URTH
  FIND in
<--prev V301 next-->
From: "Russell Wodell" 
Subject: (urth) the great god Pan
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 17:13:12 -0800

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C2C302.B757A300
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
	boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0002_01C2C302.B75A1400"


------=_NextPart_001_0002_01C2C302.B75A1400
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

 
As I recall (dimly),  Plutarch said a sailor heard a voice from a
distant island commanding him to proclaim that "The great god Pan is
dead!"
Since Pan's name literally means "All,"  I had always assumed that this
was supposed to be a coded message that the entire Greek pantheon of
gods were dead - i.e., that the Christian era was coming. In Soldier in
the Mist the lamia complains that Io has dropped her chains into the
snake's hole, that supernatural beings dislike iron, and that "The
reason is to come." Again, dimly do I recall that faeries were supposed
to shun iron because of the significance of the nails holding Christ to
the cross. 
This raises the wider question of Wolfe's ambiguous and often quite
terrifying presentation of the Greek deities. I think we are to view
them as actual gods, not just Latro's hallucinations, but Wolfe says in
one interview that they were "not worthy of being worshipped." Would
that make them demons? What is the orthodox Catholic position these days
on rival religions and their supernatural beings? Certainly the
underlying logic of the Latro novels thus far is the move from
Earth-worship to Father-worship, and as usual in Wolfe all the major
evil characters are either female (or in one case) become female.  (Not
that he's totally misogynistic: the Amazons are portrayed entirely
positively, and Io the slave girl is the brightest and best of all his
characters.)
 

------=_NextPart_001_0002_01C2C302.B75A1400
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable





















As I recall (dimly), =  Plutarch said a sailor = heard a voice from a distant island commanding him to proclaim that “The = great god Pan is dead!”

Since Pan’s name literally means = “All, I had always assumed that this was supposed to be a coded message that the = entire Greek pantheon of gods were dead – i.e., that the Christian era = was coming. In Soldier in the Mist the lamia = complains that Io has dropped her chains into the snake’s hole, that = supernatural beings dislike iron, and that “The reason is to come.” = Again, dimly do I recall that faeries were supposed to shun iron because of the = significance of the nails holding Christ to the cross. =

This raises the wider question of = Wolfe’s ambiguous and often quite terrifying presentation of the Greek deities. I think we = are to view them as actual gods, not just Latro’s hallucinations, but Wolfe says in one interview that they were = “not worthy of being worshipped.” Would that make them demons? What is = the orthodox Catholic position these days on rival religions and their = supernatural beings? Certainly the underlying logic of the Latro novels thus far is the move from Earth-worship to Father-worship, and as = usual in Wolfe all the major evil characters are either female (or in one = case) become female.  (Not that he’s totally misogynistic: the Amazons are portrayed entirely positively, and Io the = slave girl is the brightest and best of all his = characters.)

 

