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Chapter 1
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Bronze Bow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love vs. Vengeance
Trust, Dependence, and Friendship
Leadership: Power vs. Service
Earthly Hopes vs. Heavenly Values
Summary
Analysis
Ebol tells Daniel that Rosh has a job for them. A group of traders from Damascus will be passing by soon and Rosh wants them to seize one slave. Ebol tells Daniel to get rid of Joel and Malthace. When Joel balks at the order, Daniel can’t help admiring Joel’s defiance and eagerness to take part in whatever’s coming. They push Malthace out of sight and hide behind a rock. Daniel loves the unpredictability of life with Rosh. He notices that Joel is exhilarated, too, and that he doesn’t intend to stay hidden.
Joel, who’s just expressed his longing to be part of the rebels’ life on the mountain, quickly gets a chance to see what it’s really like. The connection between seizing an enslaved man and overthrowing Rome is not clear. At this point, though, Daniel takes it for granted that if Rosh gives an order, it must be for a good cause.
Themes
Soon the small caravan appears—a handful of traders followed by a cluster of enslaved men. At the whistled signal, Daniel seizes his assigned guard, a heavyset man in a headdress, holding the man’s own dagger to his ribs. After a scuffle, the rest of Rosh’s group grabs the desired slave, and within moments, the caravan is back on its way. The man they seized, a wary-looking, immensely powerful Black man, doesn’t resist.
Rosh’s group of rebels is experienced and efficient; it doesn’t take much effort to overpower a caravan and kidnap a single enslaved man.
Themes
Rosh, a short, muscular man with gray hair and a matted beard, approaches Daniel and Joel. Unlike most, Joel doesn’t shrink before Rosh’s questioning, though his voice shakes as he introduces himself and explains that he wants to join Rosh’s efforts to fight the Romans. He promises to keep silent about what he’s seen today. Rosh tells Joel to go along to Capernaum, and when the time comes, he’ll have work for him to do. Daniel feels a twinge of envy.
Joel shows courage when he’s introduced to Rosh. Likely because of Joel’s willingness to jump into the action, Rosh is willing to give Joel a chance. Sensing that Joel has impressed Rosh, Daniel is envious. He looks up to Rosh and longs for his leader’s approval.
Themes
Daniel volunteers to lead the enslaved man (who doesn’t seem to talk) back to the cave. He and Joel exchange a farewell glance as Daniel trudges up the trail with the man’s chain in his hand. As he goes, Daniel also notices Malthace’s confident beauty. As night falls, Daniel regrets volunteering to lead the enslaved man to the cave. He knows he was jealous of Joel.
Like Joel, Daniel jumps at an opportunity to take initiative and impress Rosh. Again, identifying with Rosh and gaining his approval is a big part of Daniel’s motivation at this point in the story.Malthace also catches Daniel’s eye.
Themes
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When Daniel and the enslaved man finally arrive at the camp, most of the group has already finished their dinner. In their absence, they’ve named the enslaved man “Samson,” and they’ve decided that Daniel is Samson’s guardian. After Daniel gives Samson food, he gets to work filing the chains off Samson’s wrists. It’s weary work, and Daniel talks to Samson to pass the time. He tells Samson that he’ll have a better life on Rosh’s mountain than he would have had in the slave galleys; Rosh is a fine leader, and soon, he’ll gather a big enough following to beat the Romans.
Samson was a biblical figure known for his immense physical strength. The men’s naming of Samson shows that they don’t really think of him as a person—he’s more of an object, valued for his strength. Daniel is already different, taking the time to talk to Samson even though he assumes the man can’t understand him. Daniel instinctively cares about someone who, like himself, has no one else to depend on.
Themes
When Daniel finishes filing off the chains, Samson suddenly kneels in front of him and presses his forehead to Daniel’s foot. Daniel, shocked and embarrassed, throws cloaks over the two of them and falls asleep with Samuel huddled by his feet.
Samson demonstrates his gratitude to Daniel for freeing him, but Daniel doesn’t want to be recognized for this and finds the attention humiliating. However, it’s the start of a bond between the two.
Themes
