Bagoas and the Miscellaneous Homoerotica
Dec. 2nd, 2004 04:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
corilannamMan, that could almost be a band name. Not really, but almost.
So here's my promised and long-awaited (by one, and possibly two, of you) rundown of the non-Alexander/Hephaistion homoerotic scenes in Alexander, subdivided into sections for Bagoas, and then non-Alexander related homoerotic incidents.
Two things before we start: 1) Since I saw the movie again, I've updated my Alexander/Hephaistion scene summaries with more accurate and detailed descriptions, for those that care about such things. And 2) if you're longing for Alexander stories and you're not exceptionally picky about the quality, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
alexanderfics has a bunch. Or at least a scattering.
As an addendum to that last one, I was planning on begging the universe to be merciful and not let anyone start writing this pairing as "Alex/Heph," or similar diminutives, but I can see that army has long since marched. So instead, I'm going to plead for the retention of what little dignity we still have -- just don't smoosh their names together. Please. I'll give you candy. And seriously, folks, the first person to post a threesome story labeled "Alexahephagas" gets my foot up their ass. I'm not kidding.
Okay. So now that I've had my moment, on with the gay.
The first time we see Bagoas is in the palace harem in Babylon (see "He is also Alexander" scene from the A/H post). Alexander doesn't seem to notice him particularly, but he certainly notices Alexander.
After that, Bagoas is frequently around attending Alexander. He has no lines at all, but is usually watching Alexander with some heat and Hephaistion with some jealousy. He is significant in the following scenes:
When Hephaistion comes to Alexander's chamber in Babylon while Alexander is reading his mother's letter (prelude to the balcony scene), Bagoas is there preparing Alexander's bath. When Alexander dismisses him so he and Hephaistion can talk alone, Bagoas looks deeply unhappy about it.
While Parmenion is being killed, Alexander is at his camp desk writing. Bagoas moves about the room, engaged in various tasks, but always watching Alexander. Alexander looks up at him several times, and they exchange looks heavy with sexual tension. Eventually Alexander gets up and goes to his bed. Bagoas stares at him as he strips and climbs naked into bed (and yes, there's a brief ass shot, and a glimpse of more). Alexander stares back, then lifts his hand to beckon Bagoas into bed with him, but the shot cuts off befor the gesture is even completed. This scene is intercut with the scene of Parmenion being killed on Alexander's orders, hence Alexander's weariness and black mood.
Later, in India, Alexander and all of his generals are at a big party. Bagoas and another very pretty boy are dancing as part of the entertainment. Alexander watches Bagoas closely, and when the dance finishes (with Bagoas and the other boy twining themselves together on the floor -- very hot), Alexander gets up and walks out to him. "Bagoas! Bagoas!" several of the drunken Macedonians are shouting as Alexander congratulates Bagoas with a carress.
"Kiss him!" Kleitos yells, and several others echo him.
So Alexander does, to the applause of the crowd.
Then Bagoas stands meekly beside Alexander as Kleitos offers a toast to Bagoas -- and all the other Persian boys they're training into the prettiest army in the world. The scene turns ugly from there, ending in Alexander skewering Kleitos in a drunken rage.
Afterwards, Alexander feels really, really bad about that. So he weeps in his tent for three days, and after Hephaistion is done dissing Roxane, he comes back to Alexander's private room where Alexander is sprawled on his bed, still crying. Bagoas is by his side, offering silent comfort while Hephaistion tries to talk Alexander out of his funk. At one point, Alexander sort of topples over to the side and ends up in Bagoas's lap, clasping his waist. This is the first and only time we see Hephaistion and Bagoas united in order to care for Alexander.
The last time we see Bagoas is when Alexander is on his death bed, and Bagoas is there wiping his face with damp cloths.
Whew. That's a lot of Persian boy.
Now, onto the "gay" moments that don't involve Alexander at all. Yes, there were a few.
If you blinked, you missed it, but Alexander's father also had a thing for the boys. At Philip's wedding to Eurydike, we briefly meet Pausanias, Philip's latest male favorite. Philip declares that he's tired of Pausanias, and a few minutes later, we see Pausanias being bent over a table by Philip and several other men. Pausanias's chiton is pulled up over his ass, and although the camera cuts away, the implication of imminent gang rape is clear. Not long after, the other men (minus Philip) drag a weeping and struggling Pausanias out to be passed around amongst Philip's guards.
