“They multiplied into the Sirens' throng,
Forewarned by fear of whom he stood bound fast
Hand and foot helpless to the vessel's mast,
Yet would not stop his ears: daring their song
He groaned and sweated till that shore was past.”

“He stood unmoving, wondering at his own abrupt and incomprehensible inability to act. He did not fear damnation. Nor did he give a fig for the common opinion of Mankind. There was nothing to stop him but fear alone—fear that his reasoning was wrong.”

“Every man needs his Siren to check his courage and strength when he hears her song in his travels through the unknown.”

“The only man in the past whom I really respect was Seurat... He didn't let his hand interfere with his mind.”

“The fool that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well.”

“Rome was not built in one daie (quoth he) and yet stood
Till it was finist, as some say, full faire.”

“In this place of light: he dares to live
Who stops being a bird, yet beats his wings
Against the immense immeasurable emptiness of things.”

“Mind working is man, mind working fast is mad, mind slowed down is Mast and mind stopped is God.”

“Then said a Second — "Ne'er a peevish Boy
Would break the Bowl from which he drank in joy,
And He that with his hand the Vessel made
Will surely not in after Wrath destroy."”

“We're not really intruding," he called down. "This is all a big misunderstanding."
"Stop right there!" shouted one of them.
Skulduggery held his hand to an ear he didn't have.
"What's that?"
"Stop!"
"Keep going?"
"STOP!"
"OK, we'll keep going.”