Ares always reemerges from the chaos. It will never go away. Athenian civilization defends itself from the forces of Ares with metis, or technology. Technology is built on science. Science is like the alchemists' uroburos, continually eating its own tail. The process of science doesn't work unless young scientists have the freedom to attack and tear down old dogmas, to engage in an ongoing Titanomachia. Science flourishes where art and free speech flourish.

See, the world is full of things more powerful than us. But if you know how to catch a ride, you can go places.

Hiro watches the large, radioactive, spear-throwing killer drug lord ride his motorcycle into Chinatown. Which is the same as riding it into China, as far as chasing him down is concerned.

Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be — or to be indistinguishable from — self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.

How could your cover be blown in Canada? Why even bother going dark there? How could you tell?

She looked at me like I was crazy. Most of my lovers do, and that's partly why they love me, and partly why they leave

Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs," I said. "We have a protractor.