The Wizard

Lee Berman · 05 Mar 2012, 21:19 · from 2012-March.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 16:19:20 -0500
Subject: (urth) The Wizard
Message-ID: <SNT123-W59DC9FF63C7D62A99A7D61CF500 at phx.gbl>

>James Wynn: The reference to "the son of Thyone", to "Silent Silk" 
>and "Silver Silk"...

For me the reference to Silenus and Silvanus is similar 
to the earlier "Bird Of the Woods" reference to Rhea Silvia. 
The Latin name doesn't refer to a bird but I think we are supposed 
to catch the connection.

Likewise the names of the goatmen demi-gods do not have a direct 
connection in meaning to "silent" or "silver" but most I think most 
english speakers (native or not) can perceive the similarity of words. 
Interesting that Wolfe uses the Latin root for forest in both these 
examples of english wordplay to allude to Roman mythology. Coincidence?

I suppose few would connect the words "silent" and "silver" to alone  to 
Dionysus. But when you add references to Thyone and Janus, plus Pan and 
Fauna and the Cumaean Sybil and a number of other associated  mythological 
references and I think the connection becomes difficult to ignore.

>I think it is as fair to view the Dionysus references in exclusion to 
>everything else as it is examine the Jesus references in exclusion or to 
>examine how Wolfe sees his myths legitimately conflated with Jesus of 
>Nazareth and what Wolfe is saying in bringing those parallels out. He's 
>not doing just one thing.

One of the few areas James and I tend to disagree upon. A good argument by
James.   Perhaps it boils down to whether the Sun series takes place in our 
universe or in an alternate version sans Christ. I dunno. Perhaps Wolfe is 
speaking to James and others in a Christian code I am not privy to. Or 
perhaps the need for Christ is so strong for some he must be inserted, even 
when His absence seems so apparent (to me). Must one be the "right" 
interpretation?

For me, Wolfe has a horror element to his writing which is justified by the
absence of Christ. Be it space exploration without bringing Christianity
(5HoC), the B.c. era (Soldier series) an alternate universe (Sun Series and
Wizard/Knight) or a personal deficiency (Peace, etc.) I see this absence as 
the source of horror in the world and one of the primary bases for Wolfe's
writing.

p.s. I'm always intrigued by the reference to the Abraxas in BotNS. Bumped into
this gnostic reference today:

>Beausobre, in the History of Manicheism, enters into a long etymological 
>disquisition to prove that Abraxas is derived from the two Greek words, AbroV Saw; 
>or, "the magnificent Saviour, he who heals and preserves." AbroV is an epithet of 
>the Sun.

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