Severian and the White Fountain

adam louis stephanides · 19 Jul 1998, 12:15 · from urth-v0017.mbox · original

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From: adam louis stephanides <astephan at students.uiuc.edu>
Subject: (urth) Severian and the White Fountain
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 12:15:42
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On Tue, 14 Jul 1998 Christopher R. Culver wrote:

> Adam asked:
> >Why is it necessary for anybody to "bring the White Fountain" to Urth?  =
Why
> can't the Hierogrammates just send it?<
>=20
> This is, IMHO, rather simple. The Hierogrammates are theological beings w=
ho
> serve the Pancreator. As such, they judge the sentient beings of their ar=
ea
> and decide whether those people are deserving of a miracle.

What I meant to ask was not "Why don't the Hierogrammates distributes
White Fountains to everybody who need one?" but "Having decided to give
Urth a White Fountain, why don't they simply send Severian back to Urth,
assuring him the White Fountain will be along shortly?  Why go through
this routine of having Severian "become" the White Fountain as well, which
he then "guides" to Urth, or at least believes he does.
=20
> Also: > <And if someone has to bring it, why must it be an Autarch?>
>=20
> Severian mentions on the Ship of Tzadkiel that the Autarch is by right the
> representative of Urth to the Hierodules, even though he rules a small po=
rtion
> of it.=20

True, but Severian's "trial" is not, as he origingally believes, to
determine his or Urth's moral fitness to receive the New Sun, but to
determine the likelihood of his successfully bringing the New Sun.  So
it's not obvious why the New Sun needs to be brought by an ex officio
"representative of Urth."

--Adam




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