Recounting of the Tannit Ritual

"I want to see your lovely body."

Domitia described her decisionmaking in practicalities. There was little chance of escape, as she had no knowledge of how to commandeer the boat. Valerius was still alive. And importantly, she had always been told that in a captive situation she should value her life over her honor; in this her father had contravened the norms that many parents share.

She reached up and began to fumble with the knot of her toga. She recounts her fingers being clumsy and sweaty, as though they would not fully obey her. She looked into the eyes of Tanina, and then the Nubian slave, and then the other attendant, who was still robed. Perhaps on seeing those plain robes, Domitia hesitated. Tanina saw the interaction, and gestured to the clothed slave, who shrugged off her robe quickly. Domitia saw the slave had olive skin, like hers, but a face of those from Parthia. Her smooth body was jeweled in a similar manner to the Nubian, with a tight green loincloth.

The Parthian slave quietly stepped forward and gently took Domitia's hands off of the knot. The slave deftly worked at it, and unwrapped it. Domitia felt the steam creep up against her body, wetting the loincloth at her waist and the wrapping around her breasts. The slave gestured to a smooth, petrified tree trunk, which was bent almost at a right angle, like a bed. Domitia bit her lip, and looked to Tanina for a moment. She then stepped to the trunk and lay her back on it.

Domitia, unlike the taciturn Valerius, does not omit any detail of the ritual that followed. To this, history owes her a great debt, that she would do potential harm to her own honor for the sake of knowledge. She did not know this, but the Massylii perceived great power in the sexual energy of women. Tanina, in her recounting, saw this power as she watched Domitia please herself in the portico. And now she watched intently as Domitia first gazed up at the ceiling for a moment, shut her eyes, and inserted a hand gingerly into her loincloth.

Domitia recounts trying to clear her mind the best she could, to pretend as though she was in her own chambers in her home in Tarentum, quietly engaging herself so as not to invite the eyes or ears of servants outside. She described in explicit terms how took a deep breath and began to rub a finger up and down her cunt. She steadied her breath, inhaling and exhaling deeply, to calm herself.

Tanina recounted how easily Domitia took to her duty. Normally Tanina would have expected for the ritual participant to be totally naked as they began the Second Blessing, but Domitia's enthusiasm made her more lenient on this count. She mused in her writing that perhaps Domitia felt comfortable with the task not having her cunt and breasts directly exposed to her observers.

Domitia was working herself with an expertise that Tanina approved of. Soon her breath was growing more shallow, her chest pulsing slowly. "Calm yourself," Tanina said quietly. "There is no hurry." Domitia showed assent by slowing her pace.

Domitia's closed eyes did not witness what Tanina did next. Her Nubian slave handed her a leather pouch containing a yellow powder. Tanina provides precious little detail about what this powder was; she describes it in a Numidian word that means little to Roman ears. However, I am led to conclude that the substance contained crushed ergot, the fungus that grows on our rye plants. She deftly poured the crushed ergot into the urn of Valerius's semen. She described a spark of light as the powder and semen reacted with each other, a golden glow now filling the urn.

Domitia was now moaning quietly, her shoulders curling to add more pressure with her hands. With another hand, she was touching down her neck and chest, down to her stomach. Tanina gestured to her Nubian slave, who approached, and undid the wrap around Domitia's breasts. As her breasts were freed, Domitia began to tug at them, an insistent finger pressing at her nipples.

"Do you think of your love?" Tanina whispered quietly. "Do you think of Valerius?"

Domitia did not answer, but she nodded. Her hands were pressing into her cunt with greater insistence.

"He wants you. I saw it in his eyes. I saw it as she stroked his mighty member. He was imagining you."

Domitia moaned. She claimed that Tanina's voice was somehow hypnotizing, that as she spoke, the image she was describing became vivid and clear in her head. She was imagining the Nubian slave at Valerius's knees, his strong, sweaty body, the Nubian's hand over his veiny cock like a statue of Apollo.

"Can you imagine doing that to him?" Tanina asked.

Now in her pleasure-soaked mind, Domitia was in the Nubian's place at Valerius's knees, her face beaming as she stroked Valerius.

Tanina gestured to the Parthian slave. The slave gingerly undid the knot at Domitia's loincloth. Her body now fully exposed, her buttocks began to buck against her hand, her hips lifting upwards.

