32
" AGATHA, an old Labradoodle ATHENA, a brown teacup Poodle ATTICUS, an imposing Neapolitan Mastiff, with cascading jowls BELLA, a Great Dane, Athena’s closest pack mate BENJY, a resourceful and conniving Beagle BOBBIE, an unfortunate Duck Toller DOUGIE, a Schnauzer, friend to Benjy FRICK, a Labrador Retriever FRACK, a Labrador Retriever, Frick’s litter mate LYDIA, a Whippet and Weimaraner cross, tormented and nervous MAJNOUN, a black Poodle, briefly referred to as ‘Lord Jim’ or simply ‘Jim’ MAX, a mutt who detests poetry PRINCE, a mutt who composes poetry, also called Russell or Elvis RONALDINHO, a mutt who deplores the condescension of humans ROSIE, "
― André Alexis , Fifteen Dogs (Quincunx, #2)
35
" Él, Benjy, era a su manera tan necesario como el líder, pues para que hubiera alguien arriba tenía que haber alguien abajo. Entonces, ¿por qué tenían que montarlo sólo a él? ¿Acaso no era razonable pensar que, de vez en cuando, el líder debía dejarse montar por el perro de menor estatus, es decir, por Benjy? Sin profundidades no hay alturas. "
― André Alexis , Fifteen Dogs (Quincunx, #2)
38
" One evening in Toronto, the gods Apollo and Hermes were at the Wheat Sheaf Tavern. Apollo had allowed his beard to grow until it reached his clavicle. Hermes, more fastidious, was clean-shaven, but his clothes were distinctly terrestrial: black jeans, a black leather jacket, a blue shirt. They had been drinking, but it wasn’t the alcohol that intoxicated them. It was the worship their presence elicited. The Wheat Sheaf felt like a temple, and the gods were gratified. In the men’s washroom, Apollo allowed parts of himself to be touched by an older man in a business suit. This pleasure, more intense than any the man had known or would ever know again, cost him eight years of his life. While at the tavern, the gods began a desultory conversation about the nature of humanity. For amusement, they spoke ancient Greek, and Apollo argued that, as creatures go, humans were neither better nor worse than any other, neither better nor worse than fleas or elephants, say. Humans, said Apollo, have no special merit, though they think themselves superior. Hermes took the opposing view, arguing that, for one thing, the human way of creating and using symbols, is more interesting than, say, the complex dancing done by bees. – Human languages are too vague, said Apollo. "
― André Alexis , Fifteen Dogs (Quincunx, #2)
39
" For the first time in his life, it occurred to Benjy that being mounted was a humiliation. He understood why others did it and he would certainly have mounted any other dog weaker than himself, but this new feeling of shame, changed him. He began to think about it. For instance, it occurred to him on day while Frick was atop him that if the point were to demonstrate that one had the power to mount another, the point did not need to be made over and over. The point being made once or twice, it became obvious or redundant, a mere reflex to which smaller dogs like himself were forced to submit. He submitted without resistance, accepting his place in the echelon. After all, he believed with all his soul that the social order was the most important thing. And yet… "
― André Alexis , Fifteen Dogs (Quincunx, #2)