The Tower of Nero

Like all the chapters in the Trials of Apollo pentalogy, these first chapters are prefaced by a single bad haiku, a humorous allusion to Apollo’s being the god of poetry. The joke is that in his mortal teenager form, Apollo is, at best, middling at writing poems. The voice in which the haikus are composed is irreverent and funny, filled with contemporary references and snide asides. For instance, the three-line poem that opens the first chapter reads, “Two-headed snake dude / Jamming up my quiet ride. / Also, Meg’s shoes stink” (1). The poem offers a snapshot of the action to follow and contains instances of contemporary dialect such as “dude” and “jamming.” That the immortal god Apollo’s vocabulary includes such youthful references adds humor to the text. Rick Riordan frequently juxtaposes ancient and contemporary elements to create a humorous effect through the book. The haikus are also an example of Apollo’s distinct funny narrative voice. Even when faced with danger or experiencing emotional moving situations, Apollo shows a self-deprecatory humor that makes him relatable. For example, when Lu tells Apollo and Meg about the secret way Nero takes to visit “the reptile” (50) or Python, Apollo notes Python, his deadly arch-nemesis, is also “winner of Olympus Magazine’s Least Popular Serpent award for four thousand years running” (50). The simultaneous dread and humor in Apollo’s observation are a characteristic feature of his narration.

The episode with the amphisbaena ties into important symbols and themes. The amphisbaena is a snake, like Python, and hence significant as an agent of prophecy. In Greek mythology as well as The Trials of Apollo series, serpents are associated with wisdom and prophecy and often found near Oracles. The serpent motif links the amphisbaena and the Python, as well as the snake-twined lion of the prophecy provided by the Gray Sisters. It foreshadows Apollo’s ultimate climactic battle with Python. Further, the manner in which the amphisbaena is killed ties into the larger theme of Humanity Versus Divinity. Lu justifies the snake/human’s killing to Apollo as the creature will eventually regenerate in Tartarus. However, Apollo notes that the snake—essentially a human possessed by an Oracle—was not just collateral damage, but a person with feelings and loved ones. In his human form, Apollo has begun to see the selfishness and lack of empathy that marks gods and immortals.

Because Apollo is the god of poetry and music, poems are an important motif in the text. All the prophecies Apollo has received have been in structured poetic forms, such as a limerick in the first book and a sonnet in the second. The prophecy he is currently following is in the form of a terza rima, a rhyming poem with three-line stanzas, in which the middle line of each stanza rhymes with the first and third of the next (aba bcb cdc and so on). The terza rima ends with a couplet; therefore, when Apollo receives a rhyming two-line section, he will know the prophecy is complete. The first stanza of the terza rima prophecy was delivered to Apollo in The Tyrant’s Tomb, the prequel to The Tower of Nero. Unlike previous prophecies, which were delivered to him in one go, the terza rima is revealed to Apollo one section at a time. This heightens the suspense in the narrative and adds to the mystery around Apollo’s fate.

Interlinking the motifs of poems and prophecies is the Arrow of Dodona, a key symbol in the book and the series. The arrow, a magical artifact, speaks in long-winded Shakespearean language, often exasperating Apollo. Because the arrow has prophetic powers, Apollo consults it for guidance though he feels the arrow is not very useful. However, in this first section, the arrow’s advice to visit Percy Jackson’s house does prove effective, foreshadowing that Apollo and the arrow’s relationship will evolve. The episode in which Apollo is overwhelmed to the point of tears by the kindness of Sally and Paul is significant as it illustrates Apollo’s growing humanity. Whereas the god had once considered being turned into a human a curse, and humans weak and foolish, he now recognizes that human kindness is a divine power of sorts.

This section also develops the important motif of Fighting Emotional Abuse. Most, if not all the emotional abuse in the novel is inflicted on children by their fathers. Both Apollo and Meg, the protagonists of the series, have tyrannical fathers. Zeus punishes his children for the smallest infraction while Meg’s stepfather, Nero, has emotionally abused her for years, so she believes she is somehow responsible for Nero’s murder of her biological father. Because of his treatment by Zeus, Apollo is especially moved by Paul, who exemplifies a good father. In Apollo’s experience, good husbands and fathers are harder to find “than an albino unicorn” (40). Despite Apollo’s skepticism, Paul’s example shows him that there are good parents in the world. Luguselwa, the important character introduced in this section, highlights how parental figures can come in all shapes and forms. Lu has done her best to safeguard Meg while she’s in Nero’s employ even though Apollo does not see Lu as having protected Meg. “Sapling,” Lu’s affectionate name for Meg, alludes to Meg’s botanical superpowers and also shows that Lu sees Meg as a child, a growing thing. Even though Meg and Apollo share the experience of having abusing fathers (or father figures), Riordan supplies each a supportive example of parental nurture and compassion who helps them to overcome the effects of parental emotional abuse.

Mythology and ancient history are important elements in the novel since the plot unfolds in a world where gods, demigods, magic, and magical creatures coexist with humans. Examples of mythological and historical elements are the amphisbaena, Lu the Gaul, and the Gray Sisters, three primordial, ambiguous goddesses who are often depicted as wrinkled old women sharing one eye between themselves. The sisters have prophetic powers, which link them to the important motif of prophecies. In this section, Apollo receives the next installments of the terza rima prophecy via the amphisbaena and the Gray Sisters. Both prophecies contain mysterious elements like the “cavern-runners” (7), “a dare” (73), and the “lion, snake-entwined” (73), foreshadowing events in the plot and also compelling readers to solve the riddles the prophecies offer.

Lu’s willingness to brave a near-death experience so she can help Meg is related to the book’s important theme of Sacrifice and Transformation. Although Apollo is mistrustful of Lu since she is associated with Nero, Lu protects Meg the best she can. The scene in which Apollo pushes her off the roof is depicted graphically, to underscore both the magnitude of Lu’s sacrifice and Apollo’s concern for Meg. Because Apollo feels Lu is attacking Meg as they pretend to swordfight on the roof, he charges at her “like one of Poseidon’s sacred bulls at the altar” (62). After Apollo throws her off the roof, he can hear the “clunk” (62) of her landing on a car. It is clear that Lu would be badly hurt in the fall, yet she suggests the plan to a reluctant Apollo because Lu’s love for Meg outweighs her regard for her own safety.

Apollo’s visit to Camp Half-Blood contains many episodes that are important in terms of developing the book’s themes and motifs. When Apollo and Meg arrive at the camp, they are greeted by Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, pleasure, and madness. Dionysus has been condemned by Zeus to be the camp director of Camp Half Blood for a hundred years. (Chiron, the centaur, the activities director of the camp and practically its coordinator, is away when Apollo visits.) Apollo expects Dionysus, who has been human far longer than Apollo has, to be sympathetic to his plight. Instead, Dionysus exults that “finally, someone got punished even more harshly than me!” (78). Apollo notes that this is “the old, on-brand Dionysus I knew and didn’t exactly love” (78). Dionysus’s behavior shows that, unlike Apollo, being mortal has not taught him humility and empathy. He is the same disgruntled and sarcastic god as before. The stark difference between Dionysus and Apollo serves to highlight Apollo’s evolving character arc. Not every punished god changes the way Apollo has.