Matt Roth:I believe I
have found the divinity in question--one who has emerged not from the Hades but
from the so-called egg of creation. The divinity is Phanes, which means light or
light-giver...Some scientists doubt that this was the origin of the genus name,
but VN must have seen the connection somewhere and noted it. Phanes would seem
to connect to Shade's passage in a number of interesting ways. As noted, Phanes
is aka Eros, which seems fitting in this passage, where worshipful Shade
celebrates the erotic aspects of his relationship with Sybil. .. But
the phrase "dark Vanessa" is also curious, since Phanes was the god of light. I
noted before that Shade's parents, Shade & Lukin (whose name means the same
thing as Phanes!), are a combination of dark and light, and here Shade seems to
cast Sybil in similar opposing terms (dark/light).
Any other ideas?
JM: Last year's postings at
Nab-List must carry references to a medical term that indicates evanescent parts
of the body, such as hair and fingernails: "Phaneros." If VN was conscious
of this link ( all those scarf tissues and nails...) might he have employed the
word "diaphanous" somewhere? Perhaps worth checking into. Or it comes up in
variations for "epiphany"?
I remember that this subject cropped up
after D.B.Johnson brought up a special word and object ( Pale Fire? Lolita?)
related to photography, or to objects seen in mirrors and through
transparencies. The word escapes me now.