Lives of the Great Beasts

Lee Berman · 02 Jul 2010, 20:05 · from 2010-July.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 2010 16:05:27 -0400
Subject: (urth) Lives of the Great Beasts
Message-ID: <SNT123-W48D04E7E5C75069C9DD6E3CFCE0 at phx.gbl>

>What is not clear to me, however, is just what Wolfe had in mind about
>their nature, their arrival on Earth, or their motivation.

I think Wolfe cannot be too specific in regard to this as being too 
explicit would negate a necessary mythological essence of their nature.

But I think we can piece together a nice Megatherian back story using the
Naviscaput tale, Juturna, Typhon, Baldanders as an aspiring Megatherian and
Jonas' tale of the star-spawned black beans (always considering the 
autobiographical component- Wolfe claims to have been grown from a bean by
Damon Knight on an evening in June, 1966).

>Jonas tells Severian that they were brought to Earth, possibly in the
>zoetic tower, to replace the extinct fauna.

I don't remember this. Is it in reference to megatherians? My vague memory
is that might refer to creatures like the alzabo; but that could surely be
faulty.

> Has anyone given any serious consideration to the idea that they are
> "fallen" Yesodi? Hieresiarchs, as it were?

Sure, a higher level universe (heaven) would seem a likely starting point
for fallen angels. I sometimes wonder if some of the horrors found in Briah
originate from the lower level hellish universe (Abaddon).

>I always wondered what their motivation was, in taking an 
>interest in Urth among all the planets and races that might be out there.

My impression is that The Short Sun books suggest many planets could be home
to giant, star-crossing, controlling, manipulative creatures. Motivation 
becomes one of definition. Species which have no interest in controlling 
others (like The Neighbors) do not devote the time and energy needed to 
travel and conquer among the stars. They find equilibrium at home.

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