © 2011 Boone Brux

Reference: The Sexual Teachings of the White Tigress by His Lai

Dao That To Me One More Time

Content Advisory: Sexually graphic artwork and language.

    The billowing clouds surged and swelled over the sharp peaks of the jutting mountains, caressing their tips like a lover. With a thunderous clap the vaporous mass heaved, letting loose its essence to drench the beloved earth with its wet, quenching kiss.

Chinese metaphor of the Heaven (men) making love to the Earth (women), as interpreted by Boone Brux.

Modest, discreet, and humble, the Chinese people have carried this persona for centuries. So it may come as some surprise that early Taoism, or Daoism, produced what can only be referred to as the superheroes of the bedroom.

With its emphasis on balance, ancient practitioners of this philosophy strove for a harmonious marriage between sex and spirituality. It was their belief that when sex was performed effectively, the male was rewarded with not only better health and control over all disease, but immortality. Needless to say, many Taoist males dove into the practice with their jade stalk cocked and primed, ready to prove their worthiness to live forever.

But fear not ladies, though heavenly rewards were bestowed to men, it was the women who won all the earthly delights.

Yin and Yang played an important role in the mating ritual—opposite forces comprising the body, nature, and the universe.

Portrayed as the black swirl, Yin represented the woman, weakness and passivity. But it was she who held the key to the man’s immortality. Without her and the life-giving essence she kept locked away, a man was unable to reach the state of everlasting life.

Whereas a woman’s reservoir of yin was vast, a man’s yang was believed to be limited in quantity. The longer he could remain penetrated within her and the more of her essence he absorbed, the stronger his Yang became. In a nutshell, she had it and he wanted it. As such, it was man’s job to keep his yang, or semen, while making his partner give up her yin, or come.

Yep—you’ve got it. If a man gave the woman an orgasm without ejaculating, he was rewarded. Some may consider this common sexual courtesy, but for the ancient Tao practitioner, this was one step toward eternal life.

Treasuring his jing or essence was imperative to the Tao male. To treasure was to refrain from ejaculation and wasting his semen outside his body.

Different methods prescribed by the Taoists were used to control ejaculation. First, the man could pull out before his orgasm, thus staving off his climax. Talk about strength of will.

Second, he could apply pressure to his perineum, or “taint” as it’s referred to in present day slang. Some modern teachers believe the potential dangers of this practice are too high and it shouldn’t be performed.

Another method is for the Taoist to master separating the impulse to orgasm from the impulse to pump and physical release. At the point of orgasm the man can halt his movement, remain inside his partner, and clench his pelvic floor. By doing so, the initial prostate contraction stops. At the same time the Taoist enters a meditation like state that redirects the life energy of jing the semen stores, and sends it up his back and into the center of his brain.

The man may still have an orgasm, but will not ejaculate, and will not lose his erection. He is then advised to climb a ladder of increasing orgasms while maintaining his meditative intention. In this way the man cultivates and stores massive amounts of jing. If done correctly there should be no blue balls, semen in his urine, and he should garner many health benefits. This practice is believed to be one of the keys to immortality.

To hold his semen once, a man was rewarded with strength. If he accomplished this feat twice his vision and hearing were enhanced. Three times he conquered disease. But if a man could hold his ejaculation ten times or more, he became immortal. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Though every Chinese woman must have been clicking up her heels, one can’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for her deprived partner. What happened if he did come? Would he have to start all over on his quest for perpetuity? Would his vision and hearing diminish? Would he become weak again?

Perhaps performance anxiety helped the Taoist male in his eternal pursuits. Have an orgasm or become immortal? Have an orgasm or become immortal? You can almost hear the question warring in his mind. The pressure must have been enormous.

The best sexual partner to aide in the Taoist male’s quest was a virgin. Many took teenage girls, believing the young women possessed the most potent essence because they had not yet been contaminated by pregnancy.

Zhao Liangpi and Zang Sanfeng instructed the men through sexual texts that girls aged fourteen and under were best for a man’s purpose. Though today men may not receive eternal life by undertaking this practice, they may get ten to twenty in the state penitentiary.

Zhang expanded his explanation by dividing women into three groups.

Highest Ranked: 14 years and under

Middle Ranked: 16-20 years (menstruating virgins)

Lowest Ranked: 21-25 years

And if you were 26 years or older, you weren’t a contender in the Life Everlasting Olympics. Sorry ladies.

