The same intact culture that made them good businessmen also made many of them lousy parents. - Kage Baker

Sex, Kiu said thoughtfully. And Fear. Get that big old devil behind them with a stick, and my radiant beauty in front of them, and they'll run right off a cliff, if I ask.
I'm a firm believer in Guilt, personally, said Labienus.
Works well on individuals, Kiu conceded.
Nothing like it for subtle motivation. Plant it deeply enough into a mortal's psyche and it twists them endlessly. Labienus sighed. Get it in there young enough and it'll do all your work for you. You'll have only to prod the mortal along with a suggestion now and then.

You have to be pretty damned hot and thirsty to enjoy a soy-milk smoothie, but they were, so it was okay.

Ah, the immortal ocean.
Consider the instructive metaphor: every conceivable terror dwells in her depths; she receives all wreckage, refuse, corruption of every kind, she pulls down into her depths human calamity indescribable; but none of this is any consideration to the sea. Let the screaming mortal passengers fight for room in the lifeboats, as the wreck belches flame and settles below the extinguishing wave; next morning she’ll still be beautiful and serene, her combers no less white, her distances as blue, her seabirds no less graceful as they wheel in the pure air. What perfection, to be so heartless. An inspiration to any lesser immortal.