More Art by Reitorachi

Following on from my post of Reitorachi's Captivity images,

another selection of other work by this artist, some vanilla, some not 

I don't know whether you'd call this vanilla or not, but it must be one of the best images ever of the tentacle genre, not so much for what it shows but for what it doesn't show, and what you think it should show in a few minutes time. A hero in trouble, having his already skimpy clothes pulled off, but he is not quite in an inescapable predicament, not just yet. There's only one tentacle, not the usual, multi-pronged attack, so it's more focussed and to my mind, more effective. 

But there are other delights. The wet, 'fundoshi' loin cloth with it's gleaming rounded contents. It's twisted, rope-like under-strap is vaguely suggestive of a string of pleasure balls. And those ass cheeks look distinctly rosy. Is this an 8-armed spanker? There's even a cute foot being proffered if you like to partake of such delicacies.

There's a similar sense of vulnerability about the man in this image, upside down, semi-suspended, and unclad from the shoulders down. His exposed cheeks are spattered with something, but the close proximity of a beer bottle and the respectably clad state of the adjacent captor means there's an element of uncertainty about the exact nature of the fluid. There's also a question about what he is going to do with the empty bottle. To the right a second captor is up to more mischief, it's left to the viewer to imagine whether it's painful or just plain rude. 

There's no such mystery in this reworking of the same suspension idea, but the nature of the threat posed by this hero's fantasy attacker is much more dependant on the viewer's imagination. 

The dense detail and styling makes this image harder to take in, it reminds me of old engravings where devilish creatures were set upon sinners. Non-Western cultures don't have the same, extreme viewpoint about such beasts and dragons get a better press these days. 

Nevertheless, the bird-like claws and beaks of these creatures do look scary and the depiction of the bony, hammerlock grip on the hero's arm (at the left) is very powerful. The advantage of fantasy creatures is that everything can be exaggerated and the artist has taken full advantage of that with the creature's tongues which are not only very long but prehensile too. They don't seem to be using them for the usual pleasuring and intrusion, but to plant two egg-shaped objects in the captive's rectum. (The second one is being held by the one on the left, next to it's beak). I'm not sure how the hero is prevented from ejecting them, but his angry expression at the violation seems quite justified. 

Tonguing is this creature's game too and it uses it's many, multicoloured tentacles to restrain it's captive in a most imaginative and accessible way. It places a degree of physical stress on him and he's already sweating. His earphone-mike combo suggests he is a Chris Redford-style, enforcement agent of some sort, which lends an acute irony and pathos to his restraint and to the exploitation of his nudity - nudity which couldn't look more complete. This dynamic pose is much better than the stereotypical sitting down/open legged, floating posture of the tentacle genre. 

I have doctored this image to tone down the censorship squiggle 

and it has fortuitously turned into a secondary tentacle envelopment.

A strong sense of vulnerability and exposure is created here by a pseudo-medical machine which comprehensively restrains the patient from the front, while presenting  his rear end to a variety of probing devices (which also seem to have a fluid injection capability). This is a much more elegant way of gaining access than the birthing leg-lifter so beloved of video makers. 

There's a second layer of restraint down below, linked to a milking feature - or a draining device, to be more precise. The milking is actually precipitated by the action of the probes.  

 , 

This image repurposes the suspension pose seen in Part 1 of this article. The bondage itself is economical but it's a fairly challenging restraint position with doubled back limbs and asymmetrical rigging stretching and stressing the captive, whose arched torso is sweating profusely. It's this that makes the image so striking. 

There's a wealth of supplementary detail. A cock sheath performs unseen manipulations on his pride and joy (and keeps the censor at bay). Thin lines attached to nipple pads provide further stimulation and another is pulling open his mouth to receive a fluid dripping from above (a tricky alignment I would have thought, it's hard to imagine him remaining still). He seems to be wearing virtual reality goggles and is therefore unaware that he is surrounded by a lustful audience observing the effects of all these attachments on him, but ultimately unable to participate in his adventure.

