(urth) Dionysus

[Lee Berman]

David Stockhoff: 
>On 12/8/2010 3:43 AM, Lee Berman wrote:
> I consider the argument: "An alien has been shown to be a shapeshifter; Fr. Inire is an alien;
> >Therefore Fr. inire is a shapeshifter" to be invalid.  Do you see why?
 
Argh, my worst nightmare realized! Bad enough to see Gerry hack, shrivel and distort my Inire theory
down to one sentence in a reductio ad absurdum attemtpt. Now his shrunken troll of misrepresentation is 
attributed in quotes to me. Horrors!
 
J/K David, its all in good fun.
 
Still, I think it is worth noting that nobody here would make the above argument or your Odin/Thor argument, 
except as strawman strategy to build then knock down

 
Shapeshifting is an interesting but not central componenent of my Father Inire theory. Ancient Greek gods did
it so maybe that was a model. But the theory could instead rely on something like Pan's ability to create a 
legion of copies of himself to do his deeds. I think the monkey-stuff is a deliberate misdirection on the Pan 
connection. If Wolfe had made Inire to look goat-like, and had various goat-like characters appearing in the
text would anyone, even Gerrry, have serious doubts about a Pan connection? So instead Wolfe uses several 
levels of concealment: Faunus->Inuus->monkey.
 
But it doesn't really matter. That is window-dressing. The theory don't really need the mythological 
component because there is a relevant, observable theme in the main text.

 
It starts when Severian realizes the whoremaster is really the Autarch. Later he learns that the Autarch is 
also the third bursar and several other roles within The Commonwealth. Theme- leaders take on multiple roles
within their domain. Since nobody got this, Wolfe illustrated the principle in more elaborate, colorful
fashion with Tzadkiel. He is Ship Captain. But he is also apport, grunt, sailor, etc.
 
The entire Commonwealth recognizes the Autarch as the ruler. He sits on a throne. He knows the Secret Words. 
His face is on the coins and common folk pepper their speech with silly veneration for him, elevating even his 
sweat and urine. Even Father Inire showers Severian with really extensive, divine praise in the introduction of 
his note.
 
But, with remembrance that goat god Pan/Dionysus has been conflated by Christianity with Satan, we must
keep in mind his role as the Great Deceiver, the silver-tongued devil. Gene Wolfe's voice in now in my head and 
(with sincere apologies) I find I must speak in his voice:
 
 
"Stop Being Deceived! The clues are all in the text. Father Inire is the true 1000 year ruler of the Commonwealth."
 
 
His faux religious name and status as humble vizier should send up red flags. He is Rasputin. He is Cardinal
Richelieu. He is the true power behind the throne and the Autarch is merely a replacable a person drawn from the
populace as needed. (Q.Why is it that only Cyriaca, not even Thecla, is able to realize this. A. Who was her 
unnamed, rare book-loving uncle who taught her the secret history of the universe?). 
 
We, like Severian, are very impressed with the coolness of the legion of memories.  But it is a just a bauble. 
The memories fade and are mostly of butlers and scullery maids and honey stewards. As we see in UotNS, the memories 
even of the previous autarch are of minimal use. 
 
In Urth, Severian claims Father Inire was his only friend when he was Autarch. What happened to Drotte and Roche and 
other possibilities like Guasacht? What about Valeria? I think a puppet master is aware of the benefits of cutting all 
strings but his own.
 
As the true ruler of the Commonwealth, even without seeing the little old man/monkeys here and there, we should 
EXPECT to see various versions of Inire in various roles, based on the example given to us by The Autarch and
Tzadkiel. As an alien with superhuman powers we can expect him to be much better at it than the Autuarch, though
not quite as good as Tzadkiel. And, in my opinion, that is exactly what we "see".