------=_NextPart_001_0002_01C2C302.B75A1400-- ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C2C302.B757A300 Content-Type: image/jpeg; name="image001.jpg" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-ID: /9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABIAAD/7QVoUGhvdG9zaG9wIDMuMAA4QklNA+0AAAAAABAASAAAAAEA AQBIAAAAAQABOEJJTQPzAAAAAAAIAAAAAAAAAAA4QklNBAoAAAAAAAEAADhCSU0nEAAAAAAACgAB AAAAAAAAAAI4QklNA/UAAAAAAEgAL2ZmAAEAbGZmAAYAAAAAAAEAL2ZmAAEAoZmaAAYAAAAAAAEA MgAAAAEAWgAAAAYAAAAAAAEANQAAAAEALQAAAAYAAAAAAAE4QklNA/gAAAAAAHAAAP////////// //////////////////8D6AAAAAD/////////////////////////////A+gAAAAA//////////// /////////////////wPoAAAAAP////////////////////////////8D6AAAOEJJTQQIAAAAAAAQ AAAAAQAAAkAAAAJAAAAAADhCSU0ECQAAAAAD9wAAAAEAAACAAAAAgAAAAYAAAMAAAAAD2wAYAAH/ 2P/gABBKRklGAAECAQBIAEgAAP/+ACdGaWxlIHdyaXR0ZW4gYnkgQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wqCA0 LjAA/+4ADkFkb2JlAGSAAAAAAf/bAIQADAgICAkIDAkJDBELCgsRFQ8MDA8VGBMTFRMTGBEMDAwM DAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAENCwsNDg0QDg4QFA4ODhQUDg4ODhQRDAwM DAwREQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM/8AAEQgAgACAAwEiAAIRAQMR Af/dAAQACP/EAT8AAAEFAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAMAAQIEBQYHCAkKCwEAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAA AQACAwQFBgcICQoLEAABBAEDAgQCBQcGCAUDDDMBAAIRAwQhEjEFQVFhEyJxgTIGFJGhsUIjJBVS wWIzNHKC0UMHJZJT8OHxY3M1FqKygyZEk1RkRcKjdDYX0lXiZfKzhMPTdePzRieUpIW0lcTU5PSl tcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9jdHV2d3h5ent8fX5/cRAAICAQIEBAMEBQYHBwYFNQEAAhEDITESBEFR YXEiEwUygZEUobFCI8FS0fAzJGLhcoKSQ1MVY3M08SUGFqKygwcmNcLSRJNUoxdkRVU2dGXi8rOE w9N14/NGlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vYnN0dXZ3eHl6e3x//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8A 9LSS7JlWLMolMkkmpXSTpIqUnCinCQQySTSknWilJkpSQtKxSlJJBKk6ZOkFP//Q9LlJMnVZmVCY qRUUCpSRKUpkErSpBRhOkClkCkmCcJ1rVQmUk0JKUm7p0kEqSTSkUrU//9H0kKQUU8qoCzlclRTy opEqC6SSSSVwlokkihScJAJwEgEKCRTpiE6lLJJJkFLJJJJq5//S9JTJ0ypthcJJkpSUukklqipS kmhSARAQVBJOE6ctWCdJIooYlRKkSok6ppXBSRSCcodEv//T9JSSThVGwxITKZTQhSrUE6QCdOCC