The mention of him holding back brought a gentle sigh to his lips.  One of the staff faintly tapped his chair, and he slipped back, allowing them to take away his plate when the second course was brought forth.  "I had hoped to spare you from the troubles of an old man," he explained.  "When the visions stop coming clearly, when confusion begins to set in, it all too often means for an oracle that he or she will die soon.  Their Fate is no longer tied to the events, thus weakening their ability to recognize the future."  He didn't seem too worried at the prospect of imminent death, but then, such matters are rarely taken lightly.<br/><br/>The mention of divine heritage and difficulty likewise brought a nod from him.  "When Legba first told me that I would need to lose my eyes, that the price of vivid understanding of the present would be to be unable to see and that I would trade madness for blindness, I remember my sorrow.  I can only imagine what it's like for those who have spent their lives intricately tied to the strange ways of the gods."  He took another sip of his wine.  "Perhaps I have simply been at this too long, and have forgotten the subtle difficulties of the unknown, explaining and aiding the chosen of the gods in their tasks.  I apologize."