The River As Life And Death

The Day of Their Return.

In Poul Anderson's Time Patrol series, time is compared to a river among other things.

To the Riverfolk of Aeneas, the Flone along which they travel and trade represents different aspects of life:

"'The river flows, flows, flows.... Here is peace.'" (11, p. 167)

"'The River is ongoingness, fate...'" (13, p.174)

But where the Flone rushes down between rocks, the ships make this dangerous passage as part of an annual ritual:

"'The danger is part of the ritual, Rolf. We are never so one with the world as when - Ai-ah!'" (14, p. 178)

The speaker is interrupted by the real danger of Terran marines seeking Rolf/Ivar.

Life and death along the river.