uEkySKF5Ugop0QgrpikSokokqCxTKSaEwrlBP8Eyfskh/9T0lSUSkCVUZ2SSYKSKFkkkgipSSdMU lLpFMmJStVLykmlOhaVJJAJ4RQslKSZBL//V9JTwkkqjOunUU4KchSQTpJKWJSTEppQtNLkpkk8I bqUAnSTIqZJSmSRQsmUlEoFIf//W9KCSSdVWdZIJQkkplKZNKSNopc6qMKSZBKycFOkB4pUq1JJ4 CUI0i1kydMUClUpkkkEv/9kAOEJJTQQGAAAAAAAHAAMAAAABAQD//gAnRmlsZSB3cml0dGVuIGJ5 IEFkb2JlIFBob3Rvc2hvcKggNC4wAP/uAA5BZG9iZQBkAAAAAAH/2wCEAAoHBwcIBwoICAoPCggK DxINCgoNEhQQEBIQEBQRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBCwwMFRMV IhgYIhQODg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DP/AABEIASwBLAMBEQACEQEDEQH/3QAEACb/xAGiAAAABwEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAEBQMCBgEABwgJ CgsBAAICAwEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAgEDAwIEAgYHAwQCBgJzAQIDEQQABSES MUFRBhNhInGBFDKRoQcVsUIjwVLR4TMWYvAkcoLxJUM0U5KismNzwjVEJ5OjszYXVGR0w9LiCCaD CQoYGYSURUaktFbTVSga8uPzxNTk9GV1hZWltcXV5fVmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3x9fn9zhI WGh4iJiouMjY6PgpOUlZaXmJmam5ydnp+So6SlpqeoqaqrrK2ur6EQACAgECAwUFBAUGBAgDA20B AAIRAwQhEjFBBVETYSIGcYGRMqGx8BTB0eEjQhVSYnLxMyQ0Q4IWklMlomOywgdz0jXiRIMXVJMI CQoYGSY2RRonZHRVN/Kjs8MoKdPj84SUpLTE1OT0ZXWFlaW1xdXl9UZWZnaGlqa2xtbm9kdXZ3eH l6e3x9fn9zhIWGh4iJiouMjY6Pg5SVlpeYmZqbnJ2en5KjpKWmp6ipqqusra6vr/2gAMAwEAAhED EQA/AOoZluG1hQ3TArqYpaxQ7fCrROKGtsVcadsVdthVvamBXYpcBgQ3TFk7FW8Vdtirgu+BV6rQ 1xSuGRZN0GKtU3+WFFOpirVBiq04UNYUOxVo4q49cVawoaritt1xVo4q7FDqHFLqHFW+ONpbpgta f//Q6jmU4bRGFXVxQ1XFXVxVquFDVcVawq7FXYq3gVvFXDFK4YEuOKrcKG8VXLgKQvGRZN4Eurir VcNIdXFXVxVrFDRwq7FWsULcKGjhQ1irWFXDFVwwJbxV2KXDArfbFX//0eo5lOI44ULcKHYqtOKH YVaxV2KHYpbwK3irhilvFXYEuOKGsKt4quGBK4HAluuBLWFXYENYVdXFWq4obrilrFDROFWsKGiM VawodTArsKuwKuGBLeKXYq3ir//S6kMynEaOKFuSQ7FVpxQ1hV2KHYpbwKuAxS7FXYq7FXYq1ire KuxVsYEt1wJbrirsVarih2KtHCrVcUN1xS6uKtE4UNVxV1cVbxVrFXYq7FDhilcMCW8Vdir/AP/T 6l2zKcRo4oaOFWsKHUwKtIwodhV1MCt0xS2MCuwq7FXYq0cUNVxVuuKXVxVsHFW8CXDFW8CXYodi rRwq1hQ7FXYq1ihrFWxilvFWsVdih2KtjAlvFLsVXYEv/9TqNcynDaJwq1hVvArqYq7FDVMVdhVr FXYq3irsVccCrckhrFWq4otuuK2uU4GTeBLYxVdgS1ih2KuphVxGKVuFi7FWqYq6mKt4q7FVuKGx ilumBXYVdgS4nCh1dq4rb//V6hXMtw2sKuxVsYFbwK6mKXEYoaOFVuFDWKG8Ut4q0Tiq3ChaThYt