Since the Nightingale is really Philomena, is the Spider really Arachne? And what does the Spider signify? I don't remember it being mentioned in any readings from the first three books.

Thank you for also explaining the layout. Is it deliberately similar to the organization of the dream-gates in Felix's construct-Melusine? (One of my thrills in rereading Melusine while waiting for Corambis was recognizing the meanings of a few seemingly unimportant images during the first explanation Felix gives of using the construct-Melusine to find the mysterious gardens in his dreams at St. Crellifer's. Sue Lambiris