This image of a man reclining on a beach (or beside a pool) also has layers of interest.  His cigar and cocktail suggest maturity and sophistication. Also wealth. He has a chunky, well-built figure and is clad in sexy form-fitting briefs so you wouldn't have imagined that he'd be short of admirers and yet he's brazenly holding a fan of banknotes in his hand as if wanting to attract service of the paid-for kind. 

That detail seems to transform him. The voluminous smoke starts to suggest an element of arrogance and selfishness, the cocktail ('with all the trimmings') becomes showy and tacky, the youthful haircut seems terribly inappropriate and sad and even those alluring briefs a little too much. 

 

Most of this artist's images seem to avoid sensualising the male body but this image makes you wonder why. It's a classic, stretching, male model pose with the face and luxurious tresses suggesting a man of sensitivity and delicacy. A touch of femininity perhaps, which the side-tied G-string also contributes to. 

His body conveys the opposite message, it gets bigger and more muscular the lower your eyes drop with the bikini pouch nestling between tree trunk thighs befitting the butchest of rugby players. On a woman the G-string conceals, on a man it contains and here it seems to hook underneath and bring his tackle forward in a tantalisingly graspable, rounded bulge, offered up for closer inspection. The model's stance suggests he won't impede a closer look, but I can't resist imagining chains on his wrists, just to make sure. After all, men like this only exist in fantasy, catch them while you can.

The appeal of lithe muscularity is an easy win but I applaud any artist who can see the attractions of older and chunkier men and this charming, domestic sketch succeeds in making this man exactly that. On him the rounded muscle shapes are amplified and exaggerated without losing their essential shapeliness or proportions. The model seems suspicious of the enterprise as if sensitised to negative comments about his figure, but he need not have worried, the artist has done him proud.   

This young man sits (nervously) at the  opposite end of the scale, rather like a model in the early years of beefcake photography, persuaded to pose naked but suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable about it, especially after placing his bare flesh on the cold surface of a wooden (milking!) stool in a pose that opens him wide. He has a rather large posterior for a young man and if you look back you'll see this is a recurring feature in this artist's work.

It also seems as if this might be a punishment scenario, 'the naughty stool', for there seems to be a tear trickling down his cheek or maybe it's anticipatory sweat. His backward glance suggests there's more to come. The coquettish flash of spiky hair spells bravado, but it's about to be tested.

Just another day at the Office! 

Pure fantasy but a nice image. I like the open shirt.

Getting on doesn't always require hard work, just application.

 I frequently feature wrestling at this blog but not bearhugs very often, because they don't always seem convincing, especially when the recipient is seen resting his knees on his opponent's thighs. 

This picture shows bearhugs as they should be - a truly muscular embrace from a villainous-looking heel and a squashed victim, arms and all, lifted off his feet and howling in misery. Well, I say misery but he has ejected copious quantities of cum over his opponents torso, which suggests it's not all bad for him. The cock between his legs may have caused this over-excitement but his submission will not be the end of the matter.

The background seems like  a spooky cave-like setting with gelatinous fluid dripping from the ceiling, so I suppose the young man is an adventurer on a mission, probably not expecting to stumble on the lair of a superannuated luchador during his quest.

~

More by this artist at pixiv, where his name is 冷凍ライチ (Frozen lychee)

He also posts at 'X'

For other mitchmen posts on related subjects, please click on the labels below 

 

The Art of Uruonurun - 2

 Read Part 1 of this post

Uruonurun - Ninja 02

Uruonurun's 'Ninja' series depicts the capture of a young warrior by two determined-looking men. Ninjas are men to be feared but they strip him of the ceremonial clothing that defines his calling and hides his identity. He's revealed as a man like any other man, dressed only in a curious shirt of net-like material and a scanty loincloth, his 'Fundoshi'. Then, as if to mock him, they tie him up, shibari-style. with one leg raised and doubled back, the other stretched out behind, suspending him in that, uncomfortable, position. In Western eyes this pose suggests a mythical hero (or his modern day, 'super' equivalent) about to take flight. This man is going nowhere. His tight loincloth gleams as though it is wet and the outline revealed betrays feelings that do not entirely chime with the embarrassed, angry look on the humbled Ninja's face.  