YVbGBV4OBkurkUtg4pdXFXVxVcMCXYq44qtOFDWFDsUuxV2KuxQ1TFWwMVbGBLsVaOKHYUNUHjil /9bp+Zjht4FdTFXYq2MCt4paOKrThQ1hQ7FDsUuJxVbhQ0ThQtwodireBV2BLsUrgcCW8VdilsHA q7Al2KtHFDVMKupirqYq1hQ7FXYq7FXYq7FXHAq3Ch1Ril//1+nVzMcJvFW8CXYq2MCt4paOKrTh YtYVdXFWq4odirWFWiMLFqmKupirsVbxS3gVvFK6uRS7CrYwJbwK3til2KupirWKGsKtYq6mKHYV dirVcVdXFDsVaxVrCr//0OmVzNcFcMCW8VXDAlumBLsVaJwqsJwsWsKGsVdirsVdirsUOxV1MUup irqYq7FW8CtnFXDFK4HAlvFXYFXDFLsCrTkkNYq7FXYq1hVo4oaxQ7FXYq7CrWKv/9HpmZrgNg4E rsUrhkWTZxVrFC0nChbkkNYodirsUupirsVdireKtgYFbxS1ihrFXDFW8UuGKrhgS3irYGBLeBXH Cqw4UNYq7CrsVdirsULcKGsVdirsVawof//S6Xmc69sYGS8ZFK7Al2FWq4qtOFC3ChrChvArsUt4 FdirsVdireKXYq7FWjihwxVvFLeKrsCW6YEtjFXYEtHChacKHUxV1MVdTFWsKuxQtwoW4UOrirsV bwK//9PpWZzr2wcCVwOBK6uBLq4q0ThVrChbXChquKGwcUt4FcMUt4FdireKt4pdirWKupirdMCu pirdMUrhgS3gV2KW6Yq1TChaRirsUOxV2FVuKGicKrThQ7FDVMKt4Fdil//U6Xmc69rFW64Et1xW 3VxS6uKuOKFuFDsVdiq4YEuxV1cVcMUrsCWxgV2KtYVbxVsYEt0wK3TFLeBXYpbGKt4pdTAq0jJI apihxxVZhQ7ChacUNYVdireKuxVrFX//1el5nOvdilo4odXFXVxVsHFLeBWqYVdih2KXYq7FXUxV vAlvFWwcCW64FdhVsDAlsDAldgV2KXYq7FWxirYwJbxVojFWqYULSMKFpwoaOKFuFDsKuwK2Bilx xVb3wsX/1ulkZnOA1ihxxVrCrsVbwK2MUt4EupirsVdihqmFW8CXYq7FDsUtjAq7FK4YEtjAlvAl vFXYq6mKtgYFbxS7FXYq0cVWnChaRkkLTixW4UOxVwGKrsUtHFVtMLF//9fphzNcBrCho4q1hQ4Y q3XAlsYpbwK6uKXYq7FDsUuxQ7FXYq7FVwwMlwwJbAwJXAYEt0xVumBXUxS6mKuGKt4q7FXYq0cV W4ULTkmKwnChrCh1cCrhgS7Cl2KGu+KH/9DpmZrgOOKrDhQ1hQ3irhgS3irq4q6uKt1xVsYEuxS7 FXYq3irYGBK4DAlumBVwxS2MCW8VdgS3irsVaxVvFXYq1XFWicKFhOFitOFC0nJIaxQ7FK8YEhdT Alo4qt74WL//0emZmuC7FC0jChrCrsVbwK1XFXYVdihwwJXDFLeBLeKuxVcBgS3TAlvAlvFW8Cux S2DirYwJbxV2KuxV2KuOKrScKFpOFC0nChaThQtwodireKrgMCV2RS474VW8TXrhtFP/0umHM1wG jhV2KupirqYq0RihrCrWKHYq3ileMilsDAlcMCXYpbAxVdgS6mKuGKt4Fdirq4VXA5FLeKXYq3gV 2KWjhQsyTEqZOSYra4ocThVrFW8Ct0xSuGBLeBWiaYVW8sNIt//T6YRma4LsUOxV2KXYq0cUNEYU NYVaxQuGBK7AyXDAlvAlvFW8VbGBLsVdirq4q1ihsYpXDAldgS7FXYq7FWicKrGwsSsOFitySGsV bwK7FVwwJbril1cVccVW079sNof/1OmGtMzXAarhVvAlcBgV1MVawq1TFDVMK07jja06mKtjAlcM CW8CW8Vdirq4q3XFXYFdirsVbxSuGBK7AlwxVxxVquKrSckxWnChbhVo4oapih2KuxVvFWxgS3TF LqYFaoOnbwySH//V6Z45muA0BhVcBgSuGRS7CrRxVrCh2KuwK7CrgMCrsUuxV2KuxV1cCuxVdgS3 