From: "William H. Ansley" <wansley@warwick.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) Sev's Dad; Aztecs in Space
Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 23:50:38 

>One of the more puzzling names in THE FIFTH HEAD OF CERBERUS to be sourced
>is the Country of Friends. It's cited by the abos as the possible homeport
>of the star-faring Homo sapiens pangalacticus, who've traveled to Saint
>Anne in the distant past, and mentioned in the same breath as Atlantis and
>Gondwanaland.
>
>I'm now speculating it relates to the Aztecs.
>
>This is because Texas--where Gene Wolfe grew up--is derived from the Indian
>word "texia," meaning "friends." And since Texas was once part of Mexico,
>it's possible the Country of Friends generally refers to Aztecan
>civilization.

I like this too.

I have a nagging idea that the phrase "the Country of Friends" occurs
elsewhere in Wolfe and I have seen it recently in my rereading. If I find
the reference, I will certainly post.

William Ansley



*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/