The characterisation of the two 'villains' here is contrasting. One is portrayed like a malevolent, uncouth torturer - overweight, masked and scantily dressed - the latter a device to intimidate the captive but also to protect his clothing from any mess as he goes about his unpleasant task. His pleasure as he tightens the ropes on the protesting captive is evident in his face and even more so further down. 

By contrast, the other captor appears cultured and well dressed, a person of some standing - he might even be the Ninja's mentor, training him to be more resilient. However, what we can see of his face suggests dark intentions indeed. The only clue to his inner feelings is his hand, resting on top of the captive's tensed thigh, emphasising his control and maybe something more. 

Uruonurun - Ninja 06

If this is simply about training, it's going to be tough indeed for the young acolyte. The rope man has revised his restraint to incorporate the highly decorative, repeating diamond pattern (hishi), running from the neck down to the crotch. But it's not just decorative, when tightened up, it's compressive, restricting the captive's breathing. 

Red wax drips from candles, ceremoniously suspended above and around the Ninja, it stings his skin with an intensity determined by the melting point of the wax (red has a wicked reputation) and the distance it has to fall. It solidifies on contact, cooling into blobs that remain attached to his skin and mar his beauty after the pain has passed. 

The captive has also been seated astride a wooden 'wedge' or horse, which mocks his pretensions to the status of a Samurai. It will increasingly torment his groin with the passage of time, especially if his feet have been weighted down. (Don't try it at home!)

In the face of all these challenges, the Ninja's torso cascades with perspiration 

his pouch is translucent with spilling desire.

A number of posts at mitchmen blog feature the 'wedge', 

click on the label 'Riding The Wedge' at the foot of this post to view them

Uruonurun - Bandana Ryoushi 08

Uruonurun reaches back into Japanese artistic tradition for this group of images showing a fisherman menaced by a giant octopus that he has unwittingly caught in his net. Although he's still clinging onto the net ropes here, it's obvious the octopus must have climbed aboard under it's own steam. One of it's tentacles is draped over Ryoushi's* knee (compare with the top image). The remains of the net encircling the creature seem to have assumed the shape of a bikini pouch, as though attributing human characteristics to it (in that particular department anyway).

Notice the artful, traditional styling of the water, now calm. 

Ryoushi is a well-known anime character, bandana is as in English 

Uruonurun - Bandana Ryoushi 09

The creature's tentacles turn out to be surprisingly dextrous. It's able to undo the fisherman's trouser flies which part to reveal a interesting shape in his underwear. Another tentacle slides inside his tank-top vest. The fisherman, we can see is exceptionally well-muscled underneath. Perhaps he did haul the octopus aboard after all! He responds to the creature's groping with red-faced surprise, embarrassment and a certain amount of trepidation.

Uruonurun - Bandana Ryoushi 12

In the images that follow, all of Ryoushi clothes (except his bandana, gloves and boots) are removed by the creature. At any rate they all disappear. It's tentacles become increasingly intimate.

This sexual intimacy parallels the famous artwork of 'The Dream of The Fisherman's Wife', but the narrative of Uruonurun's picture is almost the exact opposite, this is not a subconscious fantasy but a real assault that appears to be entirely unwelcome. It's not a dream, it's a nightmare.

Uruonurun - Bandana Ryoushi 16

The nightmare deepens as the creature completely entwines the naked fisherman with it's tentacles, lifting him up but still holding on to his dick (now spent). This raises the terrible possibility that it intends to return to the sea (as eventually it must) but taking the terrified Ryoushi with it. In the final image of the series however the creature seems to dissolve away as though it really has been just a dream. There's a similar conclusion to the 'Hero's End' in Part 1 of this post.