Saddled with the task of enticing a young virgin to relax and enjoy her sexual experience enough to orgasm, men turned to Pillow Books. Unlike the porn magazines of today, these books were revered as medical texts and used as guides by couples.

But in keeping with the gender bias of ancient times, the manuals were written mainly for the head of the family. Though the purpose of the Taoist practice was to make a woman give up her essence by having an orgasm, never were the texts written for her benefit. Women’s pleasure was the focus only in as much as it aided the man.

The sex treaties instructed couples on how to have healthy children, and how to live long and happy lives by practicing harmonious sexual relations. Many times a Pillow Book was given to the bride as a wedding gift to ensure she fully satisfied her husband. For this reason, the books were kept by the bed and were consulted in times of love making. One never knew when a shy partner might need a little coaxing.

Who’s to say whether this practice truly achieved immortality for its practitioners? Dedicated and single-minded, it’s a pretty good bet many died trying.

If you enjoyed today’s piece, be sure to return on January 26, 2011 for a more in-depth look into the Pillow Books of Ancient Asia and on January 12, 2011 for my next fiction piece—Pumpkin’s Great Escape (Part 2).

vBoone Brux v

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Resources: Taoist Sexual Practices-Wikipedia

History Channel-The History of Sex (The Eastern World)

The Art of Sexuality in China- China.emperadoramarillo.net/art.html

Copyright © 2010 Boone Brux

Erotic Picture Day!

Content Advisory: Contains nudity.

Happy Hump Day! What better way to start the day then with some tasteful pictures of the beautiful human form? Most of these pictures we found on the internet (and we make no claim to owning them), but two are from Karl Louis, an award winning photographer from Switzerland, who will be donating some pictures for our blog to use every month.

Enjoy!

This one is from Karl Louis

Also from Karl Louis

If you like Karl's work, you may want to check out his book on Amazon, called Curves.

Thunderbolts and Lightning-Very, Very Frightening

Content advisory: graphic language and sexual nature.

 “Zeus, father of gods and mortals.” Whether Homer meant this literally or metaphorically, there’s no denying the supreme ruler of the Pantheon of gods knew how to please the ladies, no matter what the cost.

Zeus spent his formative years on Crete. Secreted away to the cave on Mount Dicte, his mother—Rhea, kept Zeus hidden from Kronos, his titan father. Once grown and having accomplished the important tasks on his ‘To Do List’—Overthrow Father—Split Universe With Brothers—Zeus turned his attention to more pleasant endeavors.

When Metis, the goddess of prudence, sparked Zeus’s interest, he relentlessly pursued her. Though Metis resisted, Zeus wore her down and she had no choice but to submit to his advances. From their union sprang Athena, goddess of wisdom. Gaia warned Zeus that Athena would bear a son, who would one day overthrow him. Upon hearing the prophecy, Zeus swallowed Metis in hopes of stopping the prediction, though in hindsight swallowing Athena might have been a more savvy choice.

  Swallowing ones spouse seemed the equivalent to a godly divorce on Mount Olympus.

[caption id="attachment_723" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Venus Rising-all that from a pair of balls."][/caption]

 Next up—Dione—supposed mother of Aphrodite. Being the product of Zeus and Dione’s union was a far better beginning than other rumored accounts of Aphrodite’s birth. One tale claims the goddess of beauty was born when Kronos castrated his father, Uranus, and tossed the severed genitalia in the ocean. That's cold. The waters churned, foamed, and Aphrodite arose from the sea. What a reputation to live down. Good thing she was pretty.

 Hera burst on the scene as Zeus’s possessive wife and sister. The reasons he wedded and bedded his sister may escape our feeble mortal minds and we must trust that the supreme ruler knew what he was doing. But seriously, his sister? There must have been other options.

[caption id="attachment_724" align="alignright" width="274" caption="Zeus and Hera"][/caption]

 Hera dogged Zeus’s every step. Vain and jealous, the queen of the Olympians rarely gave her husband a moment’s peace. To make matters worse, Zeus couldn’t keep his thunderbolt in his toga, and many females felt not only Zeus’s amorous touch, but also Hera’s wrath.

 Zeus always won his gal, even if his plan required trickery or deception. Some of his most famous erotic escapades were spent trussed-up in true god-like fashion.

Transforming himself into Artemis, the goddess of chastity, Zeus seduced Callisto, a nymph who served Artemis. Thinking it was her goddess, Callisto accepted Zeus’s amorous advances. For Callisto, keeping her virgnity was paramount, but Zeus had other plans. When the nymph became pregnant, surprise—surprise, Hera threw a fit and turned Callisto into a bear. Whether to make amends or to get rid of the mistress, Zeus placed Callisto in the heavens, making her the constellation Ursa Major. Uh, thanks Zeus.

