(urth) Agilus and Agia

[Lee Berman]

>Gerry Quinn: But the question remains, why so *many* tests and trials. We expect 
> the hero to have to overcome certain difficulties on his journey, but 
> does Severian suffer more than we would expect, and do they more 
> commonly than we would expect take the shape of tests and trials,

Well, the nature of this story almost requires it to be a series of trials and tests,
though we, being almost as ignorant as Severian, don't really know that until we are
done reading and have had time to ponder.

A first person-told-tale could be about the narrator's personal relationships in life 
but with Severian, it eventually becomes clear that those are not important. Severian
is meant to be alone in the universe and his trials and tests and eventual destination
end up mattering even more than he does or the people who are important to him.

Thus is it with all Campbellian heroes, including Jesus. They have the Marys and Judases
the Ariadnes and the Andromedas in their lives but they are incidental to the trials and 
tribulations our hero passes through. We are meant to admire and even worship these heroes,
but we know that they are essentially a different breed than we are. Their purpose in life 
is to serve as our savior, eschewing a normal life, sacrificng their own personal human 
needs so that we may fulfill ours.