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Sotoleon
read and liked
Chris's
review of A History of Orgies: Lost Treasures:
"A BRIEF WARNING TO MY FELLOW PERVERTS: There are no gratifying descriptions of orgies within!
Well, I endeavored to stave off the legions of sexual deviants that would presumably be attempting to scroll through this review single-handedly...more
A BRIEF WARNING TO MY FELLOW PERVERTS: There are no gratifying descriptions of orgies within!
Well, I endeavored to stave off the legions of sexual deviants that would presumably be attempting to scroll through this review single-handedly (and doing god-knows-what with the other) while salivating uncontrollably. There are of course sections of this book which serve no purpose than to shamelessly titillate with brief glances into the depraved and licentious acts transpiring at these revered gatherings of yore. Not that orgies have ceased to occur (I just flew back from one; and boy are my arms tired! yuk yuk), but as this was originally published in 1958, any of the orgies briefly described within are basically prehistoric in my eyes.
However, this book is far more than simple, tawdry pseudo-smut; by borrowing heavily from historical sources chronicling the last few thousand years of debauchery of all sorts, author Burgo Partridge often adds credibility to the tales, alongside some interesting lessons from the pages of history which are reputedly stuck together and he generously adds some of his insight as to what he astutely concludes are the causes and effects of these uninhibited sexcapades. While compelling, keep in mind that there is little that Partridge can say that is going to measure up to the source material for the tales within; while I can only attest that I’ve read about five of the 50-60 works in his formidable suggested bibliography, I can state that this book can’t compare (and doesn’t have to).
The only caveats I can offer are as follows: 1) all the choice quotes are pulled from previous sources, Partridge has little to offer in this respect, 2) sometimes he strays from the enticing theme of orgies of a sexual nature into orgiastic living of all sorts (be it feasting, drinking, violence), 3) as far as the section on the Romans goes, you’re far better reading the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius, and I’m sure the same could be said for the other chapters if I was more well-read on the subjects.
My aim in this reading was not educational or intended to produce any sort of enlightenment; I consider this strictly entertainment material. I was primarily interested in this book to once again read of the exploits of my own idols, the perverts, malcontents, and deviants of human history. Naturally, most of the familiar fiends are in attendance, the Roman Caesars, ill-intentioned Popes, Rasputin, Cassanova, De Sade, and Crowley. Over the course of the book, I was introduced to many new characters that will quickly ascend to the highest ranks of my own personal pantheon of gods.
The book begins with the Greeks, well-practiced sodomites and advocates of a truly phenomenal form of hedonistic living. While interesting, the Greeks offer very little of what I’m looking for. The author unendingly lauds the many virtues of Greek life and philosophy, which I personally found unappealing. There’s only one truly entertaining character within, Diotimus of Athens, who earns the nickname ‘Funnel’ for his habit of chugging wine through a funnel, so far as I know, the first man in recorded history to do something akin to beer-bonging, a true innovator and asset to the annals of human endeavor.
The book doesn’t really amuse until the hard-partying Romans enter the scene. The only issue I had here were the ongoing comparisons of the Roman and Greek cultures and their attitude towards debauchery; as someone particular to the methods of the Romans, it was like getting a lecture from someone as to why ‘thou shouldn’t’ do this or that. In the first two pages, my man Burgo basically brands the Romans as a collective of perverts and sadists inclined toward all forms of over-indulgence. I’d like to be offended, but history sides with the author; with deities such as Volgivaga (the patroness of harlots) and Priapus (the garden god ‘who was equipped with a genital organ of stupendous size’) you know the Romans don’t play around. With ritual self-castration and baptism by ram-blood included as part of the worship of Cybele, I can safely say I don’t need any of that old time religion. As far as partying went, the Romans were unsurpassed masters, ‘it was considered an accomplishment to be able to vomit at will in order that the process might be started all over again’, again, this is something that my own group of friends has embraced, unknowingly from the wisdom passed down from the ages. The fact that Vitellius also did this is pretty impressive, showing that even Caesar liked to party.
