Posted by Anne on June 1, 2006, 1:03 pm, in reply to "Re: the roots"
211.26.193.92

Jean-Daniel, I'm glad you came back to this thread, it's always intriguing discovering Whittemore's sources for his characters and localities. As far as I know no critic has ventured into this area of investigation or even thought of it. It does require some esoteric knowledge, so it is amazing to think of Whittemore using these obscure historical figures in building his characters. Regarding the Rue Lepsius, I believe it was Cavafy's address in Alexandria and the ground floor was a brothel. I think Whittemore's use of the street name for the location of the Hotel Babylon (a former brothel too) in Cairo is a nod to both Durrell and Cavafy. Cavafy is referred to in the Alexandria Quartet as "the old poet of the city". It was Durrell and EM Forster who raised Western awareness of Cavafy's poetry in the 1950s/60s. I have a copy of Cavafy's complete poems which I purchased back in the late 60s, early 70s. He was trendy then, as was the Alexandria Quartet. I've tried to search out the source of Our Colly of Champagne with no success, though I am sure there must be some historical personage with similar exploits. I keenly look forward to further revelations from Nile Shadows and really appreciate you sharing your discoveries with the rest of us, Jean-Daniel. Anne --Previous Message-- : I'm going back to this old thread, because the : subject is a fascinating one. : Yes, the White Monk of Timbuktu was real : (though he lived a bit later than : "our" Yakouba), and he's not the : only Whittemore character to be rooted in : reality. : To wit: --the story of the O'Sullivan Beare : clan is real (I found it on several Irish : websites); : --Plantagenet Strongbow is, of course, : inspired by Sir Richard Burton; : --Johann Luigi Szondi is inspired by Johann : Luigi Burckhardt, the "discoverer" : of Petra; : --Sofia is partly inspired by oil : millionnaire Gulbenkian (whose name is : mentioned en passant in Nile Shadows), : nicknamed Mr. Five-per-cent; : --the "Three Wise Men" who visit : Joe in his kiva at the beginning of Nile : Shadows are William Donovan (Big Bill), : William Stephenson (Little Bill) and Stewart : Menzies (Ming)--look them up! : --the rue Lepsius, aka rue Clapsius, was the : Cairo address of poet Constantin Cavafy (Ann : tells me it figures proeminently in : Durrell's "Alexandria Quartet")... : : Did any critic or reviewer work on that side : of Whittemore's work? I could find nothing : on the web. : : Jean-Daniel (translating Nile Shadows right : now) : : --Previous Message-- : : I don`t know about many of the other : characters, but I do know that there is a : genuine line of Skanderbegs who ruled in : Albania. : : --Previous Message-- : Oh, I agree. I remember, when I first read : Sinai Tapestry, thinking that Strongbow : was inspired by Richard Burton. As : Whittemore was a Yale graduate in History, : no doubt quite a few characters and events : are derived from historical personages and : events. : There REALLY was an ancient version of the : Bible discovered at St Catherine's : Monastery. : It would be an intriguing study (had one the : time) to discover the original source for : Cairo Martyr for instance. : In Jericho Mosaic there is a character : called : Yossi, a Jewish agent for Mossad who : passes himself off as an Arab and leads a : double life. I recall seeing a documentary : once on a Mossad agent who was a dead : ringer for Yossi. : I'd be interested to see other visitors to : this Board's opinions on this. : : : : : :

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