"Imagine your mouth on him. Imagine your lips and tongue pleasing him."

Tanina saw Domitia's mouth open, her lips pursed. In her fantasy, Domitia obeyed. The full length of his cock slid into her waiting mouth and she sucked noisily at him.

"He is going to climax," Tanina whispered. "His hands tighten on your head. He wants to let loose his seed in your mouth."

Domitia's body was now bucking up and down against her hand, her breasts tugged furiously by another. In her mind she could clearly feel Valerius's body clenching as his cock twitched inside her mouth. Her breath was now vocally turning to moans.

"Do you want to taste him?" Tanina asked. "Do you want to drink deeply from him?"

Domitia recalled dimly shrieking "Yes!! YES!!"

The Nubian slave held Domitia's head gently as Tanina tipped the urn over Domitia's open mouth. Domitia, for her part, remembers as the semen entered her mouth; her fantasy and reality merged into one, and as she says, "it was more than the mind could possibly fathom." She drank eagerly from the urn, recognizing the smells of Valerius as she gulped down his semen. In her fantasy, Valerius had locked her face against his cock, his body clenched tightly as his semen was loosed inside her mouth.

As the last drop poured into her, Domitia climaxed. Tanina recounted her body quaking violently as her orgasm took her, her body stretched like a tight leather band. She moaned beautifully, shouting Valerius's name amidst the babbling and Latin curses. And then her body began to relax. Domitia realized though, as she returned to reality, that she was not entirely herself. The chalky taste of Valerius's semen still filled her mouth, but there was something else. Something almost sweet.

Domitia concluded intelligently in her writing that Valerius's semen must have been mixed with an intoxicating substance. Indeed; as all Romans know, ergot is known for its hallucinogenic properties, used in the ceremonies of the Eleusinian Mysteries to cause intense mystical states.

Domitia recalled thick, colorful patterns of light filling the room, and the water turning a brilliant golden color. She could feel every drop of sweat as they travelled down her heaving, naked body to the tree below her. What happened in the proceeding time is not clear. Tanina, in her writing, describes minimally that "the preparations for the Union" commenced.

Domitia, for her part attempted to recount what she could remember through the intoxicating fog of the ergot. She remembered moaning and sweating feverishly as she ran her hands up and down her body. She claimed it was as though every muscle in her body had been tuned for sexual sensation; she surmised that in addition to the ergot, some aphrodisiac had been mixed into Valerius's semen. To this I have no explanation; the Massylii were known to ingest ground lizard skins as an aphrodisiac, but learned Roman men believe that it has no actual effect.

Though her mind was increasingly taken by lust, Domitia claims that she was perfectly calm and at peace with the torrent in her mind. She remembered her body being moved to a thin netting suspended over the steaming, bubbling water. It is likely that the Massylii believed that heating her body by the lake's vapors would increase her sexual desire even further. Domitia suggests that this belief was correct; her mind and body reacted even further to the heat, which felt like a multitude of warm, wet fingers across her body.

Domitia's memories then become patchy, with one experience melting into another. As she described, it was as though the "future, past and present" became melted into one single sexual fever.

In another memory, she felt Tanina's hands pressing into her trembling head as the two slaves gently washed her body with washcloths soaked in the warm lake water. Domitia moaned as the Parthian slave's hands pressed against her breasts.

In another memory, she moaned as she felt something warm and wet sliding against her cunt.

In another memory, Domitia was being washed by the slaves. She was looking to the Parthian slave and had a hand against her cheek. Domitia firmly pressed her hand downward against the Parthian's head while opening her legs. The Parthian looked up to Tanina to approval, who shook her head. The Parthian's face then disappeared between Domitia's legs as she began to lick at Domitia's cunt. Recalling later, Domitia did not have any explanation as to why she prompted the slave to pleasure her in this way. She had never had any previous lustful feelings towards women. Her only thoughts on this was that "it felt like the correct thing at the moment." She remembered looking down with satisfaction and admiring the Parthian's shoulders.

Domitia's legs clasped around the Parthian's neck, drawing her in closer to her cunt. But then the Parthian drew back suddenly, denying Domitia a climax. Domitia whined, her body tense.

