Nilo & Demetrius
Brothers in Classical Greece
by
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Segments: He was now free to enter Apollo’s sacred Temple. . . Nilo’s father entered into the adyton. . . As his eyes slowly got used to the darkness, he could make out the outline of the Pythia. There she was! Sitting high atop a covered tripod. Her purple veil now removed. The tripod was positioned directly over a deep chasm in the ground. Coming up from the chasm he saw vapors of many kinds rising high. . . He could soon see the vapors slowly putting the Pythia into a trance. This moment was having a disorienting hallucinatory effect over her. . . like a dream. What he saw was unlike anything he ever experienced. As he watched the Pythia inhale the vapors, her body gained stature. He saw her hair unwind until it stood on end. Her complexion changed. Her heart panted, and her bosom swelled. Even her voice had changed. In a way, she became more than human. In a deep trance, the Pythia began receiving her inspiration. This is the moment she attained the state of mind allowing her to “hear” messages from Apollo. == Nilo was in conflict with himself. He never imagined he’d go home with a stranger for paid sex. He was taught to think of such things as grotesque. But as their conversation continued, Nilo was more and more curious as to what such an encounter might be like. Perhaps just once. No one will ever know, he thought. And, like the man said, I might enjoy it. After a few minutes of uncertainty, Nilo agreed to go home with the man. Just once, he said again to himself. The stranger said, “You’ll never regret this night. I promise you that.” The stranger’s words made Nilo uncomfortable. . . He had second thoughts about his decision to be with [him]. But there was nothing he could do about that now.
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About the Book
Amid the glory of Greece’s classical age, little Nilo’s challenges seem vast. While struggling with academics, athletics, and love, he receives unconditional support from his devoted parents. But unfortunately, even that is not enough to keep him at home. After leaving everything he knows at the tender age of twelve, he begins living on the streets at the mercy of others. Nilo’s vastly different brother, Demetrius, excels in school, but lacks athletic prowess. After entering the military at age eighteen, he lags far behind his peers in stamina and physical strength. It is a competitive world where life is difficult for Demetrius, until a new boyfriend intervenes and saves the day. The brothers somehow manage to persevere as their lives intertwine with challenges and opportunities as well as human and absolute love during a time when sexuality has few boundaries. As both experience the best and worst that society offers, now only time will tell if they will become like other Greeks and achieve unsurpassed accomplishments. Nilo & Demetrius shares the tale of two disparate brothers as they face challenges, failures, and the emotional ups and downs of life in classical Greece.
About the Author
Bruce Stores did not begin serious writing until after retiring. His first book came out at age sixty-six. He believed he was unfairly ex-communicated from his Church due to its lack of understanding of sexual orientation issues. This led to his writing, Christian Science: Its Encounter With Lesbian/Gay America (iUniverse 2004, 248 pages). It wasn’t until five years later that his second book was published. A long interest in Mexico’s unique history and a special interest in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec led to the publication of The Isthmus: Stories From Mexico’s Past, 1495-1995 (iUniverse 2009, 360 pages). Nilo and Demetrius is his third book. Bruce Stores was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala working in community development programs near Quetzaltenango in the early 1960’s. Later he was a community development officer involved with refugee resettlement in Vietnam at the height of that war with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). His third venture overseas was to serve as Recreation Coordinator for American employees and their families with Bell Helicopter/Textron in pre-revolution Iran. He also served the YMCA as Youth Director in Vineland, NJ and Branch Director in Midland, TX. He later worked with self-help housing projects near Seattle, WA and was a contributing reporter for many years with Seattle Gay News. After relocating to Mexico in 1995, he was an English teacher for six years. He has lived in the Mexican City of Oaxaca since 2007. He is a graduate of Springfield College, Springfield, MA with B.S and M.Ed. degrees in humanities. He was married in 1967 and divorced in 1980. He has one son and two grandchildren.