{
  "export": {
    "source": "https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/whorl/1162",
    "note": "Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright in each message remains with the person who wrote it.  Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact.",
    "addresses": "obscured as 'user at host'"
  },
  "archive": "whorl",
  "thread": {
    "id": 1162,
    "subject": "Quadrifons",
    "messages": 3,
    "voices": 3,
    "first": "2001-02-14T23:37:18+00:00",
    "last": "2001-02-17T17:09:44+00:00"
  },
  "messages": [
    {
      "message_id": "<whorl-v0012-0231@digest.urth.net>",
      "from": {
        "name": "Christopher Culver",
        "address": "new_sun at hotmail.com"
      },
      "date": "2001-02-14T23:37:18+00:00",
      "subject": "(whorl) Quadrifons",
      "in_reply_to": null,
      "reply_link": null,
      "blocks": [
        {
          "kind": "text",
          "depth": 0,
          "text": "Hello all,\n\nMy first post after reading RttW. I'll admit that I'm somewhat disappointed; \nthe BotSS is no BotNS, but it's certainly much better than the BotLS. \nTormented first-person accounts are really Wolfe's forte, and I missed them \nin the BotLS.\n\nOne of my biggest hopes was that RttW would clear up the mystery of who \nQuadrifons is, but I admit I'm pretty stumped. My suspicion in OBW was that \nhe was the apotheosized Severian, who now is enjoying his own gifts of \nteleportation. But IGJ totally discarded that theory.\n\nIs Quadrifons the Son, i.e. historical Christ? Being the god of crossroads, \nits understandable that he could also be the god of crosses. Horn's \nperformance of a quasi-Eucharist in Olivine's quarters supports this idea.\n\nIn IGJ, Horn mentions Quadrifons \"whispering in his ear\" in the Whorl. I \ndidn't catch any reference to this in RttW. What is it supposed to mean?\n\nReading again Horn's Eucharist scene at the Neighbor's altar in IGJ, which I \nbelieve is one of the most moving things Wolfe has ever written, I was \nsuprised to see him mention that he \"sacrificed for Olivine.\" I think it \nwill be interesting to go back through the first two books and put together \nall the pieces now that we have RttW.\n\nChristopher CULVER <new_sun at hotmail.com>"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "message_id": "<whorl-v0012-0260@digest.urth.net>",
      "from": {
        "name": "James Jordan",
        "address": "jbjordan at gnt.net"
      },
      "date": "2001-02-17T12:59:20+00:00",
      "subject": "Re: (whorl) Quadrifons",
      "in_reply_to": "<whorl-v0012-0231@digest.urth.net>",
      "reply_link": "subject",
      "blocks": [
        {
          "kind": "text",
          "depth": 0,
          "text": "\tQuadrifons is a cherub. (Ezekiel chapter 1). Also, thus, a sphinx.\n\tThe cherubim guard the gate of Eden, which is now the Church. Passing into \nthe Edenic garden, we pass by the cherub Quadrifons. It is Olivine's \ngarden, the Garden on Mount Olivet, where Jesus so often met with His \ndisciples.\n\tThen we have a full liturgy. We must wash ourselves, a symbol of \ncleansing, so Horn takes a bath, removing his old soiled clothing and \nreceiving new ones. We have the opening of the word (the writings) and a \nsermon. Then we have holy communion. Also, since we are  present with all \nthe saints, living and departed, we have reflections on Horn's encounter \nwith his father, whom he had thought was dead. Finally, moved and \ntransformed a bit by the liturgy, Olivine is enabled to make a sacrifice of \nher own as a response.\n\tNow, who or what is a Quadrifons? Well, there are two basic theories \nregarding the cherubim. The first is that they are mighty angels, and this \nis the majority read. But a minority maintains that the cherubim are \ntheophanies of God, and not creatures. Wolfe says that Quadrifons is an \naspect of the Outsider, so it seems he is using this second theory.\n\nPatera Nutria\n\n\n*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun."
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "message_id": "<whorl-v0012-0268@digest.urth.net>",
      "from": {
        "name": "David DiGiacomo",
        "address": "dd at adobe.com"
      },
      "date": "2001-02-17T17:09:44+00:00",
      "subject": "Re: (whorl) Quadrifons",
      "in_reply_to": "<whorl-v0012-0260@digest.urth.net>",
      "reply_link": "subject",
      "blocks": [
        {
          "kind": "quote",
          "depth": 1,
          "text": "Quadrifons is a cherub..."
        },
        {
          "kind": "text",
          "depth": 0,
          "text": "Thank you!  I had no idea why Quadrifons appeared in the text, so this was\nvery helpful\n\nWhy do you think that Quadrifons's name is not to be mentioned?\n\n\n*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun."
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}