Juturna, the Missing Sister

Jeff Wilson · 27 Jul 2010, 20:21 · from 2010-July.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:21:33 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: (urth) Juturna, the Missing Sister
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W13053690C13EFE82A718D5CFA70 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W13053690C13EFE82A718D5CFA70 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <61a6d1e9df2d6016f61550050993f8d7.squirrel at webmail.prismnet.com>

>
> Jeff Wilson-
>>It's more than likely Abaia's would see to it that his seed survived in
>>Juturna, if such a thing were possible.
>
>>But let's look at Juturna's name. She's a bit of a Jotun, true, and
>>Juturna was a Roman goddess of fountains who saved her brother Turnus,
>>at least for a bit.
>
>>Now, who else may travel the Corridors of Time and is associated with
>>fountain? And why would an otherwise loyal concubine of Abaia with no
>>prospects of returning to the land seek to help some land-lubbing
>> foundling?
>
> Well, many major power players including Father Inire, The Old Autarch and
> The Cumaean (via Hildegren) explicitly state that their strategy involves
> playing both sides so as to benefit no matter who wins. Why not Abaia?

Maybe. A family connection would be a good motivation to become a double
agent, and equally good for convincing the other side that you have become
a sincere double agent when you are not.

> The fountain connection is nice but for me the strongest evidence for a
> family connection between Severian and Juturna is the ridiculous,
> apparently unfulfillable, sexual ardor they share for each other. Sounds
> like the incestuous Severian family curse in action. Seems even stronger
> than what Severian and (his cousin?) Agia feel, so maybe "sister" is a
> good assessment.

Is it possible that Severian's warped upbringing has left him unable to
easily distinguish between different kinds of attraction?

> Still, when you say "missing" sister I have to think of Severian's absent
> twin,
> Severa. I have a difficult time tracing a Juturna lifestory which allows
> for
> that identity switch. Actually, among all the candidates for Severa, I
> find
> only one has the potential for Severa as a real name- Jolenta, which could
> be
> only her stage name.

Isn't is customary for children stolen by fairies or selkies or the
Erlkoenig to be given a new name as well?  Severa the apprentice witch
could have been snatched any time she went swimming in Gyoll or had been
left unattended for a few moments near the water.

And Juturna/Severa could have any color hair under the alage.

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