From: "James Wynn" 
Subject: Re: (urth) Severian the Unreliable
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 11:45:06 -0500

I recently took a look a "Shadow and Claw" at the bookstore. The
Roche/Drotte confusion is there. Does anyone know whether the Mint/Marble
confusion is carried into "Epiphany of the Long Sun" from Exodus? I know
that one place it occurs is in the "The Best Thieves in the Whorl" chapter
and the other occurs shortly before or after.

The quote I'm referring to occurs during Siyuf's conversation with Mint. My
copy of Exodus says:

"Siyuf looked back to Maytera Marble. "You wish to tell me of the Charter of
your city, before this man have interrupt you. I find this of interest."

Does it say "Maytera Mint" in "Epiphany"?

--- Crush


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas Bates" 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2003 12:37 AM
Subject: (urth) Severian the Unreliable


> Something to get discussion started again:
>
> I think an important passage to examine when trying to figure out
> what is going on with Sev's memory is this one from _The Claw of the
> Conciliator_, Chapter 8:
>
> "The truth is that I am one of those who are cursed with what is
> called perfect recollection.  We cannot, as I have sometimes heard
> foolishly alleged, remember everything.  I cannot recall the ordering
> of the books on the shelves in the library of Master Ultan, for
> example.  But I can remember more than many would credit: the
> position of each object on a table I walked past when I was a child,
> and even that I have recalled some scene to mind previously, and how
> that remembered incident differed from the memory of it I have now."
> (II, VIII)
>
> So, even he knows and admits that he can recall the same event
> differently.  I don't think that he's lying about having perfect
> recall.  Maybe he's trying to reassure himself that his memory is
> working properly when he mentions it so many times.  We know that he
> fears that he's insane.  I'll continue quoting:
>
> "It was my power of recollection that made me the favorite pupil of
> Master Palaemon, and so I suppose it can be blamed for the existence
> of this narrative, for if he had not favored me, I would not have
> been sent to Thrax bearing his sword."
>
> Maybe Palaemon, when he was trying to give advice, knew Severian
> would just disregard it or misunderstand it, which seems to fit with
> his naivete and gullibility.
>
> "Some say this power is linked to weak judgment--of that I am no
> judge.  But it has another danger, one I have encountered many times.
>  When I cast my mind back into the past, as I am doing now and as I
> did then when I sought to recall my dream, I remember it so well that
> I seem to move again in the bygone day, a day old-new, and unchanged
> each time I draw it to the surface of my mind, its eidolons as real
> as I.  I can even now close my eyes and walk into Thecla's cell as I
> did one winter evening; and soon my fingers will feel the heat of her
> garment while the perfume of her person fills my nostrils like the
> perfume of lillies warmed before a fire.  I lift her gown from her
> and embrace that ivory body, feeling her nipples pressed to my
> face..."
>
> I wonder if Severian remembers the things he fantasizes or imagines
> and thinks they are real?  Is it possible that he doesn't know the
> difference between reality and fantasy?
>
> He goes on, remembering the dream from when he slept in the bed with
> Baldanders.
>
> "Again I bestride the mitred, leather-winged steed.  Pelicans fly
> below us with stiffly formal strokes, and gulls wheel and keen."
>
> Here again, the recollection recounted here differs from the original
> description.  No pelicans or gulls were mentioned before.  Another
> data point for the theory that he mentions his perfect memory almost
> every time he describes something differently than he did before.
>
>
> Thomas Bates
>
>
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