Pike's Ghost

Larry Miller · 28 Nov 2011, 20:50 · from 2011-November.txt.gz

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From: decanus1284 at gmail.com (Larry Miller)
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:50:10 -0500
Subject: (urth) Pike's Ghost
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W590B365923C00EEFC688FECFB20 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W590B365923C00EEFC688FECFB20 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <CADQR0Gqn6fX7X+x0Y5SmiKxUW=jkukreniQb5HG5nfPRWpfBEQ at mail.gmail.com>

Am I the only one that thinks that the mandragora and the Prime
Calcula are one and the same?  I know some believe it is a reference
to the Mainframe AI but is there any mention of a prime Calculator
anywhere?  And why would Echidna mention this when asked about Pas
possessing bodies?  And theres mention of the Citadel in the same
sentence.

On 11/28/11, Lee Berman <severiansola at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Marc Aramini: Silk's description as a slender but fit guy WOULD NOT MAKE
>> HIM
>>SIMILAR IN BUILD TO piaton at all.
>
>>Dan'l Danehy-Oakes: I think Silk's ability to lead/influence others IS the
>> charisma
>>Typhon associates with his face. The embryo that became Silk was a clone of
>> Typhon
>>into which he intended to d/l himself on arrival at the Whorl's
>> destination, thus
>>preserving his "face."
>
> Yes, I think Dan'l's idea is more in line with larry's theory (and what is
> actually
> going on, imho).
>
> Leaving the question of Typhon's alien nature aside for now, the Mandragora
> seems
> almost indisputable proof of Typhon's potential to be cloned or downloaded
> into a
> new body in some manner. There is nothing dragon-like about the fetus in the
> bottle.
> What possible reason is there for Wolfe to call it "Mandragora" if not to
> refer to
> Typhon, the only other reference to a man-dragon there is.
>
> Severian is shocked beyond belief that Typhon would choose to have his own
> head chopped
> off as most of us would be. But Typhon just laughs it off casually
> demonstrating a lack
> of human body self-identification and preservation that we all share.
> Moreover Typhon
> says he was not born, in the way Severian understands it. The evidence seems
> pretty
> clear that the blond-haired body in which Typhon resides is not his original
> self.
>
> I don't have a definite opinion on what this means in regard to Silk but I
> think there is
> surely some connection there. FWIW, I'll mention that at the end of RttW,
> during a
> dream-travel to Urth, they are on a ship. Along with snaky-armed Scylla (or
> is it Cilinia?
> doesn't matter) there is a big, blonde guy steering the ship. He is clearly
> supposed to be
> connected to Typhon/Pas in some manner.
>
> Is this dream-travel version of Pas meant to be Silk? Or is it Jugano? Oreb?
> I dunno.
> Maybe someone can make sense of it better than me. 		 	   		
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