More on Libraries

[bjorn-are.davidsen@s.televerket.tele.no]

DON!

I am sorry for my perhaps somewhat clumsy way of expressing myself on the 
subject of 
libraries in Constantinople. Of course there were HUGE libraries in 
Constantinople, at least 
up to 1204! My main point was to defend you (if that is necessary) against any 
misunderstanding that the library in your story really had ought to have been 
placed in 
Bagdad or Cordoba or any other Arab/Moslem city of that day. Far from it! 
Constantinople was 
larger (in population, area, buildings, riches) than both of these cities, and I think 
(even if 
Even and my schoolday teachers may disagree) that it's libraries (there were 
many of them 
in the City) were larger too.

Regarding your drawing of Constantinople. There are TWO panels in the story 
showing the 
City, one large one from the Moslem period (e.g. after the Turkish conquest in 
1453 because 
of the many minarets, but not containing any modern building, as in Istanbul 
today) and one 
small one on the next page showing crusaders and burning buildings/churches. I 
commented 
really on both, but my main point is that Byzantinian Churches (there were 
several hundreds 
if not thousands of them) have lots of round/"bubbleshaped" domes (and domes 
on domes) 
or cuppolas (if that is the word). The Turkish mosques from after 1453 are 
constructed as 
copies of the most famous Byzantine church, The Hagia Sophia.

To avoid any further misunderstanding (I hope): I really enjoyed the story! 
Especially the fact 
that you are one of the very few authors which seem to know enough about 
history that the 
Byzantines are put in their real context and their great contribution to posterity 
(as guardians 
of classical culture) is not forgotten! I would very much appreciate it if you in a 
later story 
could return to Constantinople! I would like a lot of drawings of the city in it's 
(long) 
Byzantinian highday!

Bjorn Are 
Bjorn-Are at Davidsen.televerket.tele.no