(urth) Who's Right?

[Lee Berman]

>Witz-ovitch: I'm of the opinion that if these puzzles don't yield real symbolic meat they aren't 
>worth pursuing.
 
Amen brother!
 
 
>Witzendez: That being said, the idea that the Katherine he symbolically beheads is is mother is 
Roast fucking Beef.  Severian has to destroy Mother Urth.
 
Far out! That is a great symbolic connection. I don't think I've seen it observed before.
 
 
>McWitz: Now, I don't get the Contessa at all. Is she Catherine? It makes some sense. But theories 
say she might be the daughter of Valeria and Dux Caducius, but I don't see the evidence.
 
I think the Dux idea was Borski's. Makes no sense to me either. But the Catherine-Contessa connection
came first from Borski I think. Credit where due.  I think Dave Tallman's elaboration is very nice 
though I always manage to put my own spin on things too. I think it was discussed in here last June or 
so. Worth posting a recap?