Much, much later in the movie, after 98% of the audience who never knew who the fuck Pausanias was in the first place has forgotten his existence, we get the mistimed flashback to Philip's murder. Pausanias is one of Philip's guards now, and Alexander sees him pacing just inside the entrance to the amphitheatre where Philip is about to enter. Alexander has a bad feeling about this, but he can't stop Philip, who insists on walking in alone. He does, and Pausanias comes up to him and kisses him hard on the mouth. It's an angry kiss, and it lasts for a long time, until the people sitting in the amphitheatre realize something's amiss.
Then Pausanias pulls back and drives a knife into Philip's belly. Philip falls to the ground, dying, and Pausanias takes off running. He's pursued by guards into the woods, where he trips and falls to the ground. They're on him before he can get up and stab him to death on the spot while Alexander is being proclaimed king.
Incidentally, it's Hephaistion who grabs Alexander's hand and raises it while shouting "Long live the king!" so as to get Alexander acknowledged as the rightful heir before anyone can think to question it. He also puts Philip's crown on Alexander's head after Kassander picks it up and hands it to him.
And the last bit of homoeroticism (unless someone thinks of something I missed) is at Alexander's wedding. Everyone is celebrating, and Kleitos (who, I must mention, is way hotter than Black Kleitos has any business being) is happily snuggled up with a really lovely Persian boy. When Alexander makes a toast to all the women who have been following the army loyally, Kleitos shouts out, "What about our boys?" and kisses his. A nice moment to show the normality of male/male sex at the time.
Okay, that's it, I'm all out of gay here. Go write some stories, people!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2004-12-02 01:49 pm (UTC)Dude. Is that the Macedonian version of Mr. Snuffleupagas?
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Date: 2004-12-02 02:13 pm (UTC)-J
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Date: 2004-12-03 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 07:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 01:54 pm (UTC)I am normally morally opposed to all forms of portmanteau pairing names, but, um, this makes me giggle.
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Date: 2004-12-03 06:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 02:04 pm (UTC)There were actual throw away scenes other than this. There were a celebratory scenes where different guys were grabbing each other or otherwise obviously interested. Philip is also hanging off a man and a woman at his wedding feast, prior to the whole thing with Pausanias. (Though, now that I think about it, I can't remember if that might have actually been Pausanias as well. But you definitely have most of them. *g*
And you're right, I loved how everything is just done casually--because it would have been. This was normal.
Damn. I want to go see it again. (mmm, Hephaestion's chest...)
Although Alexhephagas nearly killed any and all interest I had. Ever.
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Date: 2004-12-02 10:02 pm (UTC)I'm 99% sure that it is Pausanias hanging off Philip, and then he's bent over the table and taken away by the drunken men for some fun. No wonder he decided to, ahem, stick Philip.
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Date: 2004-12-03 07:08 am (UTC)I think that was Pausanias, you're right. And there was definitely more throwaway homoerotic moments, but I couldn't specifically remember where they were in the film, so I stuck to the ones with characters I could actually name. *g*
And you're right, I loved how everything is just done casually--because it would have been. This was normal.
Yup. No one made a big deal out of it, no one took any notice of it. I love that. We got the full spectrum from the tawdry and immoral (Philip's treatment of Pausanias) to the beautiful and spiritual (Alexander and Hephaistion), and it wasn't treated any differently than the heterosexual relationships.
Damn. I want to go see it again. (mmm, Hephaestion's chest...)
Although Alexhephagas nearly killed any and all interest I had. Ever.
Oh, no no no. Not even the evil mutant Alexahephagas can kill interest in Hephaestion's chest. It just isn't possible. *g*
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Date: 2004-12-02 05:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 07:10 am (UTC)And don't laugh at the Alexahephagas, you'll only encourage it. *g*
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Date: 2004-12-03 01:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 05:42 pm (UTC)Okay.
You too! *g*
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Date: 2004-12-03 07:12 am (UTC)Oooh. Is there a court where I can get this upheld as a legally binding promise? *g*
And I will! I just have to work up my nerve. :-)
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Date: 2004-12-02 06:05 pm (UTC)bwahahahahhaha! *falls over laughing*
Maybe Alexander should start calling Hephaestion "H", and vice versa, in a bad fic where modern colloquial language badly mixes with Macedonian past. hee hee hee
Go write some stories, people!
I have an idea, but I need to finish Fire From Heaven, at the very *least*, before I even ponder if it's feasable.
I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, waiting for anything from me, however. You'd die, and there would be no pretty Alexander to crawl on top of you and cry. Anyway, you'd want to be alive when Alexander does it. :D
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Date: 2004-12-03 07:18 am (UTC)This are all true and sad things.
And hey, you still owe me 006 fic! Don't think I've forgotten!
