What's So Great About Ushas?

Roy C. Lackey · 17 Jul 2008, 03:08 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: rclackey at stic.net (Roy C. Lackey)
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:08:36 -0500
Subject: (urth) What's So Great About Ushas?
Message-ID: <006901c8e7ba$6a52be40$f9cd4a0c at rclackey.stic.net>

In all this crap about morality and who is fit to look down his nose at
whom, why is it that no one has thought to mention two scenes involving the
holy slaves Barbatus, Famulimus and Ossipago? In the first scene, at
Baldanders' castle, all three Hierodules knelt to Severian. Barbatus and
Famulimus did it again in Apu-Punchau's tomb, and Famulimus even kissed the
floor before him.

This was right after Severian complained of being an eidolon and wanted to
know why Tzadkiel hadn't just brought him back to life, as Severian had
brought Zama back to life.

As Barbatus said: "What makes you think Tzadkiel wields
such power? Famulimus and Ossipago and I are nothing
before him, but we're not _his_ slaves; and great though he is,
he's not the head of his race and its savior." (URTH, L, 360)

Earlier, on the Ship, Famulimus had said: "_Hierodule_ is 'holy slave.' How
could Hierodules be holy, did we not serve the Increate? Our master is he,
and he only." (V, 36)

Yet they knelt to Severian. I'm sure this must say something about the moral
pecking order. One doesn't usually make obeisance to one's moral inferior.

-Roy

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