How funny. I just this second popped off my last message, addressed to Roy, and --ping--this new digest came in, topped with Ratso's reasoning.
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The Slime (Alga) suggested long ago that because of the clearly Byzantine character of the Commonwealth, we are really in the Mediterranean. She made a valiant case for it, but it did not persuade many (any?), and she may not hold to it any longer. (Alga?)
I do, I do.
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Alga's thesis might be salvaged if we are in a physical SA location, near Buenos Aires, but the cultural geography is Mediterrean-esque. Doesn't the Long Sun somewhere say that the Spanish culture of Viron came from people living near to Pas/Typhon? That might be another indication of South America.
See last message. Actually, you might consider Spain.
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My own thinking started by noticing that Blind Ultan is Borges, and that Nessus looks like a contraction of Buenos Aires (as Meeya Meefla in Cordwainer Smith is Miami, Fla.). But the Ascians being from the north, the hot lands, and also from a continent north of the hot lands, seems to settle the question.
Oh, yeah? Nessus, as you of all people should know, is part of Wolfe's gallows humor in this book. Nessus is the centaur who bloodies the cloak of death, Gyoll is the river of Hel (Nifleheim) and there are a number of other underworldy references.
(Remember that old song "Mona Lisa?" I used to sing Meeya Meefla to that....)
BTW, apologies for a partial repeat message that will come through. I'm having some problems with my server.
-alga