<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><div><span>I find those points difficult to argue with. I also had not considered the misericorde-Pelerine connection---it seems strong. <br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><span>It reminds me that one of the things that makes BNS hard to sort out is that Wolfe's archaisms can hide correspondences. If one woman has a stiletto or a rondel and another a misericorde, we think at first read that the author is merely being pedantic. But the symbolism of the misericorde cannot be set aside. Wolfe used that term for its precise meaning: mercy.
</span><span>Terminus Est is also a misericorde of sorts, but </span><span>Severian is a kind of misericorde for Urth. Several characters seem to have an unhealthy fascination with death, in sharp contrast with Severian's professional demeanor; is it much surprise that Agila and Hethor end up together?<br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><br><span></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><span>I think Agilus is definitely intended to be read as a wearer of masks. The ribbons stay on because he keeps them on, ready to put on another mask at a moment's notice. He wears a mask (with the same ribbons) under his septentrion's helm---whether it's the same death's head mask or not---and this is of course a clue that
it's him. The wearing of masks points to the warlocks. I don't think the ribbons need to be painted on---such behavior does not correlate with anything.<br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13.3333px; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;"><br><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> <div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <div style="font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <div dir="ltr"> <hr size="1"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Lee Berman <severiansola@hotmail.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> "urth@urth.net" <urth@urth.net> <br> <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, May 1, 2013 10:54 AM<br> <b><span
style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> (urth) Agilus and Agia<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br>>aaron: I have always wondered about the ribbons above Agilus' ears, though. And<br>>Borski's explanation doesn't satisfy.<br><br>I don't remember Borski's explanation on the ribbons but I think there are a number <br>of subtle hints to be found in the various attributes and acoutrements of these two. <br>For example, Agia mentions inheriting a "misericorde" from her mother. This is a slim <br>blade used for the purpose of battlefield mercy killings. This is enough for me to <br>conclude that their mother was a Pelerine, though I'm sure not all would concur. For<br>me these clues plus others help me place the twins within Severian's family tree.<br><br>Agia is observed scratching out a depiction of a "jurupari". This is the name for a <br>certain S.A. fish whose name translates to "demon eartheater" and also a S.A.
mythical<br>monster that swallows its human prey whole so that they think they are in a cave. I think<br>this is a foreshadow of the man-ape cave to which Agia leads Severian and helps explain<br>the enormous being Severian senses below it. (it connects to the Fish Mouth/Fomalhaut <br>theme also)<br><br>With regard to Agilus' apparently painted on head stripes, my best guess is that this<br>foreshadows and connects to the face and body painting of the Jungle Sorcercers. They, <br>like Agilus, use trickery in an attempt to take Terminus Est from Severian.<br><br>Moreover these clues plus others (e.g. the black bean or seed) seem to connect these twins,<br>like the Jungle Sorcerers, to an anti-New Sun cult which is likely connected to the <br>megatherians curently ruling Urth. As the caloyer of Saltus tells us, such beings will<br>be swept away by the coming of the New Sun. Agia and Agilus are part of a series of traps<br>or tests which have been set for
Severian to encounter on his journey. <br>_______________________________________________<br>Urth Mailing List<br>To post, write <a ymailto="mailto:urth@urth.net" href="mailto:urth@urth.net">urth@urth.net</a><br>Subscription/information: <a href="http://www.urth.net/" target="_blank">http://www.urth.net</a><br><br><br></div> </div> </div> </blockquote></div> </div></body></html>