Agilus and Agia

Lee Berman · 02 May 2013, 12:34 · from 2013-May.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Thu, 2 May 2013 08:34:15 -0400
Subject: (urth) Agilus and Agia
Message-ID: <BLU175-W16732D9ACCB447D5FC721CCFBD0 at phx.gbl>

>Gerry Quinn: Over the successive iterations, the moving parts become enmeshed in a 
>machine that leads to the Severian who will bring the New Sun.  It is the 
>New Sun - or Whatever is behind it - which ultimately selects the history 
>that brings about its creation.  No personality or group in the story, not 
>even the Hierodules, are controlling events.

Excellent post Gerry. I am reminded of the Pelerine who tells Severian that his (and 
Urth's) story is more than just a conflict between good and evil. I am also reminded
of Tzadkiel who compares humans to sentient pawns who can only move in a forward
direction and with a single step through time. Presumably, Tzadkiel is like a queen
who can move in multiple directions and multiple spaces in time.

Perhaps Wolfe means us to extend the analogy and recognize that above the angels is
a presence which has an understanding of the game which goes far beyond that of a 
queen. One which not only understands the purpose of each piece's movement but the
movements of all pieces on both sides of the chess board. And even beyond that to an 
understanding of all the movements of all the pieces of all chess games ever played.

I think it is interesting that the answer you present as an SF answer seems actually to 
delve into theology. Perhaps we agnostics must be careful getting too deeply into Wolfe
and risk becoming believers. ;-)

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