Breakfast with Apheta

Stanisław Bocian · 29 Jul 2008, 21:58 · from 2008-July.txt.gz

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From: sbocian at poczta.fm (=?windows-1250?Q?Stanis=B3aw_Bocian?=)
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:58:24 +0200
Subject: (urth) Breakfast with Apheta
In-Reply-To: <20080724013106.5A5261A003A at mailserver8.hushmail.com>
References: <20080724013106.5A5261A003A at mailserver8.hushmail.com>
Message-ID: <147523787.20080729235824 at poczta.fm>

Hierogrammates shouldn't be underestimated. They don't NEED Severian
to create the White Fountain, they can do it by their own technology.
However, they prefer not to act at all. They must be conscious that
they know the will of the Uncreate no better than anyone (the fable
of the cock and angel says this openly), and so perhaps are unwilling
to bear the guild for the mass murder on Urth.

Accordingly, they take care to do nothing themselves at all: Apheta's
explanation of their speech shows that they generally don't act
themselves, but only modulate the acts of others. The discussion of
Hierodules with Baldanders shows that they consider themselves not to
be guilty for so "modulated" actions of others.

And so, they needed Severian as an executioner who would lawfully
execute Urth. He had to be an autarch, so he could act as the lawful
representant of humanity. Except for that, he had no "magic powers".
The white fountain and Severian's connection to it was provided by
Hierogrammates - of course, in a way which absolves them of all guilt
in the matter.

 Stanislaus B.

> Roy wrote:

> --------------------------

> On the morning after Severian bedded Apheta, she brought him 
> breakfast on a
> tray. It consisted of "... small cakes, a carafe of cool water, and 
> cups of
> some steaming liquid that looked like milk and yet was not milk." 
> (URTH, XX,
> 146) He ate one of the cakes and drank a cup of the milky fluid, 
> after
> Apheta took a bite of one of the cakes. I think this was the only 
> meal
> Severian mentioned having on Yesod, and I believe there is some 
> significance
> to its components or their combination that eludes me. Any ideas?

> --------------------------

> She's drugged him, I guess. Just another part of the set-up for the 
> sham "trial". (And vague shades of Circe?)

-- 

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