Soldier Of The Mist: first reading (mit spoilers)

Son of Witz · 21 Jan 2010, 23:00 · from 2010-January.txt.gz

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From: sonofwitz at butcherbaker.org (Son of Witz)
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:00:19 -0500
Subject: (urth) Soldier Of The Mist: first reading (mit spoilers)
In-Reply-To: <COL105-W40C1DFFC51871FD8F7D04B85630 at phx.gbl>
References: <c5b420ccbbe2377c3246fec42d2b8595.squirrel at email.fatcow.com>
	<COL105-W40C1DFFC51871FD8F7D04B85630 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <fef8e8d2026e524b75ae44caa3c6ac61.squirrel at email.fatcow.com>


>> It seems Latro is an early Roman. He's in the Persian army at the
>> beginning and end of Soldier of Mist, and he seems at home in it, though
>> he is not Persian.
>

> No problem there, he's a mercenary. Persians used plenty of them, usually
> greeks, but it's not far-fetched to imagine an Italian contingent in he's
> army.
>

Sure. I didn't mean to imply it's weird. just another layer onto the
"stranger in a strange land feeling.


>
>>The eagle staff mentioned makes one think of the Roman
>> SPQR staff. Perhaps that is why he is struck by the sight of it.
>
>
>
>
> This is one of those cases in which Wolfe makes a mistake. The Eagle as a
> symbolic Roman staff-motif was introduced by Marius late in the 2nd
> Century BC. At the time this novel takes place there were no Roman staffs
> with eagles on them.
>


I thought that I might be reaching with that. I wonder if it's safe to
call it Wolfe's mistake. Perhaps I'm just seeing that symbol because I'm
familiar with it. Perhaps there are other eagle staffs that predate it.

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