Human emotions are a gift from our animal ancestors. Cruelty is a gift humanity has given itself.

Before Me you are a slug in the sun. You are privy to a great Becoming and you recognize nothing. You are an ant in the after-birth.It is in your nature to do one thing correctly: before Me you rightly tremble. Fear is not what you owe Me, Lounds, you and the other pismires. You owe Me awe.

Problem-solving is hunting; it is savage pleasure and we are born to it.

On a related subject, Signore Pazzi, I must confess to you: I'm giving serious thought to eating your wife.

The worm that destroys you is the temptation to agree with your critics, to get their approval.

Evil's just destructive? Then storms are evil, if it's that simple. And we have fire, and there there's hail. Underwriters lump it all under 'Acts of God.

It occured to Starling how much Roden would benefit from an elbow smash in the hinge of his jaw.