Domitia then saw two sturdy men walk into the room, robed and masked. Domitia recalled herself feeling absurdly awkward being in such a state of exposure in front of the men, and not knowing if they approved or disapproved of her body. The men were carrying a long, weaved basket, at least 7 feet long. The men then reached under Domitia's body and lifted her. One man was reaching under her buttocks, and she felt one of his fingers come treacherously close to her cunt.

Tanina described Domitia being placed in the basket and being carried to another chamber of the cave, for the portion of the ritual that she described as "The Shaping." In the center of the room was a small bubbling pool, no more than two feet wide, but gushing great amounts of vapor and steam. Domitia's legs and arms were bound to two sturdy stalagmites around the pool, such that her body was engulfed by the column of steam.

I can only hypothesize why steam and vapor played such an important part of the ritual. It is possible that ergot takes on greater hallucinatory effects when the body is hot and fevered. Or perhaps the combination of steam and ergot is what produces an aphrodisiac madness.

Domitia, in her writing, describes moaning and writhing against the heat, "not so much that the steam was burning or scalding me, but my mind was being thrown into a storm, and my body was being set against me." She recalled Tanina stepping to her side and chanting in her ear:

"She sees you."

Tanina recalled Domitia looking to her, her body quaking, her eyes confused. "W...who?" she could only stammer out.

"The Goddess Tannit sees you, Domitia. She sees your strength. She sees your beauty. Do you feel her?"

Domitia slumped against the ropes, her mind spinning. She had never felt anything like this before; what could it be if not for some great, unknowable force?

"The Goddess Tannit has chosen you, Domitia. You have been honored."

Domitia looked meekly to Tanina. She choked back an emotional sob as sensation shot up her thighs. She wanted relief, yes, but she also felt absurdly fortunate. Could it be that some great force had chosen her? It certainly felt like it...

"Hngggg!" Domitia moaned, her limbs tightening against the ropes. Her moans turned into a quiet wail. She recalled seeing bursts of light erupting from the cave walls and striking her body.

Tanina read her reaction, though Domitia did not give any clear assent or rejection. The robed men wheeled in a tall marble statue, perhaps 7 feet tall. It looked like a statue of the nude Hercules, aside from a remarkably erect phallus which protruded upwards almost to its navel. Domitia's eyes widened.

Tanina snapped her fingers. A dozen female slaves appeared behind her, awaiting her command. She gestured to the Parthian slave who had pleasured Domitia before, and pointed to the statue.

"Domitia," Tanina said in a commanding voice. "You have been chosen, and through you we shall all receive the blessings of the Goddess Tannit. You shall watch and see how the Goddess will work through you."

The Parthian knelt down in front of the statue's marble penis.

Domitia did not describe in detail what happened next. As much as her mind could recall, her body continued seizing as she watched the Parthian interact with the statue. She remembered majestic clothing manifesting onto her body; a jeweled pendant across her forehead, a snake bracelet across her wrist, diamond beads wrapped around her waist, ivory anklets against her feet. The slaves must have been adorning her the whole time, but in her own mind, the Goddess Tannit was blessing and transforming her.

She writhed in her steamy prison and watched as the Parthian slave showed her what she had to do...

***

Valerius recalled waking suddenly to the sound of a booming drum. He saw that he was in a room glowing with veins of liquid rock, flowing behind crystal walls. The heat was discomfiting around his skin, which was felt queerly cold. He was bound now to an arc of metal that seemed to float in the air. His downturned face saw a wool wrapping tied around his waist and manhood; it chafed terribly against him. His only other clothing was a heavy metal chain about his neck.

Around him was a ring of brass candles, their flames lit low; between them were etched lines in the stone floor. Valerius said that even then he could see that the etchings and candles were for some ritualistic purpose. He began to sweat nervously, fearing for the worst. Had they killed Domitia, and he was next?

He looked around for the source of the drum. The room was almost like Roman dome, perhaps 100 feet in diameter, with a jagged crystalline roof. Orange and red heat pulsed angrily behind the translucent walls. He was alone, as far as he can tell, bound on a slightly raised platform of stone and crystal.

There was another deep booming drum that echoed throughout the room. Valerius faintly heard the sound of bells; looked to the distance he saw dark figures approaching from a doorway in front of him, at the far edge of the room. The bells became louder, and he saw the figures were approaching two at a time.