The Middle Ages, as Partridge calls them, are relatively uneventful, but I still came away with some items of interest. Men’s fashion included the braguette, ‘a tight bag which served to accentuate’ the shape of their genitals, and I strongly suspect that these clever chappies also wore ass-less pants. With the Church pathetically running the show at the time, some highlights concerning the hypocrisy of their rule through the behavior of some of the popes getting down with their bad selves; John XII turned a church into a brothel and John XXIII was deposed in light of ‘notorious incest, adultery, defilement, homicide, and atheism’. And with Christianity running roughshod over common sense and acting as a governing body, the natural enemies of the sate are the heretics and transgressors accused of witchcraft, blasphemy; however, these simpleton perpetrators paled in comparison to the creativity of the church’s own popes. The claims of these fools to f*ck the devil are entertaining; apparently the devil has a member described in glowing terms such as ‘like that of a mule’ or ‘half as long as a violin’.
The Renaissance era offers a few interesting folk: Sigismondo Malatesta convicted of ‘murder, rape, adultery, incest, sacrilege, perjury and treason, committed not once but often’, Werner von Usslingen was the self-claimed ‘Enemy of God, Pity and Mercy’ and we also get a little insight on Don Niccolo de Pelagati, another murderer, kidnapper, plunderer, violator, and hero of the people.
For all the common conceptions concerning the Puritans, several stand out as true artistes in perversion: Mary, Countess of Pembroke, makes sure ‘when the stallions mount the mares in the spring’, she would have them brought out for her viewing pleasure ‘and then she would act the like sport herself with her stallions, one of her great gallants was crooke-back’t Cecill, Earl of Salisbury’. Revolting, but surely an eye-opening ordeal. Perhaps the greatest delinquent of the times is Sir Charles Sedly, a repeat offender of all things decent, beginning with his being naked on his balcony, ‘acting all the postures of lust and buggery that could be imagined’, prior to attempting to peddle to the affronted masses ‘a powder as should make all the c*nts in town run after him’, and ‘that being done, he took a glass of wine and washed his prick in it, and then drank if off, and then took another and drank to the King’s health’. This is all involved in his first-mentioned act of depravity, the following several pages elaborate on this intriguing fellow and his later exploits. The reader also becomes acquainted with some of the most depraved harlots of the age, including Oyster Moll, the whore ‘whose crinigerous clift was ready to run the gantlope through a regiment of foot-guards’. Partridge, for one reason or another, takes a jab at education by asserting ‘the schoolmastering profession has always attracted homosexual flagellants’. Truer words never spoken.
Beyond the age of the Puritan, it seems that there is a marked decrease in complete and absolute tyrannical sexual wantonness and depravity, sure, a few weirdoes here and there are still going apeshit, but rarely in public or on such a grand scale. The stories now dwell on private clubs of perverts and Satanists, led by men with a passion for woman, drink and profanity fond of wigs crafted of pubic hair and giants cats and pumas presiding at their assemblies. Cassanova is introduced as being an author with a slant toward ‘cabalistic balderdash’, however, his encounters including nuns, pairs of sisters, and exhibitionism/voyeurism are all considered genuine and corroborated for by the author. De Sade spends his brief time in the story taking 800 lashes to the ass with a twig while notching each stroke on his headboard.
The Victorian era is also unexceptional; there is some content concerning a few prostitutes of repute, but perhaps the thing that will most inspire the pedophiles out there to take up some interest in time-travel is the tidbit that the age of consent during this troubled time is 12.
Disappointingly, the climax is wasted on the 20th Century, which is predominantly focused on Edward Alexander ‘Aleister’ Crowley, and his drug-cult and white/black sex-magick mumbo-jumbo. Partridge seems to harbor an appreciation for this fanatical piece of sh!t, but truly, the only good part of that story is his junkie 5-year old son who threatens a woman with ‘You must leave me alone! I am Best Number Two and I can shatter you!’ The tales of treacherous and lecherous zealots comes to a close with Rasputin, ugliest son of a bitch to ever bag over 100 chicks (Ron Jeremy included).
In summation; if you’re a twisted f*ck looking to stroke it to the written word for some mind-numbing reason, this isn’t the one to pick up. If you’re a normal, god-fearing degenerate, run down to 7-11 and pick up a copy of Club or Perfect 10, hell, maybe you might be able to get that last copy of Juggs that the guy working the counter has thumbed through a half-dozen times while the story is devoid of suckers purchasing losing lottery tickets.
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Sotoleon said:
"_The Passion of Ayn Rand_ is fascinating. I remember reading Rand's The Fountainhead when I was eighteen and though I liked Howard Roark's and Dominique Francon's erotically charged relationship and the symbolic values that both characters represent,...more
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