Of course, historical figures can also appear in time travel fiction. In fact, it seems to be an easy matter for high-ranking Time Patrol agents to meet them. How many historical figures appear, or are at least mentioned and discussed, in the Time Patrol series? And how much can we learn about them just from Poul Anderson's texts? In the case of Cyrus, we seem to be given all the important data and I suspect that this will be true of other characters that I should look into.
If we analyze the fictitious public figures, like the archcardinal in the alpha timeline, we will find that they are less well rounded characters because Anderson has to create their biographies from scratch and also because they do not need to be given as many background details in order to play their roles in their respective stories.
Alternative Scenarios
If Denison had not appeared mysteriously when he did, would Harpagus have found another surrogate Cyrus? Everard thinks not because it seems that it was precisely the mysterious appearance that gave Harpagus the idea. But I think that the time stream seems to have needed a Cyrus.
Instead of finding another surrogate, Everard and Denison prevent the murder of the original Cyrus. But I think that this means that, between the timeline with Denison as Cyrus and the timeline with Cyrus as Cyrus, there is a timeline in which Denison as Cyrus disappeared in 542 BC instead of dying in 530 BC.
Of the real Cyrus, Denison says, "'...he'll do.'" (Time Patrol, p. 111) But he is the original!
5 comments:
Hi, Paul!
True, Keith Denison's comment about the original Cyrus the Great that "...he'll do" seems a bit odd. But I would understand that as the RELIEF Denison felt in having the burden of fate lifted from him.
Sean
Sean,
Yes, relief - plus i thought it was rather humorous or ironic.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
No, it "felt" more like Denison was being relieved of a heavy burden.
And, of course, there's the issue of what happened to the now cut off from the Time Patrol alternate timeline where Cyrus the Great disappeared in 542 BC rather than dying in 530/29. Wouldn't it have been better if Keith Denison had been told he had to live and die as King Cyrus to the end of his life?
Sean
Sean,
On my theory of causality violation, Keith should have stayed where/when he was.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
I agree! Before I read your arguments for believing that timelines such as what we see in "Brave to be a King" and "Delenda est" continued to exist even after the corrective actions taken by the Time Patrol, I had thought (as Poul Anderson also seems to have done) they simply ceased to exist, were nullified or "deleted." Your arguments for thinking that was not the case seems to have convinced Poul Anderson as well. But he died before he might have written a Patrol story incorporating your insights.
But, at the end of section 9 of "Brave to be a King," we see a possible hint of this problem: ' "Uh-huh." Everard seemed more grim than a victorious rescuer should be. "It never happened." ' He was responding to Denison's saying he had been a long time away from home, even if it never happened. But it does make me wonder if Everard had some uneasy suspicion that it wasn't that simple!
So, yes, your argument about the theory of causation violation does convince that the most ethical thing Keith could have done was to resign himself to living and dying as Cyrus the Great.
Sean
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