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Date: 2004-12-03 09:36 am (UTC)*blinks* I do? *blinks* Well *I*'d forgotten.
*looks at you suspiciously* And when did I promise such a thing? (Because, I've wrote plenty of 006 fic.)
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Date: 2004-12-02 10:00 pm (UTC)Okay, that's it, I'm all out of gay here. Go write some stories, people!
Check!
And seriously, folks, the first person to post a threesome story labeled "Alexahephagas" gets my foot up their ass. I'm not kidding. Cutesify at your own risk.
Even if I were tempted (and that would be a cold, cold day in Hades) that would be enough to scare me away forever ;)
Excellent recapping!
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Date: 2004-12-03 07:20 am (UTC)Woo hoo!
Even if I were tempted (and that would be a cold, cold day in Hades) that would be enough to scare me away forever ;)
Excellent. This is exactly the reaction I was hoping to provoke. *g*
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Date: 2004-12-03 10:45 am (UTC)Excellent. This is exactly the reaction I was hoping to provoke. *g*
It worked! With a few rare exceptions, I'm not one for threesomes in stories (and in the case of A/H, I don't need it any other way or with any additions ;)
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Date: 2004-12-03 11:57 am (UTC)Isn't he just lovely? *sigh*
I just today put up a copy of the cover for "Alexander the Conqueror" which came out earlier this year from Perseus Press. Do you have it? reading it last night, the author's stated that if Alexander had thought his beloved Hephaistion had been murdered by poison, there was no ends of the earth he wouldn't go to to find the culprits. It made my toes curl *G*
You know, I don't think I have that one yet. But I think I'm going to have to obtain it immediately. *g* That is most toe-curling. Mmmmm.
It worked! With a few rare exceptions, I'm not one for threesomes in stories (and in the case of A/H, I don't need it any other way or with any additions ;)
I don't think Hephaistion would stand for any additions, in any case. He tolerates Bagoas's existence (barely), but I hardly think he's going to tolerate Bagoas's participation when Alexander and Hephaistion are in bed!
Not that this is going to stop the badfic, of course. *g*
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Date: 2004-12-03 01:36 pm (UTC)*nods* You can tell it's from early in the movie, the amount of eyeliner he wears is exponentially related to the years away from home ;)
You know, I don't think I have that one yet. But I think I'm going to have to obtain it immediately. *g* That is most toe-curling. Mmmmm.
you can look inside the book on Amazon. I was given the book by someone who knew of my Alexander love, and it's a beautiful book. It's not the most in-depth and scholarly (not to say it's not well researched, because it is), but it's a good read with beautiful pictures (and Hephaistion referred to as Alexander's lover, so , you know, I liked it ;)
I don't think Hephaistion would stand for any additions, in any case.
You know, I knew there was a reason I loved him so ;)
He tolerates Bagoas's existence (barely),
The above mentioned book says that Bagoas was a favorite of Darius and Alexander took him in the same role...and that it didn't change a thing about relationship between Alexander and Hephaistion (gotta love that. No matter who you might get added to the mix, nothing's going to lessen that love ;)
but I hardly think he's going to tolerate Bagoas's participation when Alexander and Hephaistion are in bed!
I think the heavens would just as soon fall as Hephaistion would allow such a thing. Alexander is his and his alone, especially when they're together in bed (probably to only time Hephaistion *truly* had Alexander as his own in every sense of the word. Well, that and in the afterlife *g*)
Not that this is going to stop the badfic, of course. *g*
Thank goodness for the back button and the ability to just walk on by *g*
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Date: 2004-12-02 10:18 pm (UTC)Kleitos, especially the "older" Kleitos, when he's one of Alexander's generals, was sex personified. My god.
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Date: 2004-12-03 07:23 am (UTC)And frankly, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. *g*
Kleitos, especially the "older" Kleitos, when he's one of Alexander's generals, was sex personified. My god.
Guh. The shot of him in India on the horse in the rain where he's wearing just his cuirass and he's wet and dripping and looking ferocious... guh.
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Date: 2004-12-03 10:52 am (UTC)Mmmmmmmmmmm. Yeah, he just looked. Yeah.
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Date: 2004-12-03 03:57 pm (UTC)I still have to see "Alexander" (the movie will get in Italy only in january), but after reading certain things, the hunger is even increased...^^
Btw, can I friend you?^^
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Date: 2004-12-06 06:58 am (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed my summaries, and I hope you enjoy the movie just as much when you finally get to see it! Certain things are very yummy indeed. :-)
And feel free to friend me, if you like.