Hero of Alexandria

To make water flow uphill, one simply needs to convince it that it's going downhill, but in a very elaborate fashion.

Some men spend their lives seeking wisdom; I, on the other hand, prefer to make automatons that pour wine.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that perpetual motion was impossible, when clearly, a well-placed lever can do wonders.

Why bother with tedious manual labor when a bit of compressed air can do the job with far more theatrical flair?

They say necessity is the mother of invention. I say boredom and a desire to impress dinner guests are far more potent muses.

One must always be prepared for the unexpected, especially when dealing with the unpredictable nature of steam and the even more unpredictable nature of human curiosity.

The difference between a miracle and a well-engineered device is often just a matter of who is observing it.

My automatons may not have souls, but they certainly have more reliable timing than most philosophers.

To truly understand the universe, one must first understand how to make a bird whistle using only water and air.

Some call it magic; I call it applied physics with a touch of showmanship.

The gods may move in mysterious ways, but my gears move with predictable precision, which, I find, is far more useful.

If a problem cannot be solved with a lever, a pulley, or a bit of steam, then it's probably not a problem worth solving.

They say knowledge is power. I say the ability to make a temple door open by itself is far more persuasive.

My inventions are not meant to replace man, but merely to make his life more amusingly complicated.

The most profound truths are often hidden within the simplest mechanisms.

One can learn more about the nature of reality by observing a well-designed water clock than by listening to a thousand orators.

I find that the best way to convince someone of a new idea is to build a device that demonstrates it with an undeniable flourish.

Some aspire to conquer empires; I aspire to conquer the limitations of gravity, one gear at a time.

The only thing more satisfying than solving a complex engineering problem is watching someone try to figure out how you did it.

My devices are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who prefer their reality unadorned by the occasional mechanical marvel.