(urth) Oannes

[Dan'l Danehy-Oakes]

I'd like to remind y'all of the Watchmen Principle:

Everything in a Wolfe story means something.

But not everything in a Wolfe story means much.

On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 1:45 PM, DAVID STOCKHOFF <dstockhoff at verizon.net> wrote:
> ________________________________
> From: Lee Berman <severiansola at hotmail.com>
> To: urth at urth.net
> Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 3:50 PM
> Subject: (urth) Oannes
>
>
>
> David Stockhoff: What's the evidence that Typhon is bisexual?
>
> Yep, you guys did a good job listing the evidence. The erection
> in Severian's presence, the tribute, the painting. Added to the
> matings with Echidna and his relationship with Kypris, of course.
>
> I agree with Antonin that a rape might have been implied as the
> upcoming event after Severian had been fed and had sworn utter fealty
> and obedience to Typhon.  Which may be part of why Severian refused to
> swear it. His torturer days might have alerted him that some men
> (like some animals) use sex as a way of affirming male-male dominance.
>
>>Gerry Quinn: I think it’s more of a power thing than a sex thing with
>>Typhon, though.
>
> Agreed, but it is still sex.  The choice of "fair women and boys" implies
> exercising sexual power and coercion. Not the sort of tribute subjects
> you'd pick if you planned to hold gladiator fights or build giant monuments
> to yourself. The painting does corroborate this view.
>
>>The painting doesn't really mean anything
>
> I'm sure you wouldn't intend to speak for others, so perhaps that could
> be amended to, "The painting doesn't really mean anything to me".
> __________________________________________________________
>
> Circumstantial, but likely enough.
>
> Gerry is right that whoever painted that painting may have had his own
> motives that have nothing to do with any basis in fact. But even if
> Pas/Typhon was only rumored to be bisexual, that at least suggests that
> someone thought he was, and so he might have been.
>
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-- 
Dan'l Danehy-Oakes