 Danae, a Greek princess, succumbed to Zeus’s advances while locked away in her father’s dungeon. Zeus’s disguise was exceptionally brilliant during this affair, for what would a woman, who had been locked away in a filthy dungeon, want most of all? A bath. Taking the form of a golden shower, and let’s hope that means pretty and not the more modern term, Zeus seduced Danae, after which she gave birth to Perseus.

 Europa, a Phoenician princess from which Europe was named, may have been beautiful, but wasn’t all that bright. When Zeus’s roving eye landed on the princess, he transformed into a white bull and struck a pose near where Europa and her home-girls were picking flowers. Upon seeing the animal, she approached and stroked him. In what can only be described as a grave lack of judgment, Europa mounted the bull.

 Zeus ran straight into the sea, taking Europa with him, and didn't stop until he reached the island of Crete. To commemorate the occasion, Zeus created the Taurus constellation. Europa gave Zeus three sons and became the first queen of Crete.

 Zeus had wide and varied tastes in his lovers. The father of the gods wooed Leda, the queen of Sparta, by transforming himself into a white swan. Pretending to be chased by an eagle, Zeus landed in Leda’s lap. Sure the normal train of thought may not be, “Hmmm, I think I’m going to fuck this bird.” But do him she did. From Leda and Zeus’s union came two eggs, from which four children hatched—Castor and Pollux, and two girls—Clytemnestra and Helen (also known as Helen of Troy).

 Hundreds of goddesses, nymphs, women, and men fell victim to Zeus’s erotic manipulations. From these exploits, Zeus begot demigods, heroes, several wonderful star constellations, and a reputation as the god that never stopped giving. From him and the many that gave their virginity came a rich and powerful Greek dynasty, the gods of Olympus.

 Stay tuned for more Sex in History next month.

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Copyright © 2010 Boone Brux. All rights reserved.

Ancient Party Girls

Ancient Party Girls

By Boone Brux

Prostitution—the oldest profession in the world.

Whether the adage is true or not, there’s no denying the practice of selling sex has flourished for millennia.

Unlike today’s notion of prostitution, harlotry didn’t begin in dark alleyways, brothels, and seedy taverns. Instead it sprouted within the temples of ancient Mesopotamia and was rooted deep in the religious rituals of the day. Dedicated to the service of the fertility goddess, male and female prostitutes fornicated not for money or gain, but for the blessings of the goddess. Back then, sex was literally a religious experience.

In ancient times, a woman had very little control or rights. But the one thing she possessed—that was always in demand—was her body. Transactions shifted from religious to a more self-serving path.

The ancient Greeks lumped prostitutes into three groups. Lowest were the pornai or slave prostitutes. All men, regardless of income level or cleanliness could afford the pornai.

A notch up was the street prostitutes. Male and female, these freeborn street walkers were inexpensive and convenient.

High-class hookers called the Hetaera existed for those with more refined tastes and deeper pockets. Much like the courtesans of the Renaissance, these women were educated in music and the art of sex. Beyond the parties and orgies, the Hetaera enjoyed a level of social influence denied to almost every non-prostitute female in Greece. These ancient call-girls actively participated in the symposia, where their beliefs and opinions were valued by men.

The Hetaera were sophisticated, graceful, and capable of servicing many clients during an evening’s function. Bang them—yes—blow them—maybe not. The practice of fellatio was off limits to most, but many still indulged.

Though oral sex or “dirty mouth” was taboo during this time period, it’s rumored that women from the island of Lesbos possessed legendary skill when it came to blow jobs. Unlike the contemporary lesbian label, females from Lesbos enthusiastically and skillfully cavorted with men. If a woman was accused of acting like a Lesbian, it usually meant she gave hummers to most, if not all the men at a gathering. You go girls.

The prostitutes of Rome were plentiful and cheap. Numerous women worked as tavern waitresses or in lodging houses. Many whores loitered under the arches of Circus Maximus, ready at a moments notice to provide a good rogering to those men aroused by the games and in need of instant relief.

The brothels were filthy, smelling of lamp smoke and other putrid odors that permeated the poorly ventilated dens. Taverns for the most part, were considered brothels and the waitresses regarded as prostitutes by law and for tax purposes.

Horace, the famous Roman poet, wrote about his experience—or lack there of, with a tavern waitress.

