You do realize how many impossible things have to be true for that to have happened? — Arthur C. Clarke

“You’re not too heavily laden, Professor. What are those documents?”

“Star charts,” he said firmly. “The true treasure of our civilization. A few books too—oh, what a horror it was that we were not able to empty the libraries! For once a book is lost to the ice, a little more of our past is gone forever. But as to my personal effects, my pots and pans, I have my own troop of slave bearers to help me with all that. They are called graduate students.”

Slickness of presentation didn’t imply comprehensiveness of knowledge.

When the pious fools come up against the godless pagans who own Judea, the result is what might be called diplomatic incidents.