il2KuxVcMCW8Ut1wK0Tiq2uFDRwoW4UNYVdih2KtUxQ6mKupirYwJXDAlvFKygrXvhYP/9bpmw+e ZrguxVcMCW8VdirsVdTArVMKHYq7FW8UuxV2KuxVrFW6YFdhVdgS3gS7FW8CuxS6uKt1xVquFDVc VW1woawodirsVdirsVdirhgV2KrhgS2TQVxSs2rywsX/1+m5muC1iq4YEt4q7FXYpdih2KupgV1M VdhV2KuxV2KuxV2KW6YFbxV2BW8Ut4FdirRwq1XFDq4VarirWFDsVdTArsKt0wJdirWFDsVdilvA rm3FBiFLu+Kv/9DpprXMxwGsKVwwK7FW8UuxV2Kt0wJbpirsVW4q7Ch2BLYxVumKtUxVvFXYFdhV 1cCt4pdirROKtYUNYUOxV2KuxV2KXYFXYq7ArVMKuxV2Ku7Yq1irt6e+KH//0emnrma4LWKuxVvF W64FdilcMCVwwJccVawoaxVrFW8VbwK2MUuxV1MVaxQ1hVvFXVwK6uFVtcUNVwq1XFDYxS3irsCt 0xS3TFXUwK3ilrFDRwq1hQ7FXYq7FX//0um9zma4LsVaxV2Kt4FbGKVwwJbwK3ilo4oawq1hQ2MC VwGBLsVdirsVaOFDWKt4q0cVW1woaJwoaxQ7FK4YEt4q3gS3irYwJbwK7FWjhVacKGsKGsVdXFXV xV//0+m5muA1ilvArsVbxVvFLYwJXYEuxVo4oW5JXYobGBK4YEuxV1cVaxQ44VW4q3XFWicKFuFD WKHYpdiq4YEt4q2MCW8Vb6YEt4EuOFC04oW4UOwq1irWKHdsVf/U6bma4LsVbwK6mKXAYq3irYwJ XYEuxVo4oaphV1MVdTFVwwJcTiq2uFDq4q7FWsUNE4VawoaxV2Kt4FbAxS3irYwJdTFW8Ct1xS1X FDq4pdhQtwoaxVonCh2Kt4Ff/9XpmZrgtjArYxS3irsVdirYwJbrirq4FbxS4jFWsUNjFLsVaOKF pwoarhVuuBWicKtYUNYq7FW8VbpgS3irsVcDgVuuKW8VaxV1cVbrirWKupirVMULSMkhrFW8Vf/W 6Zma4LYwK3il2Kt4q7FXYq6uBWxilcMCW8CtEYVaxVvFWjhQsJwsVuFW8VdirsVdgVumKXUxV2Kt 4q7FWsVbxVvAlrFXYq7CrsUN1wJaxVo4ULcKHYof/9fpmZrgtjpgVvFLeKuxVrFXYq1ihcMCVwwJ XYGTsUNYVdiq04QhZkmLWKHYpdirsVbwKuGBLsKuxV2KuxV2KtYq3irsUuxV2KHYq7FXYq1XFWsK GsVf/9DpoGZjgt4q7FLq4odil2Kt4qtxQ2MUrxgSuyKXYqtrhV2KHHCq0jChbhQ7FWsVbxV2KuxV sHAreKXYq7FXYq7FXYq7FLsCuwoaxVxOKGsKuxVrFXYq/wD/0emjpmY4LeKuxV2KuxS7FXVxVrFD YxSuGBK6uBLVcUOwq7FWicVawoaOKtUxQ3TFWqYq7CrWKt4quGRS7ClsDArqYq7FWsKuwK3irRxQ 1hQtOFXYodirsUuxV//S6dmY4LsVdTFW6YEtHCrWKHYq7CrYwK3iybrgV1cVawq3gVrCh2KuxV2K uxV2KtHFDWFXAYFXDAluhGLJvAh2KtHCrWFWxgVxxVaSMKGsKGsVdTFXHFDsVdil/9Pp1MzHCbAx V2BXYVaOKtYodirsVcMVXVxS6uKuqMVdUYq7FXYq1irq4q7FWxgV2FLsUNEV2xQuQb79sBLIBcSS SCMCW9sCt7YpawoWmlcVcAK4UNbYqtNKYUNbYodirsKuxV1MCXYUOxV//9TqG2ZbhuxV2BXYVccV LWFDRxVrfFDsKtYq2OuKuHfFWx0wK75YpbFMCu2xV2KtbYVbxVv4cCW9sVb22wJbwJdhVoVxQ3ir RxVw98Vawq12xQ44q0cKtHFDWKGsKt4EtiuKt4q//9k= ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C2C302.B757A300-- --

<--prev V301 next-->