TPoD, Chapter15, "Stronger Than Written Law"

[Elwinn Taron]

I was reading on a thread about Mat losing an eye, (Sorry, can't remember the name of the discussion), and someone brought up Egwene's dream, in this chapter: "Mat,weighing two Aes Sedai on a huge set of balance scales, and on his decision depended....She could not say what; something vast; the world perhaps."

 

Well, obviously this doesn't have anything to do with whether or not Mat is going to lose an eye, but I got to thinking about it, and here is what I think...Mat really didn't WANT to rescue Joline and Teslyn. He really debated with himself and tried to talk himself out of it. (Edesina doesn't count in this, because Teslyn flat said she wouldn't go without her.) So, they are the two Aes Sedai he is weighing on the scales. Now, something vast, the world perhaps? On Joline and Teslyn? Yup.

 

Because, without having to rescue them, the minute Tylin left with Suroth, Mat would've had Olver, Juilin, Thom, Vanin, the Redarms, and probably Noal outta Ebou Dar, as fast as the other horses could keep up with Pips and Wind. Right? But, with staying to arrange their rescue, he has his run in Bayle Doman and Eageanin--and without Domon, he wouldn't know where the Tower of Ghenjei is located. If he had left, he never would have had to kidnap Tuon, and the Fox would have never married the Raven! If he had left, I'm sure Setalle Anan wouldn't have gone with him, and they never would have had to travel with Luca's show. (Not sure where those two things fit in, but I bet it will turn out to be important!) And lastly, without rescuing them, he would never have let the Windfinder loose....and I'm pretty sure they are going to play a very important part in the last battle, and while they would never willingly go far from the salt, I think because of "Mat Cauthon A 'great and good man'" who freed the Windfinders in The Escape, they will join all the rest at the Last Battle.

 

So, in effect, Mat's decision DOES affect, well, the whole world.

 

What do you all think?

[Guest Barmacral]

I think you did a good job of thinking this up, and that it fits very well.

[Luckers]

I like it too, especially the part about the Windfinders. I've been thinking on their selfishness alot recently, and frankly i was hard pressed to figure out how they would be stirred to action.

[Beckon]

Makes perfect sense to me. I know that's not saying much... :roll:

[Razor]

By traveling with the menagerie, he was reunited with Aludra and she found her general to make use of her dragons.

[Elwinn Taron]

Razor, thank you, I had originally thought of Aludra, but while I was typing, my mind went blank. I think Setalle Anan will be very important, too, probably in studying ter'angreal.

[Simple Gleeman]

Seems pretty well reasoned out. I just have an issue with two things.

 

But' date=' with staying to arrange their rescue, he has his run in Bayle Doman and Eageanin--[b']and without Domon, he wouldn't know where the Tower of Ghenjei is located.[/b]

 

Only partially true. Without Domon Mat, Rand, and Thom might have died after fleeing Shadar Logath and almost certainly wouldn't have passed the gleaming metal tower along the Arinelle. Domon played no part in revealing that that gleaming metal tower was actually the Tower of Ghenjei though. It took Thom to reveal the need to enter Finnland, Oliver to reveal that the Tower of Ghenjei is used to enter the Finnland, Noal to describe it, and Mat to remember a gleaming metal tower he had once passed while escaping Shadar Logath on Domon's ship.

 

I thought it was kinad fishy when Noal described the Tower that only Mat remembered it and not Thom, because he was on that boat too. I looked back on the scene where they passed it, and Domon was talking about it to Mat and Rand. Thom must have been in the cabin for quite awhile - it'd be pretty hard to miss a metal tower in full daylight for as long as it would take a boat to pass it.

 

Also, I don't think Mat rescuing Teslyn and Joline fulfills Egwene's Dream of "Mat,weighing two Aes Sedai on a huge set of balance scales, and on his decision depended....She could not say what; something vast; the world perhaps." As you pointed out, rescuing certainly lead to very important things. However, I think weighing the Aes Sedai on the balance scales mean he will have to choose between one or the other. Maybe literally choose between two Aes Sedai or two groups of Aes Sedai, as in The two groups of Aes Sedai. I think he has yet to fulfill that little prophecy.

[Beckon]

It doesn't really indicate if he's weighing them against each other or weighing the two of them together against leaving. I think I agree with Elwinn, just from the Domon bit. If I remember right, Mat needed Domon to jog his memory about having seen the tower. Min had her viewing about Rand almost certainly failing without Moiraine so there's the world right there.

[Jarred Darque]

I thought Domon mentioned seeing a similiar Tower in teh sea of Storms, near a beach impossible to land on?

 

Been about 6 months since I read that far, and will be about another month or two till I am up to that point again (halfway through tDR atm for the ...4th? time)

[Jaric Mondoran]

I agree with what several people have said already; I think the balance scales are one of the pile of prophecies that will finally be fulfilled in MoL. The wording of its importance screams Moiraine.

[RobertAlexWillis]

However, I think weighing the Aes Sedai on the balance scales mean he will have to choose between one or the other. Maybe literally choose between two Aes Sedai or two groups of Aes Sedai, as in The two groups of Aes Sedai.

 

This accurately states the only concrete objection I had to that interpretation. Weighing two Aes Sedai on a scale (with no other object described) implies wieghing them against each other, choosing one over the other. Since Mat chose to save Teslyn and Joline both, that choice doesn't seem to qualify.

[Luckers]

Whilst i too think it to be weighing them against each other, there is a possibility that it does mean weighing two Aes Sedai for the attainment of value. Like, would aiding these two Aes Sedai be worth the risk.

 

If it is the first situation, i dont think it can refer to Joline and Teslyn, if it is the second...