There are many other posts at mitchmen that depict Octopi capturing men, it's a branch of the tentacle genre, but usually carries more menacing overtones because of the well known strength of the creature and the risk of drowning for those that cavort with them.

Uruonurun - Omawari-San 02

This cheery fellow is an Uniformed Officer of some sort, possibly a policeman. The imagery that follows suggests this is the case, but the happy, relaxed pose here does not conjure up the law enforcement aspect of that role. 

Uruonurun - Omawari-San 03

The artist shows the cop to us in various states of undress. This is one of the most interesting, conjuring up the sense of a very physical man, despite the wide eyes which seem to belong to someone much younger - and more naïve.

Uruonurun - Omawari-San 10

This image shows him with an erotic awareness and confidence that is endearing. 

The dissolving table is (I think) an augury of the nightmare that is about to descend

 on this inoffensive young man.

Uruonurun - Omawari-San 22

In the sequence that follows the Officer is taken prisoner by two hooded criminals. He is beaten and given a full lesson in dark desires. The dramatic picture above showing him suspended in shibari ropework is the culmination of the incident and best image in the set. The others are to graphic for this blog but you should have no problem finding them via the links below.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 02

All the series mentioned previously in this post consist of 4 or so images which are subjected to variations to create a storyline in which the main character is confronted with challenges from a variety of other beings. The Fireman, has a simpler storyline - a single character subjected to bondage and clothes removal by an unseen captor. This image shows him in full rescue regalia, hard at work, strapped up and training with ropes. He's a picture of manliness, grit and determination. Confidence bordering on arrogance.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 03

The artist re-imagines this hero without his trousers on. His projection of manliness is undiminished, rather, his shorts bulge with excitement. The seams of his underpants seem to simulate his loins being trapped in complex, shibari ropework. This strip sequence continues to nudity.

 

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 09

 In the second sequence we see him gagged and and tape-bound, hot from an incendiary incident with all his rescue kit on - overalls, boots and harness. His cocky confidence seems to have drained away, replaced by puzzlement as he sees the array of strange items around him. Equipment that is foreign to him, more suited to starting fires rather than extinguishing them.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 10

The Fireman is a modern day successor to the Sailor and Cowboy of yesteryear in the pantheon of homoerotic iconography and the tight-fitting, blue T-shirt, showing off his musculature and usually sporting a professional badge is perhaps the most indispensable element of his signature outfit. Our captive's manly frame seems to be well up to the task of filling it.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 11

His clothes melt away demonstrating that the muscularity beneath them is genuine.

Classic white underwear is all that remains. It projects through the strapping of his harness.

It's as if the wearer is dimly aware of what those strange items represent.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 13

His captor eliminates his underpants and demonstrates the kit to him.

Plastic discs cup his muscular pecs, his nipples begin to tingle.

Seven blue balls (coloured to match his shirt) are squeezed inside him, 

one after another, they accumulate inside, packing his ass.

By then his hose is ready, nay eager, to slide into the lubricated sleeve.

He gives himself up to heavy breathing and ecstasy.

Uruonurun - Shoubou-san (Fireman) 17

When next we see him he is completely naked.

All the clothing and gear that represented his proud profession are gone.

The restraining tapes have also disappeared, no longer needed.

He's a different animal now, focussed on the fiery pleasures of the flesh.

~

 Read Part 1 of this post

Artist Links: Uruonurun on 'X'

Uronururun at My Reading Manga

Art by Catweazle 2

Read Part 1 of this posting

Catweazle - Cables

 Whilst Catweazle's forte is for muscular heroes fighting scary, mutant creatures in fantastic worlds, he does venture into other areas and this is a fairly logical extension with humanoid aliens tormenting a muscle man in their laboratory. The scantily clad, hairy captive is hooked up with cables which are monitoring - or possibly 'stimulating' him. There's also a selection of other, highly original devices encircling him whose purpose is not clear. The skirt-like device around his lower leg is particularly intriguing. He looks resigned to his fate, but not particularly comfortable with it.  

