spatial temporal rules of astral travel

Lee Berman · 23 Dec 2010, 22:45 · from 2010-December.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:45:59 -0500
Subject: (urth) spatial temporal rules of astral travel
Message-ID: <SNT123-W2499D6DB078C27C012D487CF1C0 at phx.gbl>

>Gerry Quinn: If the Ascians are attacking the Commonwealth, defence against them is 
>hardly a pointless war.

Aw Gerry, I can't believe you said that. Next you will tell me that the USA and UK were
in grave danger of being invaded by Afghanistan and Iraq? ;= ). (When I say "pointless" 
I mean from the perspective of the people fighting the war, not those actually in control 
of things.)

I do not think Gene wolfe is so naive about war.

Consider the words of the Old Autarch in discussing the history of the war with
Severian:

>He paused.  "Both could be ours.  Both armies, not just the one to the south....Would you
>advise me to take both?".....

>"you were right when you called them the slaves of Erebus.  They think themselves the allies
>of those who wait in the deep.  In truth, Erebus and his allies would give them to me if I
>would give our south to them.  Give you and all the rest".

Add this to some cryptic words from Master Ash and we can be quite clear that Erebus is just
playing a war game with his millions. We may interpret his desire for control of the south, of
"YOU and all the rest" to mean he hopes to control Severian and the coming of the New Sun.

Next consider the words of Father Inire's letter. He is spying for the Ascians and supporting
the pro-Ascian, anti-Commonwealth actions of Vodalus and his group. Consider Maxellindis'
Uncle's story of the women's voices and a deeper voice beneath the water and the giant ship 
with huge, pale (antarctic) warriors sailing down the Gyoll. Abaia and Erebus are already within 
The Commonwealth. Like them, Father Inire is playing games with the war. Everything about the war 
is a sham. It is all about control and manipulation of one particular person, that being Severian.

(is Severian the Urthian equivalent of petroleum? heh)

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