Mortality Quotes in Hyperion

This sounds like our mother-in-law. JK MIL, we love you! But seriously, we'll let the Shrike's call go to voicemail. That's a conversation we're not ready to have. And if you think about it—isn't this the way a lot of gods seems to communicate?

Poet Martin Silenus is quoting poet John Keats's "The Fall of Hyperion." Ironic (and sad), given that Keats died at a young age and Silenus himself has witness the death of many at the hands of the Shrike.

Father Duré has difficulty coping with the lack of respect for life in Port Romance. We can understand. With a name like Port Romance, you'd expect it to be a nicer place. A lot of places in Hyperion seem to have this disconnect between name and reality.