The aliens meanwhile look excited by him and seem to be dying to get their hands on him, 

although they seem to lack sexual organs as we know them (Jim). 

Catweazle - Shark Attack

The artist uses the same pose to startlingly different effect here, with the captive facing a more obvious menace lurking in the water around his lower body and completely unable to defend himself. The title implies that the lurking is about to become something much worse. The captive looks suitably terrified.  By some accident of fate, the floodwaters are discreetly covering up his fishing tackle, but in the sexiest way possible, leaving just enough pubic hair showing to stir the imagination of on-lookers.

Quite how he came to be chained up naked in this flooded, ancient cellar is unknown, likewise how the cellar came to be flooded, let alone how the floodwater came to be shark infested. It's as if some catastrophic, geophysical event occurred after the captive was parked here. 

Now it seems he's about to become beyond rescuing. 

This simple image knocks those AI one-handers, oozing with shiny hunkiness, into a cocked hat, 

although on reflection 'one-hander' is perhaps not the best term to use in this context.

Catweazle - Streetfighters in the Rain

This image is standard rendering fare but the star fighter looks pretty cute and is sexily attired. The addition of rain adds a more unusual ingredient although, sadly, the artist passes up a golden opportunity to show us more of what's hidden in those wet pants, just a hint of a bump is all we get. The bent back, falling pose is sexy in it's own right, however and it fits into the arch of the kicker's open legs in a way that is interesting, not just in artistic terms but it's also erotically suggestive. 

The crazily angled wall accentuates the drama.  

Catweazle - Fistfighter iv

This is also a fairly commonplace fight image, but combination of muscles, military garb and cute characterisations is appealing. Catweazle has angled the viewpoint nicely to suggest a close quarters struggle and convincing impact. The swampy background (promising more wetness) gives the feel of a jungle with all it's mysterious dangers, but it's not completely successful. It feels like they ought to be splashing around a bit.

Catweazle - Man Beats Monster

This image is so wacky that it deserves more than to be treated as just another 'man and monster' image. The technique is different too, that's a real photograph (of the man, not the monster) and the blending of the two styles is excellent. Nice, low-slung jeans too. Maybe that's what distracted the monster, leaving him open to the sucker punch. (Would be sucker?)

Catweazle - Geiger 5

This is a great image, a beguiling marriage of muscle, allure and sensitivity, of crude strength and artistic delicacy. The Chippendale-esque garb is cleverly toned down, no sparkle, just pure black and white. That gives the man an air of distinction whilst showcasing his essential masculinity. His tousled hair adds a touch of artistic wildness. The violin keeps his hands fully occupied, well away from his discreet, black briefs which tantalise us with their lack of detail but do highlight his bulging thighs. 

This is pure render but the muscles have a nice naturalism.

Catweazle - Pergola Musician 2

   Here the violinist is juxtaposed against two women, entertaining them and teasing them with his physique.  I mentioned in Part 1 of this article how Catweazle uses women in his pictures without letting them take over. The narrative seems to suggest that the musician is at their disposal, providing a service, but there is no sense that they are in control.  Instead they seem mesmerised by him. He is the centre of interest, relegating them to the role of desperate housewives.

Catweazle - Like Gaultier.

Here he's transformed the woman into a predator, inverting the traditional roles and fulfilling the fantasy of many who  have seen Gaultier's, homoerotic TV ads. She is overwhelming the bare top sailor with her lust and in this close proximity she can hardly fail to notice his sexual response, whatever it is. 

It's sexy for us, but it's far from clear that he likes being bent back over a top rail that looks like a cheese cutter. He doesn't seem to be reciprocating with his hands either. It's as if reality has suddenly intruded into the fantasy. Like the violinist, he has a job to do, and a position to protect on the ship. There's an appealing kindness of spirit in what seems like patient tolerance. Would it seem the same if the woman was replaced by another man? Perhaps not.

If this was produced by an overtly gay artist I'd say the post immediately beneath the sailor's backside is an deliberate indication of what he'd really like to have at this moment, but I sense that Catweazle doesn't think like that!

