CitiesWhorl

This is Sean Whalen (prion). I was just wondering about the names of the cities in the Whorl and their meaning. Viron: Latin for a circle, center. Viron is surrounded by other cities in circular pattern. Suggests the word environ. Limna: Latin for the edge. It's at the edge of Viron. Palustria: Latin for swampy place. Surrounded by swamps. Gens: Latin for a family line, a clan. Urbs: Latin for city. Ur: Name of an ancient city on Earth. Wick: Just what it says, as far as I know. Trivigaunte: I don't know about this. Can anyone help? prion

When I first read the books, I assumed that as 'Whorl' was a neolgism describing a World that Whirls, 'Viron' was once short for environment, in the sense of "artificial environment" or "total environment"--a lost reference to the artificiality of the Whorl. Since it turns out that 'Viron' is hardly the only city or even the central one, it doesn't really make sense that it would have that kind of name while the other cities don't. -Rostrum