Date: Fri, 5 Sep 2003 00:17:47 -0700
Subject: Re: (urth) Typhon and Quetzal
From: Lisa Schaffer-Doggett 


On Thursday, September 4, 2003, at 06:59 PM, James Wynn wrote:

>>  Anyway, the inhumi are the fabled Pajaro Cu, which was created 
>> without
> feathers (that is, without personality), and took the feathers from the
> other creatures around him. You seem to be suggesting that they *do* 
> come
> with personalities. On top of this, is Wolfe's stated claim that 
> Typhon did
> not know about the inhumi (granted that I believe Wolfe lies, but not 
> in so
> blatently).
>

If Silk and Typhon are the same it would only be necessary for 
Quetzal's mother (or do I have the morphology wrong?) to have fed on 
Silk.  Or his mother could have fed on Typhon without his knowledge.  
This also handily explains how Quetzal knows so much about Typhon.   
Still there is the resolution of Quetzal's age vs. Silk.  A problem for 
sure.


> Finally, associating Quetzal via cloning is overly complex. Quetzal 
> could
> just as well become another Silk by feeding on him (which I'm 
> convinced he
> did).
Wouldn't this still be the equivalent of his being "born" from the 
blood of Typhon?  That actually solves the first problem.

> If you are convinced that Quetzal is to be thematically *identified*
> with Typhon/Pas rather that "merely" associated with him (as Moses and
> Alexander the Great are associated), I'd be curious to know what are 
> your
> other reasons for this. I think identifying Ladon with Pas is so much
> cleaner.
See above.  Thematically Pas and Quetzal are the same.  Pas is a 
download of Typhon.  Quetzal is a download (according to your theory) 
of Silk.  Silk is Typhon (redeemed).
>
> BTW if you can explain how Severian and Typhon can be clones and yet 
> look so
> different -- ideally if you can name some textual suggestion that it is
> possible --it would be helpful to your Typhon-Severian theory, and 
> would
> make me extremely receptive to it. But mythopoetically speaking, 
> shouldn't
> Severian and Typhon be brothers? Cloning would make them the same 
> person, or
> father and son,  as I understand Wolfe's POV on it. Unless Typhon is a
> fellow clone.
I think we have a misunderstanding here.  I believe Typhon is the 
father of Ymar and Severian is Ymar's clone.  Thus Typhon is Sev's 
father.  Silk is a clone of Typhon, so genetically they're twins, but 
chronologically and biblically (to borrow from Nutria) they are father 
and son.  So Silk is Typhon's "son" and Sev is Typhon's "son" making 
them brothers, but genetically Silk is Typhon and Sev is Ymar so they 
are also father and son.  Whew!  I see why GW hid this.  Prosaically it 
is awkward.  Poetically however I think it is beautiful.

regards
Don



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