Catweazle - The New Slave

In this picture the male is reduced further to being the helpless captive of a seemingly powerful woman. However, she seems to be in awe of her new acquisition, adopting an alluring 'come and get me' stance. Rather than dominating him, she's dressed to kill as if she is the one in need of him. Even the dragons seem to defer to the man, even though he's naked and kneeling submissively before them in his fetters. One of them even dips his head to lick his body, like a pet dog making friends.

Catweazle seems to be illustrating the very traditional idea that a woman's power emanates from her sexual allure and like The Harpie in Part 1 of this series, having power over a man is motivated by lust for his cock. Even in captivity, this man wields the power and it produces an image that is unexpectedly homoerotic. Compare this image with with 'After Work'

Catweazle - Through The Swamp

To be fair to Catweazle, he does also portray men as the hapless helpmates of strong women. The man might even be her slave here, judging by the disparity of dress between them. If so, she must have very strong control over him to be able to trust him with a sword. 

In this nice atmospheric picture, he looks very sexy in his loincloth. This swamp creature has good taste. Could he turn out to be a stud under a spell who only needs a special touch from a hunky man to regain his human form and beauty?

Catweazle - Planet of the Apes 2f

There's a much more powerful sense here of the man being subservient to his captor ,who looms above him, militarily impassive and threatening. The iron collar and manacles he is wearing are more than mere restraints, they acknowledge the strength of his bulging muscles, containing them and controlling him. It's as if that is where his value to his new master lies. 

His shaggy hair suggests he's a bit of a beast, but his sexuality is clearly of no interest to his non-human captor and so that too seems to have been subjugated. His body is shaved, completely hairless and his reproductive organs are tucked away in a tiny, lovingly-detailed, leather pouch that, for me is very sexy.

This man is not in control, he's going to meet an unknown fate

 The birds circle overhead like an augury of doom.

Catweazle - Roman Slave 10

Here, Catweazle gives male slavery a historical treatment. I'd love to know where these soldiers found this muscle-hunk with his capacious loincloth and showy, ethnic hair-do. Unfortunately he seems to have been found wanting by the judge standing behind him. It must have been quite a shock to find death in charge of all these Roman Soldiers (another wtf? moment from this artist). There was never much doubt about the verdict he was going to deliver, but it seems the dirty work has been delegated to someone else. The shocked and confused captive is led away at the end of a very log rope to meet his grisly fate, urged on by angry guards.

Read Part 1 of this posting

More in Catweazle Part 3 (link pending)

See also Catweazle01 at Deviant Art

Roman Prisoners of War

Roman Prisoners of War To Become Slaves.

A fine body of men with all the hallmarks of AI perfect beauty.
A great picture by 'Gay-Roman-Fantasy'.

However, without the benefit of the title you'd struggle to make out the meaning of this picture. It looks like men filing through a welcoming committee. The artist has managed to generate an interaction between two of the characters, which isn't easy with present AI tools  - it seems to be a consoling, 'well done' or 'be strong' handshake/fist bump as the defeated captives gather. But if these are POW's, there don't seem to be any guards or escorts, just a couple of spectators on the left, maybe one half hidden on the right. There's quite a commotion going on behind them but it doesn't seem to be directly linked to them. This is not the artist's fault, necessarily, AI tools grant limited control to them and do whatever they want to do most of the time. Which I suppose is the most chilling sign of intelligence imaginable.

I just want to ask where the auction is and what time it starts!

See also Defeated Romans Enslaved 
or search the mitchmen blog on 'Roman'

At The Market

This is a nice, sexy image, but again it isn't obvious that this is a market. I love the loincloths but how come everyone is nearly naked and dressed the same? Where are the guards? The market traders?

It's reminiscent of those Hollywood movies where the top gangster, arrogantly strolling through his domain is disrupted by a young upstart who gets in his way. As his minions look on, reflecting his menace, the gangster looks the newcomer up and down, perhaps bandies words with him, then moves on. The absence of contact between the figures makes for a rather loose composition, but it helps create a sense of hovering menace in my imaginary scenario.

