“The real story of the Fleece: there were these two children of Zeus, Cadmus and Europa, okay? They were about to get offered up as human sacrifices, when they prayed to Zeus to save them. So Zeus sent this magical flying ram with golden wool, which picked them up in Greece and carried them all the way to Colchis in Asia Minor. Well, actually it carried Cadmus. Europa fell off and died along the way, but that's not important.""It was probably important to her.”

“Well, actually it carried Cadmus. Europa fell off and died along the way, but that's not important.'It was probably important to her.”

“She stared at me. "Fly, ;ole, in an airplane, which you were warned never to do lest Zeus strike you out of the sky, AND carrying a weapon that has more destructive power than a nuclear bomb?""Yeah," I said. "Pretty much exactly like that.”

“Hi, this is Ganymede, cup-bearer to Zeus, and when I'm out buying wine for the Lord of the Skies, I always buckle up!”

“The god of wine looked around at the assembled crowd. “Miss me?”The satyrs fell over themselves nodding and bowing. “Oh, yes, very much, sire!”“Well, I did not miss this place!” Dionysus snapped. “I bear bad news, my friends. Evil news. The minor gods are changing sides. Morpheus has gone over to the enemy. Hecate, Janus, and Nemesis, as well. Zeus knows how many more.”Thunder rumbled in the distance.“Strike that,” Dionysus said. “Even Zeus doesn’t know.”

“As for my brothers," Zeus said, "we are thankful"-he cleared his throat like the words were hard to get out-"erm, thankful for the aid of Hades."The lord of the dead nodded. He had a smug look on his face, but I figure he'd earned the right. He patted his son Nico on the shoulders, and Nico looked happier than I'd ever seen him."And, of course," Zeus continued, though he looked like his pants were smoldering, "we must...um...thank Poseidon.""I'm sorry, brother," Poseidon said. "What was that?""We must thank Poseidon," Zeus growled. "Without whom . . . it would've been difficult-""Difficult?" Poseidon asked innocently."Impossible," Zeus said. "Impossible to defeat Typhon.”

“Hera: Ohh, Thalia Grace, when I get out of here, you'll be sorry you were ever born.Thalia: Save it! You've been nothing but a curse to every child of Zeus for ages. You sent a bunch of intestinally challenged cows after my friend AnnabethHera: She was disrespectful!Thalia: You dropped a statue on my legs.Hera: It was an accident!Thalia: AND you took my brother”