(urth) Urth Digest, Vol 73, Issue 34

[Andrew Mason]

Jeff Wilson wrote:

> On 9/19/2010 12:54 PM, Andrew Mason wrote:
>> At the end of BOTNS, when Severian enters the Autarch's apartment, he
>> finds a laboratory containing, among other things, 'the fabled emerald
>> bench'.  Does anyone have any idea what this might be?
>
> Probably a reference to the Emerald Tablet aka the Emerald Table, upon
> which is graven the undoubtable truths of alchemy including the formula
> for gold, the Philosopher's Stone, the care and feeding of homunculi and
> mandragoras, etc.
>
>        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_Tablet
>

Interesting - and it's about the power of the sun.