This doesn't look like Ancient Rome Toto! No Togas and dubious architecture.
To be fair though, it does say Roman 'Fantasy'.

Cruising

Another great image with another hunk arrogantly strutting his stuff. I suppose his up-market loin cloth and belt are symbolic of wealth and status compared with the wretches around him. We probably all know a street or two like this, though rarely with crowds of men quite as wonderfully undressed as this - or standing without drinks.  The scene does appear to be a market, fruit on the left, bananas on the right but there isn't much trade going on and why is everyone walking in the same direction?

Mercy or Not?

This is closer to what you would expect in a Roman fantasy. An attacker has been disarmed and blood has been shed. He kneels defenceless but uncowed. There's a significant disparity of dress between the two protagonists, perhaps the loser has just been forced to take off his armour by the victor. 

However, why they were fighting in the first place is a mystery. This isn't an Arena. There is a watching crowd but they are dressed like an ill-disciplined army, who have just arrived after a long march. Perhaps this man was the only citizen prepared to make a stand against them, but on the other hand perhaps he was just a (not very good) sneak thief. The juxtaposition of knife point and nose looks very odd, a good example of AI's inability to replicate human judgement which would adjust this detail.

An amazing image nevertheless

Young Soldier at Sunrise (41)

AI is very good at creating portraits of hunks who are the height of perfection and although this man would be near the top of most lust-lists there is something about him that is different, he has character. He's not looking directly at us or courting our admiration. Instead his expression suggests he thinking about something important. Something he must do on this new day, brought closer by the rising sun.
(His armoured 'pouch' with subtle contours glimpsed underneath is very sexy).

I like this picture.

If you follow the link to Gay-Roman-Fantasy at Deviant Art you'll find lots of images like this on Roman themes - battles, gladiators, bath houses etc. And I mean lots, you may end up with indigestion.

Defeated Army Enslaved

Charles Gleyre - Romans Under The Yoke (1858, detail)

This image depicts the subjugation of an entire, defeated army. 

The muscular soldiers have been stripped of their uniforms and armour.

Reduced to loincloths, their hands are tied behind their backs 

and noose collars of enslavement have been put round their necks.

The entire army was forced to pass under a yoke,

 symbolically bending their heads to acknowledge their failure

and the superiority of their captors,

 who flogged them as they ducked to pass through the arch.

In the full size image of this picture, the artist sought to heap further embarrassment

on the captives by surrounding them with jeering children and choirs of celebrating women.

It's an 19th century work but those sullen, masculine faces and muscular physiques 

still reach out to us across the chasm of time. 

Sadly that homoerotic tang is absent from other, grand works by Gleyre, 

but some have an unexpectedly modern, surreal quality,

Look for 'Egyptian Temple' and the fantasy world of 'Lost Illusions'.

In this image of the scene the captives are tethered together, like oxen. 

This illustrator seems to have heavily based his work on Gleyre's compelling image

But, he's accorded the captives more modest attire, Victorian style.

Another image of the scene shows a captive stripped completely naked

and his clothes and possessions being looted by the captors.

Other artists have imagined a less graphic format to the humiliating submission

with the 'yoke' merely symbolic, the arch actually made from the captor's spears.

However, the flimsy shifts worn by the captives here are scarcely better than full nudity

The depiction is highly sensual and the 'horns' of the aggressive captors

add a threatening tang of sexual domination to the army's subjugation.

~

The event that inspired these images was the ancient battle of Caudine Forks (321 BC)

It wasn't really a battle at all.

The entire Roman army was decoyed into a trap by the Samnites.

Bottled up in a canyon, they surrendered without a fight.

That's humiliation enough for any seasoned soldier.

Samnite Re-enactment Fan

I doubt that the Samnite warriors ever looked quite like this!

But that short tunic and bag dangling from his belt

might have been a useful distraction during close combat!