# Limp biz (cut) *The Whorl list — 4 messages, 4 voices, 21 Aug 2000* > 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. --- ### akt *21 Aug 2000, 19:44* Patera Rat put forth (on another subject altogether): > (Yes, I know Oreb is also in Germanic mythology, as the limp also goes > with Claudius, etc. That limp doesn't go just with Claudius. That limp is important to classical mythology in general. There's Oedipus--"swollen-foot"--of the dire prophecy. There's Melampus--"blackfoot," also a prophet. There's Jason, who arrives wearing just one sandal, as was prophesied. There's some other odd stuff about sandals, including the sandals of Theseus (under the stone) and the drag-footed lame Crane Dance and the prophetic fall that followed. Telephus was wounded in the left leg by Achilles, and we all know of Achilles and his heel. I cannot remember if Odin was eventually lame, but I wouldn't be surprised, since Horn is certainly fixing to be Odin in his accoutrements. There's the Fisher King, wounded in the thigh. And there's Sev. And Silk. And Oreb (wing). Eventually (I'll bet; he's already got a staff), Horn. And for the Crowleyites among us, there's Pierce walking up Mount Randa with one black shoe and one brown shoe, first seen as a pilgrim in a shamanistic trance by Beau Brachman. Tres, tres Jason, IMO. On another subject, Ian, mantis isn't putting you off--we did get pretty intense about Suzanne. If you read the earlier stuff and still have questions, please ask them. -alga *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun. --- ### John Clute *22 Aug 2000, 12:27 · follows akt* In-Reply-To: <200008212348.QAA22140 at lists1.best.com> More thoughts on Oreb would be of great interest. And more thoughts on _why_ so many heroes are lame (see also everything Tim Powers ever wrote)--I know there is a body of theory regarding this, and for the moment cannot properly nail it down in my head. What kind of boy or dwarf is Oreb on Green? Nutria's Christian typology is of course one line; but I think Nutria himself assumes this to be only one pattern of meaning, though maybe the central. Much of this material may have already been exposed here. Sorry if I'm disinterring a dead crow. Best, John C *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun. --- ### Alastair Reynolds *22 Aug 2000, 12:36 · follows John Clute* > John Clute wrote: > > In-Reply-To: <200008212348.QAA22140 at lists1.best.com> > More thoughts on Oreb would be of great interest. And more thoughts on > _why_ so many heroes are lame (see also everything Tim Powers ever > wrote)--I know there is a body of theory regarding this, and for the > moment cannot properly nail it down in my head. See also Mad Max! Al . *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun. --- ### mark millman *23 Aug 2000, 12:07 · follows Alastair Reynolds* > At 07:44 PM 21-08-00 -0400, alga wrote: > Patera Rat put forth (on another subject altogether): >> (Yes, I know Oreb is also in Germanic mythology, >> as the limp also goes with Claudius, etc. > That limp doesn't go just with Claudius. That limp is > important to classical mythology in general. There's > Oedipus--"swollen-foot"--of the dire prophecy. There's > Melampus--"blackfoot," also a prophet. There's Jason, > who arrives wearing just one sandal, as was prophesied. > There's some other odd stuff about sandals, including the > sandals of Theseus (under the stone) and the drag-footed > lame Crane Dance and the prophetic fall that followed. > Telephus was wounded in the left leg by Achilles, and we > all know of Achilles and his heel. I cannot remember if > Odin was eventually lame, but I wouldn't be surprised, > since Horn is certainly fixing to be Odin in his accoutre- > ments. There's the Fisher King, wounded in the thigh. Odysseus, too, has a thigh wound, though it's old and healed and apparently doesn't cause him to limp. It does, however, serve to identify him to members of his household upon his return. I've been unable to find any reference to Odin's becoming lame or receiving a wound in his leg or foot. I did, however, come across one interesting foot fact about Odin. During Ragnarok, Odin is swallowed by Fenrir and dies. His son Vidar avenges him by kicking Fenrir in the mouth with a giant shoe until the wolf's jaws are torn asunder--just one giant shoe, not one of a pair. I suppose that could cause a limp. Nacre *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun. ---