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
Daniel and Malthace listen breathlessly as Joel reads from a papyrus scroll. The passage is from the Book of Enoch, and it describes God’s vengeance against those who oppress his children. When Joel finishes reading, Malthace asks if their father Hezron has studied this book. Joel says yes, but that Hezron believes they must wait for God to establish his kingdom on earth; it’s not up to people to fight for it. But Joel thinks they’ve tried Hezron’s way for long enough, and that perhaps God is waiting for the Jewish people to rise up.
The book of Enoch isn’t considered to be part of the formal biblical canon by either Jews or Christians. However, its prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah were still valued and studied in synagogue schools, leading to varying interpretations. While Hezron believes that people should continue to focus on the Law while awaiting the Messiah’s coming, Joel wonders if the book is a call to arms.
Themes
Daniel remembers that in another Bible passage, Phinehas was praised for killing God’s enemies. He believes another Phinehas is needed—rather, a whole army of such men. Joel suddenly asks Daniel if he thinks Rosh might be the leader they’re waiting for. Daniel has been waiting for this exact question. He knows Rosh is the one they’ve been waiting for—after all, he is a fearless leader who commands men’s obedience. It doesn’t matter to him if Rosh is an outlaw, as Malthace protests. If Rosh can get rid of the Romans, Daniel is sure that God’s kingdom will follow.
The term “Zealot” is connected to the story of Phinehas in the Hebrew Bible’s Book of Numbers. Phinehas was praised for his “zeal” in executing an Israelite chief’s son and a foreign princess for their illicit liaison. Daniel believes that fighting for God’s kingdom by eliminating the Romans requires this kind of zeal, and that Rosh is the man to lead them.
Themes
Daniel explains that he wants Roman blood—it’s all he’s wanted ever since the Romans killed his parents. Malthace gently encourages Daniel to tell them the story. Hesitantly, Daniel begins to tell the story he’s never told anyone. When he was eight years old, and Leah was five, their father had a good job as a vineyard overseer. Daniel attended the synagogue school, and their mother taught them Bible verses. (Even though their mother was half Greek—Leah takes after her in looks—she believed in the God of the Jews.)
The story has hinted at Daniel’s past several times, but the full story has stayed hidden until now. As a small child, Daniel’s life was much more secure and conventional by first century Galilean standards, until things changed catastrophically. This is also a first example of Malthace’s ability to coax things out of Daniel that others can’t.
Themes
Daniel’s father was very close to his younger brother, Daniel explains. When Daniel’s uncle and aunt had a baby son, his uncle purchased an expensive gift to honor his wife. Then, when tax time came, he didn’t have enough money left to give the collector. For this he was jailed and soon sentenced to the quarries to work off the debt. Though Daniel’s father was a peaceful man, he gathered some friends to make a rescue attempt, at his distraught sister-in-law’s urging. However, the men were all captured and made an example of—all six, including Daniel’s uncle, were crucified. Daniel’s mother, after keeping vigil by the crosses for days, died soon after.
Daniel’s uncle’s story is a good example of Rome’s infamously oppressive and cruel policies. Work in the quarries was as good as a death sentence, and all this simply for unpaid taxes. Crucifixion was a more torturous method of execution that was often given to traitors. The condemned men’s ordeal was meant to stand as a horrifying example for onlookers.
Themes
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Even though he was only eight, Daniel vowed that he would live the rest of his life to hate, fight, and kill Romans. He continued to live with his grandmother, but because there wasn’t enough for them to eat, she removed Daniel from school and sold him to Amalek as an apprentice. Leah, for her part, has been sickly ever since her parents’ deaths. When she was five, she snuck out and saw the crucifixions taking place, and she has suffered from nightmares ever since; she never left the house again. Daniel attributes this to “demons.”
Daniel’s parents’ and uncle’s ordeal has a powerful effect on him. With little else to live for, Daniel places revenge at the center of his existence. Leah’s life is devastated as well, though people categorize her emotional disturbance as demon possession. These events put Daniel’s hatred of the Romans into perspective.
Themes
After hearing the story, Malthace is in tears. Joel solemnly vows to join Daniel in avenging his father; he says this fight belongs to all Jews. Daniel is surprised and moved, but he also feels guilty. He’d come to Capernaum to win Joel to Rosh’s cause, but he hadn’t intended to do it this way.
When Malthace and Joel commit themselves to Daniel’s fight, he learns more about friendship—namely that friends help carry one another’s burdens.
Themes
Though Malthace is stunned and afraid, she steadies herself. Her expression becomes passionate like her twin brother’s. She argues that a girl can serve Israel, too—like Deborah and Esther did. Daniel protests, though he isn’t sure why. But Joel speaks up and agrees that the three of them should take a vow for “God’s Victory”—like the Maccabees did. They place their hands on the scroll containing the Book of Enoch and swear to stand together for God’s Victory.
Deborah and Esther were a judge and queen, respectively, who fought for Israel. As Joel and Daniel draw inspiration from figures like Phinehas and the Maccabees, Thacia looks to biblical heroines as examples. Daniel feels a protective instinct toward Malthace that he isn’t yet able to understand. But the three join together in a vow to help bring about God’s kingdom.
Themes
Daniel says that Joel shouldn’t join him on Rosh’s mountain just yet. He will send a message to Capernaum when Rosh needs Joel. Then Joel shows Daniel a secret opening in the wall of the passageway, near the storage room. It’s used to bring in sacks of grain from outside, but a person can also fit through it. If Daniel ever needs to bring a message, he can squeeze through the opening and hide in the passage. If he does, he should place a mark on the wall to let his friends know he’s there. They agree that the sign should be a bow—like the “bow of bronze” mentioned in one of David’s Psalms.
The friends choose a symbol from Psalm 18, “He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” The Psalm refers to God’s ability to give strength to those who fight on his behalf. If left to human strength, bending a bronze bow would seem to be impossible. The point of the symbol is that God makes such things possible. For now, the friends think of feats of rebellion against Rome, but the symbol will change as the story develops.
Themes
After the twins leave, Daniel feels warmth as he thinks about the imagery of the bow and the loyalty of his new friends. He decides that tomorrow, even though it’s the Sabbath, he must leave—he’s strong enough now. Very early the next morning, he squeezes through the hole in the wall and makes his way back to the mountain.
While injured and dependent on his friends, Daniel gains far more than he’s lost—his first real friendships. But he feels there’s no time to lose in his fight, so he leaves, even though traveling was forbidden on the Sabbath.
Themes
