(urth) The Wizard
Lee Berman
severiansola at hotmail.com
Mon Mar 5 13:19:20 PST 2012
>James Wynn: The reference to "the son of Thyone", to "Silent Silk"
>and "Silver Silk"...
For me the reference to Silenus and Silvanus is similar
to the earlier "Bird Of the Woods" reference to Rhea Silvia.
The Latin name doesn't refer to a bird but I think we are supposed
to catch the connection.
Likewise the names of the goatmen demi-gods do not have a direct
connection in meaning to "silent" or "silver" but most I think most
english speakers (native or not) can perceive the similarity of words.
Interesting that Wolfe uses the Latin root for forest in both these
examples of english wordplay to allude to Roman mythology. Coincidence?
I suppose few would connect the words "silent" and "silver" to alone to
Dionysus. But when you add references to Thyone and Janus, plus Pan and
Fauna and the Cumaean Sybil and a number of other associated mythological
references and I think the connection becomes difficult to ignore.
>I think it is as fair to view the Dionysus references in exclusion to
>everything else as it is examine the Jesus references in exclusion or to
>examine how Wolfe sees his myths legitimately conflated with Jesus of
>Nazareth and what Wolfe is saying in bringing those parallels out. He's
>not doing just one thing.
One of the few areas James and I tend to disagree upon. A good argument by
James. Perhaps it boils down to whether the Sun series takes place in our
universe or in an alternate version sans Christ. I dunno. Perhaps Wolfe is
speaking to James and others in a Christian code I am not privy to. Or
perhaps the need for Christ is so strong for some he must be inserted, even
when His absence seems so apparent (to me). Must one be the "right"
interpretation?
For me, Wolfe has a horror element to his writing which is justified by the
absence of Christ. Be it space exploration without bringing Christianity
(5HoC), the B.c. era (Soldier series) an alternate universe (Sun Series and
Wizard/Knight) or a personal deficiency (Peace, etc.) I see this absence as
the source of horror in the world and one of the primary bases for Wolfe's
writing.
p.s. I'm always intrigued by the reference to the Abraxas in BotNS. Bumped into
this gnostic reference today:
>Beausobre, in the History of Manicheism, enters into a long etymological
>disquisition to prove that Abraxas is derived from the two Greek words, AbroV Saw;
>or, "the magnificent Saviour, he who heals and preserves." AbroV is an epithet of
>the Sun.
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