The shapes of the figures became clearer, and he saw that they were women. They were hooded in a way that totally concealed their faces. The hoods extended over their shoulders, and just over their nipples, still exposing a tantalizing amount of their breasts and their midriffs. Gray sashes wrapped around their waists, well above their knees; their only distinct adornment was a jewel that was clapsed to their navels. As they walked, anklets were creating the bell-noises that Valerius had heard before. They scattered leaves and rose petals around them, creating a lush pathway.

They began to circle the ring of candles surrounding Valerius, perhaps a dozen of them, spreading leaves and petals, their anklets singing in the air. Valerius recognized the skin of the Nubian who had pleasured him. He flushed nervously, his cock twitching with the memory. She, however, paid him no mind. The women, their heads downturned, stopped after several revolutions, kneeling quietly behind the candles. The room was again deathly quiet, and Valerius waited fearfully.

He thought of begging one of the women to help him escape; but before he could utter a word, they started humming, almost at a whisper-level, all in the same, unison tone. He looked to the doorway, and saw the glint of golden armor. Tanina approached, chanting soft words. From my understanding of Masylii traditions, I believe that she was blessing the room, to give success for the ritual.

Tanina approached and stepped gingerly over the candles. Valerius saw her sprinkling some type of powdered substance around the ring. As she did, the carved etchings between the candles seemed to glitter and glow. Valerius looked down at his bound feet, his mind wracked with fear, considering any means of escape. He then heard Tanina whisper to him: "Accept her."

Valerius looked to her in confusion, but before he could ask a question, he heard a great scraping of rock. He looked down, and he saw a section of the crystal floor, in the interior of the candle ring, sinking downwards noisily. A moment passed, and the noisy scraping of rock returned. He saw a jagged spear of crystal emerge from the floor, becoming wider, and wider.

The ground shook as the crystal spear grew further into the room. A golden glow emerged from the ground, in front of the crystal spear. It was a hood. As the figure emerged, Valerius realized that the crystal emerging from the ground was a throne. Seated on it was a figure, concealed entirely by golden silk. Valerius could not see if the figure was male or female; the golden glow against the crystal was nearly blinding.

Tanina bowed her head and extended her hand to the figure. The figure reached out a golden arm and took Tanina's hand, standing regally in front of Valerius and the rest of the audience. Valerius shifted uncomfortably; was this figure...human? Or something else? He pushed the thought away. The figure gingerly stepped down her throne's steps. As the figure stepped down, Valerius felt eyes upon him. He shifted backwards nervously, as far as his chains would let him.

The slaves began to hum louder as the figure approached him. Valerius had to avert his eyes from the blinding golden light. Tanina looked towards the figure with reverence. The figure looked back, and Tanina nodded.

Tanina took her place behind the figure, and reached up to pull at a single lace on the figure's shoulders. Valerius watched as the robe began to unravel itself. At first, the right shoulder, revealing soft, feminine, olive skin. The robe unravelled towards the arm, revealing a snake bracelet across the wrist, and golden rings about her fingers. It then unravelled from the feet, showing ivory anklets about her feet, her robe vanishing up to the thighs. It then unravelled in a V-shaped pattern up the thighs, pressing against her such that she was seemingly clad in a tight golden loincloth that hid her buttocks and pubic region.

The robe began to then unravel from the waist upwards, showing her midriff, showing glowing diamond beads wrapped about her waist. Valerius held his breath as he saw her breasts come into view; they were framed by curved golden shapes that accentuated her the outside of her breasts. The robe unravelled upwards, to her neck, adorned by a necklace of golden seashells.

The figure turned away as her hood began to unravel. At first around her hair, which was braided regally and adorned with golden brooches. And then the hood was gone, the figure's back towards Valerius. The humming from the slaves grew louder still, and could feel the room growing warmer. Distracted, his gaze broke and his eyes fixed upon a birthmark on the figure's upper back. "No, that can't be..." he whispered to himself.

The figure turned back to him. Domitia's face regarded him, her chin upturned. Valerius looked upon her body for the first time, awed by its majesty. He tried to speak at first, but his eyes dashed downwards to her exposed breasts, her thighs, the loincloth barely concealing her womanhood. He breathed in shallowly, feeling pressure building in his groin. He thought of all the fantasies he had held in his mind of her body, all of the times he had masturbated to the thought of her...