“Here like a triple fool, I waited till midnight for a lying jade till sleep overcame me, intent on venery; in that filthy vision the dreams spot my night clothes and belly, as I lie upon my back.

Poor Horace, we can only hope he awoke in time to give it a couple of strokes and not completely waste the experience.

As the Roman men traveled, conquered, and returned home, their disenchantment with Roman women grew. Having experienced some of the most sensual and sexually skilled women on Earth, the local flavor paled in comparison. To remedy the situation, many Roman men imported Hetaera and Syrian prostitutes—much to their spouse’s dismay.

Roman wives and women bristled over the influx of foreign harlots. Soon the smack-down for female supremacy began. Modest by nature, the Roman women tossed caution to the wind and pull out all the stops. Their behavior was often time over the top in an effort to outdo their competition. Without the refined grace taught to the Hetaera, the Roman women came off looking more like gold-digging sluts than sexually cultured paramours. Crass and unsophisticated, the Roman women’s skanky efforts soon drew contempt from the very men they desired to woo, their husbands and masters.

With prostitution on the rise, politicians stepped in and levied taxes on the profession. In Rome, procuring income from the brothel was a respected and legitimate source of income. Being a prostitute wasn’t. The government set forth a registration for the women. She was required to give her real name, age, where she was born, and a pseudonym under which she would practice—much like the strippers of today.

Once a whore, always a whore. If a woman’s name was entered in the official scroll, it remained for all times, no matter what direction the woman’s life took. If she married a respectable citizen, she retained the stigma of prostitution her entire life.

Failure to register as a prostitute was severely punished. However, the number of clandestine harlots in Rome probably equaled that of the registered prostitutes. Since the men who frequented the unregistered women were politicians and prominent citizens, it was difficult to deal with and rectify the situation. The punishment for employing the services of an unlicensed whore was as steep for the panderer as it was for the woman.

During his rein, Calligula established a brothel inside the palace and forced the wives, young daughters, and sons of the elite citizens to serve as prostitutes. Ruthless and brutal, the emperor reveled in fucking the family members of the elite. To add insult to injury, he boasted, bragged, and taunted the husbands and fathers with explicit details. It’s no wonder Calligula was assassinated by one of the guards.

Some women, the rare few, became wealthy from the stints as prostitutes. A Greek Courtesan name Phryne from the 4^th century BC, acquired so much money, she offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes, which had been destroyed by Alexander the Great. Her one request was that “Destroyed by Alexander, Rebuilt by Phryne” be inscribed into the stone.

Latin has more pornographic words than any other language and the number describing prostitutes is staggering.

Lupae—Given for the wolf like cry they emit during sex and proficiency in the lingual gymnastics, or giving head.

Aelicaria—Baker’s girls

Noctiluae—Night walkers

Blitidae—A very low class. The name is derived from the cheap drink sold in the dens they frequent.

Forariae—Country girls who turn tricks along the roads.

Gallinae—Thieving prostitutes. Named after hens. They take anything and scatter everything.

Diobolares—Two obol girls, named for their price.

Amasiae—Girls devoted to Venus. Tramps in modern society.

Amatrix—Female lover in the male roll. Dominatrix.

Amica—Female who wanted to an active partner or on top during sex.

Quadrantariae—The lowest class of prostitutes. Their natural charm are no longer sellable.

It’s suprising how little the profession of prostitution has changed over the centuries. Though still illegal, the trade of selling sex is thriving.

RANDY ROMANS

Part one – Pompeii’s Glory Days 

Fire, brimstone, and molten lava vomited from the center of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD. The ash and fire covered Pompeii and buried its victims, freezing the scenes of everyday life like a morbid sculpture. It’s a sad story retold to us by historians in devastating detail. But as tragic as Pompeii’s history is, Vesuvius’ poisonous pyroclastic cloud has a silver-lining. The volcano’s swift and merciless destruction allowed us a glimpse into the lives of these Romans. So put away your tissues and dry your eyes, it appears many Pompelians were caught with their pants down, literally. 

Over the last decade, much about the true nature of Pompeii has reluctantly emerged. Whether embarrassed, shocked, or dismayed, the Italians initially locked many of the unearthed relics of Pompeii away in a secret room at the Naples National Archeological Museum. The artifacts were deemed ‘too profane’ for the museum’s delicate patrons. But, in 2000, the collection finally opened to the public—and what a collection it was.  

