From: "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" 
Subject: RE: (urth) The Ascian's Shadow
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 12:02:13 -0700

I observed that 

> > But _the_ shadow of _the_ torturer (not _some_ shadow of _some_
torturer)
> > does not fall upon them; they are not touched by the salvation Severian
> > is to bring.

> Neither are 99.9% of the Commonwealth's population.  

Again, so much for universalism. But at least _some_ are.

> And do we know that no Ascians survived? 

Mere survival is not the "salvation" I referred to; it is
the regeneration of humanity which (according to the Hieros)
will ultimately lead Urth-humans back to the stars. It 
begins not with Severian's bringing the New Sun, but with
his ascending the throne (and, I think, its overt sign is
his abolishing torture).

--Blattid


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