I worry that I've missed some obvious counter-argument, but it seems to me that Appian and Paeon are one and the same.
Roy quoted:
2 quoted lines
[...] "Paeon, who
trained me, who was honey-steward fifty years gone by. I knew what he was in truth, for I had met him before." [...] (CITADEL, chapter XXV)
"I knew what he was" -- he was the Autarch, playing honey-steward as Severian's predecessor played at whoremaster.
Tony:
1 quoted line
And finally we have the mysterious Paeon, whom Roy also mentions. You reason that the penultimate Autarch may have been 5-12 years old when Paeon trained him, 50 years ago, and I agree. But since we know Appian had been on the throne at least 12 years by then, doesn't that support my theory rather than yours?
... or MY theory :)
"Paeon" sounds like "Appian." It could be his honey-stewarding nickname, or perhaps even Severian's mishearing of the Old Autarch's words.
- ranjit