Those Pompelians were a naughty lot. Penises decorated everything from cups to door-pulls. It’s enough to make a girl quiver with excitement. As a sign of wealth and affluence, erotic frescoes graced the walls of homes and businesses. The Pompelians loved their phalluses, the bigger the better, it seemed. 

[caption id="attachment_318" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The god, Priapus in all his glory."][/caption]

 

 Priapus, a minor rustic fertility god, was a favorite in Pompeii. Captured by many artisans, his likeness was recreated again and again in statues and paintings. Each artist obviously felt obligated to immortalize Priapus’ huge johnson, a symbol of his lustful nature. One look at his image and you must believe he was blessed by the gods. 

[caption id="attachment_319" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The statue that shocked King Charles III into shutting down all excavation activity"][/caption]

 

The god, Pan, also seem to be a favorite character of those randy Romans. In 1740, King Charles III, excited by what treasure his excavation efforts might reveal, was horrified when a particularly playful statue of Pan copulating with a lovely little nanny goat was pulled from a tunnel. He quickly ordered the entire site shut down. Being a staunch Catholic, King Charles found Pan’s lusty endeavors neither comical nor enlightened. Perhaps he lamented, “What happened in Pompeii should stay in Pompeii.” 

Still standing is the oldest brothel in the world, the Lupanare Grande. The name means Den of the She-Wolves—an expression used by Romans when referring to prostitutes. Here, it seems, any type of pleasure could be had. When one entered the Lupanare from the street, they would travel down a long corridor decorated with erotic paintings. Some historians believe the paintings were a list of options of what was available to the casual customer. Much like a drive-up restaurant, the client got to see the menu before he reached the cashier. 

 The brothel walls are carved with Latin graffiti. Over a hundred different references to fucking were cut into the granite by patrons. (Hic ego puellas multas futui), “Here I fuck many girls.” This customer’s bragging makes a person wonder if he inscribed the boast after many visits, or if it was some kind of initiation, much like frat boys hitting the local whorehouse. “Whoo Hoo, Dude, you nailed that old whore. High five.” Another inscription, Felix bene futuis, “Lucky guy, you fuck well” or "Lucky guy, you get a good fuck"), was supposedly carved by a prostitute about her client. It sounds a bit like a bad porn movie. “Oh yeah baby, you’re so good. Yah, yah, you lucky guy, you fuck so well.” But since she scribed the statement in stone, one must believe that the prostitute meant it. It’s one thing to shout it in a moment of feigned passion. It’s quite another to take the time and gouge it into granite. 

Pompeii appears to have had an elaborate sex trade system. Down and dirty, lavish and expensive, it was all for sale in Pompeii. Rome was the Las Vegas of the ancient times, but Pompeii held its own as a luxury playground for the rich and elite. Famous actors, gladiators, and government members frequented the city. Can you imagine the tabloids of the times? 

‘After several grueling rounds at the Colosseum, Sparticus Erectus has taken his leisure at Pompeii’s famous brothel, Lupanare Grande. It’s rumored that Erectus keeps several young women and men on his staff.’ 

Mistresses, orgies, and concubines were there for the taking. The stigma of same-sex relations was not prevalent during this time period. It was as common for a man to be with a man as it was for him to be with a woman. Men with women, women with men, men with young boys, there was no end to the combinations these Romans partook of. 

[caption id="attachment_320" align="aligncenter" width="199" caption="A wall painting from Pompeii"][/caption]

 

With the good there is always the bad. Eighty percent of the population of Pompeii was poor. Those less prosperous members sold their services on the streets. Thirteen curbside cribs were identified in Pompeii. These small stone rooms contained only a stone bed. Location, location, location, the saying seemed to be true even back then.  Positioned around the one hundred and fifty-three taverns of Pompeii, these cribs helped make the sale of sex quick and dirty. 

Penis, penis, penis, you couldn’t say it enough if you lived in Pompeii. From street lamps to statues, those crazy Romans erected more phallic symbols than one race of people should be allowed. Even today, visitors can see the likeness of a penis carved into the paving stones upon which the Romans walked. Veni, Vidi, Vici—I came, I saw, I conquered. Pompeii gives the famous Latin phrase a whole new meaning. 

If you liked this piece, please return on October 20 for more Sex in History and those Randy Romans. 

For more information on Pompeii tune into the History Channel’s History of Sex or pick up Roman Sex: 100BC-250 AD by John Clarke at http://www.amazon.com/Roman-Sex-100-B-C-D/dp/0810942631/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284653479&sr=8-1 

Copyright © 2010 Boone Brux. All rights reserved.