Gene Wolfe has such subtle plots and such perfection of word choice that he lulls you into a
story without your ever realizing that you are in a story—even his titles are perfection.
In this story, an apparent time traveler finds himself on a journey with Greek gods and
mortals, but cannot remember who he is or why he was sent to this far past.
I have been hoping to speak privately with Amphiareaws about Time’s enmity. I know that
I will not be born for many years. I know also that I have traveled the wrong way through
those many years to join our crew. Was that in violation of Time’s ordinances? If so,
it would explain his displeasure; but if not, I must look elsewhere.
DEBUT
“The Lost Pilgrim,” in The First Heroes: New Tales of the Bronze Age, edited
by Noreen Doyle and Harry Turtledove (Tor Books, June 2004).
VARIANTS
Debut. “The Lost Pilgrim,” in The First Heroes: New Tales of the Bronze Age, edited by Noreen Doyle and Harry Turtledove (Tor Books, June 2004).
I have been hoping to speak privately with Amphiareaws about Time’s enmity. I know that
I will not be born for many years. I know also that I have traveled the wrong way through
those many years to join our crew. Was that in violation of Time’s ordinances? If so,
it would explain his displeasure; but if not, I must look elsewhere.
1 English variant