The opening pages of the history of humanity start with two stories, both of which I have always found intriguing. The first explains how the Western and the Eastern world came to be at odds. The second one introduced humanity to the birth of its first paraphilia. A reminder perhaps of the role of erotism as a driving force for humanity. If not, at the very least attesting to the dynamics between power and pleasure.
Is it not true that modern men desire above all else to be proud of their women? Certainly men in the past would. Men, after all, have been losing their minds over women since the dawn of time. Such is the story of Candaules, the first [historical] king of Lydia, and of his wife Nyssia.
Candaules considered himself to be the most fortunate man alive because he was married to the most gorgeous woman to ever exist. A sense of pride he carried everywhere, perhaps one he should have restrained.
One day Candaules asked his most loyal bodyguard, a man named Gyges, if his wife was the most beautiful woman. Gyges tacitly agreed. With this answer Candaules reflected, he understood no man had seen his wife like he had, and thus for any man to confidently acknowledge the beauty of his wife would need to simply witness her beauty in her natural form.
Such a proposition, Gyges, the bodyguard, rejected. It would not be appropriate for a servant to lay eyes upon the royal consort in such a manner.
Candaules pressed the matter, reminding his bodyguard of his oath of obedience. Reluctantly, Gyges accepted. A plan was schemed by Candaules where Gyges would hide in the royal chambers as the queen finished bathing. This way, the bodyguard would be able to objectively assess the beauty of the queen while at the same time leaving the chamber without being caught, thus saving face and protecting the queen’s modesty. Suffice it to mention, the king was ecstatic at the possibility of someone else laying eyes on his naked wife.
A perfect plan, if not for the brightness of the queen who quickly caught wind of the scheme and noticed the bodyguard as he exited, clueless about being caught, from his place of hiding.
The following day the queen confronted the bodyguard. Upon learning he had been caught, Gyges was horrified. The queen was more pragmatic, and in an act of dominance she gave him two options. He was given a dagger, his first option was to take his own life for having laid eye upon the naked queen, the second proposition was more complex.
He would kill the king with the dagger provided, marry the queen and become the new king of Lydia. Thus Gyges had two awful options, taking his own life, or committing regicide.
This is how a new dynasty came to be in the kingdom of Lydia. The dynasty of Gyges would be the last to rule this kingdom.
And so, this is the story of the first parafilia known to mankind: Candaulism, to drive pleasure from having others lay eyes upon your significant other. However, this too is a story about a woman fighting for a place in society greater than just that of being an object of desire.
