Subject: (whorl) Quadrifons

From: Christopher Culver <new_sun at hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 23:37:18 +0000

Hello all,

My first post after reading RttW. I'll admit that I'm somewhat disappointed; 
the BotSS is no BotNS, but it's certainly much better than the BotLS. 
Tormented first-person accounts are really Wolfe's forte, and I missed them 
in the BotLS.

One of my biggest hopes was that RttW would clear up the mystery of who 
Quadrifons is, but I admit I'm pretty stumped. My suspicion in OBW was that 
he was the apotheosized Severian, who now is enjoying his own gifts of 
teleportation. But IGJ totally discarded that theory.

Is Quadrifons the Son, i.e. historical Christ? Being the god of crossroads, 
its understandable that he could also be the god of crosses. Horn's 
performance of a quasi-Eucharist in Olivine's quarters supports this idea.

In IGJ, Horn mentions Quadrifons "whispering in his ear" in the Whorl. I 
didn't catch any reference to this in RttW. What is it supposed to mean?

Reading again Horn's Eucharist scene at the Neighbor's altar in IGJ, which I 
believe is one of the most moving things Wolfe has ever written, I was 
suprised to see him mention that he "sacrificed for Olivine." I think it 
will be interesting to go back through the first two books and put together 
all the pieces now that we have RttW.

Christopher CULVER <new_sun at hotmail.com>

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From: James Jordan <jbjordan at gnt.net>
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 12:59:20 +0000

the Edenic garden, we pass by the cherub Quadrifons. It is Olivine's 
garden, the Garden on Mount Olivet, where Jesus so often met with His 
disciples.
	Then we have a full liturgy. We must wash ourselves, a symbol of 
cleansing, so Horn takes a bath, removing his old soiled clothing and 
receiving new ones. We have the opening of the word (the writings) and a 
sermon. Then we have holy communion. Also, since we are  present with all 
the saints, living and departed, we have reflections on Horn's encounter 
with his father, whom he had thought was dead. Finally, moved and 
transformed a bit by the liturgy, Olivine is enabled to make a sacrifice of 
her own as a response.
	Now, who or what is a Quadrifons? Well, there are two basic theories 
regarding the cherubim. The first is that they are mighty angels, and this 
is the majority read. But a minority maintains that the cherubim are 
theophanies of God, and not creatures. Wolfe says that Quadrifons is an 
aspect of the Outsider, so it seems he is using this second theory.

Patera Nutria

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From: David DiGiacomo <dd at adobe.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 17:09:44 +0000

>	Quadrifons is a cherub...

Thank you!  I had no idea why Quadrifons appeared in the text, so this was
very helpful

Why do you think that Quadrifons's name is not to be mentioned?