(urth) Path of Air

[Lee Berman]

>Antonio P. Marques- What's Severian's attraction to Valeria? He met her when
>both were reasonably young.
 
>The wife of Roman emperor Valentinianus was named
>Valeria Severa.
        
>This I think is worth exploring


 
They are still about the same age when they married I think. I am not interested
in parsing out exact timelines but I think those who do estimate Severian's journey 
from graveyard to Autarchy lasted somewhat under two years. Or was it somewhat over...
I forget.
 
Severian doesn't mention Valeria much, if at all, after their first meeting, for 
three books.  Then, in Citadel of the Autarch he brings her up rather unexpectedly 
in the first pages, describing her dark, curling hair and dark eyes and milk and 
pomegranate skin. "really more beautiful than anyone I've ever seen since--more 
lovely even than Jolenta". Later he describes Valeria's face as one that "tears at 
his heart". So there is that.
 
Another face that Severian finds "tears at his heart" is the woman on the Path of Air.
She resembles the Holy Katharine maid who many think is Severian's mother. Make of that
what you will.
 
Further exploration of the Roman empress angle might be to check out Valeria's speaking
Latin phrases to Severian. She may not be the best linguist but she translates "dei"
to mean "New Sun". Severian has to be a bit pleased with that on more than one level.