Questions re Lexicon Urthus

adam louis stephanides08 Jul 1998, 14:34original

I recently bought Lexicon Urthus--an amazing feat of erudition, both concerning the New Sun cycle and in general. But there are a couple of things in it I had questions on. These questions are mainly for mantis, though of course anyone is welcome to answer. 1) The entry for "Atrium of Time" refers to it as "a time-traveling structure." What is the basis for this? I don't see any suggestion of this in the passages where Severian visits the Atrium of Time. 2) The entry for Valeria states that "she becomes regent during the decades of [Severian's] absence." I don't think this is correct. In Urth, ch. IV, p. 27 (hardcover), Severian says: "'I was the Autarch--the ruler--of the Commonwealth; now I'm the surrogate of Urth, and its ambassador.'" Later, there's this dialogue: "'Then you still claim you're really the Autarch?' 'I was,' I told him." (ch. XVI, p. 115) These passages indicate clearly that when Severian left Urth, he ceased to be the Autarch. That being the case, Valeria could not have been Severian's regent. Furthermore, Eata refers to Valeria as being Autarch before she marries Dux Caesidius. (ch. XLVI, p. 328) 3) My copy of Lexicon Urthus came with a copy of Additions, Errata &cetera Volume II, but not Volume I. Is Volume I available anywhere? --Adam

Matthew Malthouse09 Jul 1998, 02:45original

↳ follows, by subject match adam louis stephanides

2 quoted lines

adam louis stephanides wrote: 2) The entry for Valeria states that "she becomes regent during the decades of [Severian's] absence." I don't think this is correct. In Urth, ch. IV, p. 27 (hardcover), Severian says: "'I was the Autarch--the ruler--of the Commonwealth; now I'm the surrogate of Urth, and its ambassador.'" Later, there's this dialogue: "'Then you still claim you're really the Autarch?' 'I was,' I told him." (ch. XVI, p. 115) These passages indicate clearly that when Severian left Urth, he ceased to be the Autarch. That being the case, Valeria could not have been Severian's regent. Furthermore, Eata refers to Valeria as being Autarch before she marries Dux Caesidius. (ch. XLVI, p. 328)

Um, my memory supplies the titbit that Valeria had reigned as Autarch without her predecessors' memories and thus without the very important knowledge of the Second House. Also Valeria reigns because Severian has been so long absent that his return is no longer looked for, indeed a memorial is raised to his memory. Veleria is not regent but ruler. Matthew

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