Gen and Costis, revisited

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I lent my copy of The King of Attolia to someone (no, of course I didn't loan my beautiful hardback) and she had a question when she was finished.

Although Costis lost his temper and punched Gen, she wondered if Gen treated Costis unfairly by involving him in all the court intrigue, shaming him to his family, and manipulating him again and again.

And, I know we talked about this before, but how do you think Gen really felt about Costis? Was he angry because Costis punched him, since Costis only did what Gen wanted him to? Why did he choose Costis for all this?

Comments

[fabricalchemist.livejournal.com]

But, does that make it even worse, because he is such an honorable guy, that Gen makes him dance to his song?

I think you're assuming Gen posesses a standard set of morals.

[cherryblosomjen.livejournal.com]

I think you're assuming Gen posesses a standard set of morals.

Lol, you're right. His sense of morality is definitely unique to himself. He still doesn't like to kill people or have them killed, but does so when he has no other choice. But in other areas he's very gray.

[anon8.livejournal.com]

But if Costis hadn't punched Gen, if he'd had more restraint, then he wouldn't have gotten dragged into it. So it was his own actions that sort of set into motion the next phase of his employment. You didn't see Aris or Teleus lose their heads, even though Gen's statement provoked them too.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

You didn't see Aris or Teleus lose their heads, even though Gen's statement provoked them too.

That's a good point, but Gen definitely implied that he was baiting Costis specifically at the time. I can't remember exactly what he said, was there anything that could be aimed entirely at Costis? Or maybe Gen had noticed that Costis was particularly blunt, and could be more easily provoked?

[anon8.livejournal.com]

He was commenting to Teleus that it was too bad he had guards so incompetent as to allow their own Queen to be abducted from right beneath their noses, so to speak. That's why Gen's statement, "I wasn't baiting you..." was a surprise not only because of who he actually wanted to punch him, but because the statement was aimed at Teleus. Costis is loyal to Teleus too, as his guard captain and as a role model, so the insult to Teleus also rankled along with the comment in itself.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're good at this. :D I'm going to have to go back and re-read. But I see your point now, Costis did suffer a loss of restraint which the other guards didn't, and the insult was equally aimed at them I suppose. But your point about Costis looking up to Teleus is a good one too.

:) It's difficult to decide whether Gen wanted Costis specifically, or any of the guards to hit him. He did say something about needing a lever long enough - and Costis was the one who instigated that sword bout at the end that changed the minds of the guard about Gen - I'm not sure. :) Must re-read.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Didn't Gen really take a risk with all this? I can see that he was pretty certain that he could prevent Costis from being executed if he took the bait, but what if Telius had reacted instead? I don't see any way to keep Telius from being executed for hitting the king. Gen might not have really minded getting rid of Telius, but what would have happened to his plan to reduce the guard? That could only happen if Telius was there to agree.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

There was a huge risk involved, but Gen is the guy who went to prison hoping that it wold occur to the Magus that he needed a thief. If baiting Costis hadn't worked, Gen would have tried something else. :) In a way, I guess he's still jumping and waiting for his god to catch him.

Which brings up the question of the gods involvement in KoA. I think they were involved a lot more than I thought at first.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Which brings up the question of the gods involvement in KoA. I think they were involved a lot more than I thought at first.

I think that question deserves its own thread. Why don't you start one?

[rowana.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. I would, but I really, really ought to get on with the history paper that I'm meant to be doing. I seem to have fallen into the habit of wandering around the forum instead of doing history.

Would you mind starting the thread instead? It sounds like you already have some ideas about the gods possible involvement in KoA. :)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

It will be my pleasure. :)

[anon8.livejournal.com]

Gen must have known Teleus's character well enough to know that his captain wouldn't strike him. After all, Gen's almost always insulting Teleus, but Teleus never reacts except to be very formal and very terse. I bet Teleus would be a great poker player.

And while Gen was rubbing it in about the abduction, Teleus might have blamed himself already, and had his apologies accepted by the queen, so maybe it didn't hurt as much. He might have been just irritated at what seemed like bragging and petty insults from the foreigner king. But to Costis, it was an insult to his captain and to the hard work of his fellow guards.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

I bet Teleus would be a great poker player.

:D I personally would never want to mess with Telius. He's pretty fierce.

[rowana.livejournal.com]

:D I personally would never want to mess with Telius. He's pretty fierce.

Last comment before I do my homework, I promise. Can you really see Costis as a younger version of Teleus, and therefore possibly in line to someday become Captain of the Guard?

And, another question, which is possibly just a lack of uderstanding on my part, Teleus mentioned qualities which Costis had that he thought would be ruined by another year at home. What could those qualities have been? Surely the aspects of his personality that stand out - his honesty etc - must have been cultivated by the situation at home?