MDDM 63 & 64 Saturnalia?

[Samuel Moyer]

Given the comedy presented in these two chapters and the similarities in folklore/legends... it strikes me that Pynchon is creating echos of Saturnalia...  This is something I really need to look more into before making any BOLD statements here...

I think of the two drunken astronomers, Hsi and Ho, working for Huang their new master.  There is a reversal of position (in one of the two possible endings given) where due to the drunkeness of these two fools who miscalculate the eclipse and get their master killed, they become masters and live happily ever after....

Hsi and Ho now live in a world of festival or carnival... seven daughters, food, drink, money, power...etc...

Someone out there can help me with this idea... ???

Sam
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