"Like fruit," Claudius says by way of introduction1. "Dost remember that charming story I told thee, about the Garden of Eden, and the fruits of all the trees made for mankind to consume? In sooth, trees do not bear fruit in service of mankind. Trees make fruit so that there can be more trees. The oldest forms of plants, simple mosses that grow by the water and in the shadows of stones, spread through spores like the ones Tress uses -- but without the wind to carry them, spores can only spread so far. Trees are far more ambitious. They have more specialized structures, roots and leaves, and woody stems which help withstand cold and heat. They also have flowers, which grow into fruit, and which animals will want to pick and eat. Animals have more locomotion than most trees do, of course, and sow their seeds farther. The more sumptuous the fruit, the more animals prefer it. In many ways, fruit is meant to tempt. It's because fruit is tempting that apple trees have survived; Crowley really only illustrated that fact. You could call him an early patron of agriculture."
While speaking, he straightens the cuffs of his sleeves, and does a testing half-twirl to see how the fabric flows around him. He rather likes it. "But apples aren't the only plant to have evolved for fruits. So have thy loquats. So have tomatoes, which came from the Americas with Mexican cuisine, and are not even a tree, but a vine. In parts of the world separated by vast oceans -- indeed, in thy world and mine -- fruits have evolved independently. All because, as a fashion of seed dispersal, fruits tend to succeed. There's an example of convergent evolution." Idly flexing his hand, showing off his wrist and the fit of the jacket, he says, "The same must be true of style. Some styles are invented, of course, but others evolve -- and naturally some evolve alike2."
1 Some men will say would you like to hear about convergent evolution and not wait for an answer, or they will wait for the slightest inquisitive look. Between Lan Wangji and Galahad, Claudius is used to this. 2 You heard it here, first: sleeve garters are like biological fitness.
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While speaking, he straightens the cuffs of his sleeves, and does a testing half-twirl to see how the fabric flows around him. He rather likes it. "But apples aren't the only plant to have evolved for fruits. So have thy loquats. So have tomatoes, which came from the Americas with Mexican cuisine, and are not even a tree, but a vine. In parts of the world separated by vast oceans -- indeed, in thy world and mine -- fruits have evolved independently. All because, as a fashion of seed dispersal, fruits tend to succeed. There's an example of convergent evolution." Idly flexing his hand, showing off his wrist and the fit of the jacket, he says, "The same must be true of style. Some styles are invented, of course, but others evolve -- and naturally some evolve alike2."
1 Some men will say would you like to hear about convergent evolution and not wait for an answer, or they will wait for the slightest inquisitive look. Between Lan Wangji and Galahad, Claudius is used to this.
2 You heard it here, first: sleeve garters are like biological fitness.