Void Cross

Doug Eigsti · 23 Jan 1997, 10:32 · from whorl-v0002.mbox · original

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From: douge at nti.com (Doug Eigsti)
Subject: (whorl) Void Cross
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 10:32:51
Message-ID: <whorl-v0002-0069 at digest.urth.net>
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[Posted from Whorl, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]

Fernando writes,

> **** On Tue, 21 Jan 1997 15:17:47 -0700 (MST), douge at nti.com (Doug Eigsti=
) said:
>=20
> Doug> 	I like your diagram it does seem to allow for the void-cross, and
> Doug> it is a nice plus-sign shape. I can find two things to take
> Doug> exception.  One: The disconnected gammas which you mentioned. It
> Doug> would be more elegant if the gammas were self connected, not needing
> Doug> a framework to keep them together. Two: Gammas do not have arms of
> Doug> equal length. They look like an upside down capitol "L".
>=20
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO          XXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO          XXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO          XXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO          XXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOO                              OOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOO                              OOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOO                              OOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOO                              OOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXX          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXX          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXX          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXX          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> OOOOOOOOOOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
>=20
>=20
> Doug> This has the advantage of being connected and built exclusively from
> Doug> four gamma shaped objects. One can see how Silk could use a gamma as
> Doug> a screwdriver for tightening the power connections on a window.
>=20
> It has the disadvantage, though, of not being a cross at all! Since Wolfe
> repeatedly says "voided cross", I'd expect something that was a cross but
> had some sort of hole it in. (Or was missing something---an allusion I
> think Wolfe intends but that is immaterial to the shape of the thing.)
>=20
>=20
> Fernando
>=20
>=20
> --=20
>=20
> Fernando Q. Gouvea		=09
> Chair, Dept. of Math & CS		Editor, MAA Online
> Colby College				http://www.maa.org
> fqgouvea at colby.edu			fqgouvea at maa.org
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D


Fernando,

	My concept of a voided cross is that of a cross shaped void. I=20
found a couple of references in LONG SUN to support this:

	NIGHTSIDE p.112.1 - "There was a secret in the empty, X-shaped=20
space,... a mystery far beyond the detachable arms."

	CALDE p. 322.1 - "...again traced the sign of addition, which=20
could not - now he came to think of it - ever have been Pas's. A sign of=20
addition was a cross... Pas's sign was not a cross but the voided cross."

	Note that it is the empty space that is considered the cross, not=20
the surrounding framework.
	The OED sheds some light on this also:

	GAMMADION - A decorative pattern formed of repititions or=20
combinations of the shape of the Greek letter gamma. By antiquaries=20
applied otherwise fylfot. Also to a figure composed of four gammas placed=20
back to back in such a way as to form a voided Greek cross.

	VOIDED - 2. having a part or portion cut out so as to leave a=20
void or vacant space.
		c. Her(aldry) - voided per cross - c1828 Berry. Encycl.=20
Her. Gloss. voided per cross is a voiding in the form of a cross, such as=20
a cross Moline, and the like, voided, or cut, out in the middle in the=20
shape of a plain cross through which the field is seen.

	Dave Lebling referred me to the OED. Thanks.

Dave has stated on these pages that he thinks Silk's cross fits the OED=20
definition.

Dave,=20

	I visited the cross web site you listed and found it very well=20
done. Someone is really into crosses. The second listing for a gammadion=20
does indeed look like a passable design for Pas's Void Cross. You are=20
correct that the gammas do not need to have arms of unequal length. The=20
gammadion listed there shows each of the four gammas being symmetrical.=20
	I am willing to concede that this gammadion shaped like a Greek
Cross is probably the one intended by Wolfe. It being a more obscure
reference than the swastica definition for a gammadion would appeal to
Wolfe's flair for mischief while still maintaining his tendency to utilize
existing, albeit obsolete, words, weapons and other implements. This
design makes a fine hearldric symbol but cannot be directly translated
into a physical object. I still prefer the design I had referred to earlier
as being more satisfying because all the gammas are physically connected
without an additional framework and because the cross appears without
orienting the gammas in a cross pattern. The void does not follow the
shape of the gammas. When looking at the other gammadion the eye is drawn
to the outline determined by the gammas and not to the narrow void in the
middle.
	One nomenclature oddity strikes me as I researched the=20
references to the void cross: the individual pieces of the gammadion are=20
themselves referred to as gammadions:

	NIGHTSIDE - p.217.-5 - "...pointed corner of one of the four
gammadions..."=20

	NIGHTSIDE - P.292.1 - "...gammadion by gammadion..."

Is this correct?

=09
=3DDoug Eigsti=3D
douge at nti.com



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