He took a pull at his cup of wine, then leaned toward Sostratos. 'I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to bed a woman who looks like she can beat me up.' Sostratos didn't answer. After taking a look at his cousin, Menedemos doubted whether he'd even heard him. Sostratos was staring at the two redheaded dancers as if they were the first naked women he'd ever seen in his life, the expression on his face somewhere between awe and raw lust. 'Aren't they beautiful?' he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. 'Funny-looking, if you ask me,' Menedemos answered. That made Sostratos notice him, and look at him as if he'd never heard anything so idiotic in all his born days. Menedemos patted him on the shoulder. 'Never mind. Some men would sooner chase boys. Some like their women thin, others like them round. If you want to try to tame a wild Kelt or two, go ahead. You're bigger than they are, anyhow.' 'They're - unusual,' Sostratos said. Menedemos just shrugged. What was unusual, as far as he was concerned, was Sostratos' showing interest in women at a symposion. He was much more likely to want nothing to do with them. 'Enjoy yourself,' Menedemos told him. 'That's what they're for.' He finished the wine in his cup, then set the kylix down and got to his feet. The andron seemed to sway a little as he rose. The Ariousian was potent to begin with, and cutting it with only its own measure of water left it still very strong. He dipped his head to Gylippos and walked out into the courtyard to ease himself. However bright the torchlight was inside the men's room, it didn't reach far past the door. Menedemos paused for a moment to let his eyes adapt to the darkness outside, then walked over to the far wall and hiked up his tunic. Behind him, the snatches of song accompanying the flutegirls' music grew more raucous. Then a chorus of men's voices let out a loud, bawdy cheer. He knew what that meant: at least one of the girls had started doing something for one of the men. He hoped she'd chosen his cousin. Sostratos deserved more fun than he usually got. As Menedemos turned to go back to the andron, a woman only a few cubits away gasped in surprise. 'Who are you?' she said. 'What are you doing here?' She must not have noticed him in the gloom till he moved. He hadn't seen her, either. 'I'm Menedemos son of Philodemos, one of Gylippos' guests,' he answered. 'And who are you, dear?' 'My name is Phyllis,' she told him. 'I came down from the women's room for some fresh air because it's so hot and stuffy up there, and I couldn't sleep with all the noise from the symposion. I didn't expect anyone inside there to notice me.' 'I had to get rid of some of the wine I'd drunk.' Menedemos tried to make out what she looked like, but didn't have much luck in the dim light. She wasn't taller than he was, though - on the contrary - and she sounded young. 'How about a quick one, sweetheart? Do you want to lean forward against the wall?' She laughed quietly. 'You work fast, don't you?' she said, and then, giggling again, 'Why not? Come over here where it's darker - and hurry.' 'I'd follow you anywhere,' Menedemos said. She led him into a corner that was dark indeed, then bent forward and down. Menedemos stood behind her and tugged at her chiton, then yanked up his own. He went into her from behind, his hands clutching her backside. She gave a little mewling cry of pleasure that would have worried him more had the andron not been so noisy - and had he not spent himself a moment later.
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