104 pages • 3 hours read
Elizabeth George SpeareThe Bronze Bow
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1961A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Chapters 1-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary
The narrator introduces the protagonist, 18-year-old Daniel bar Jamin, as “unmistakably a Galilean […] the sun-browned skin, the brilliant dark eyes that could light with fierce patriotism and blacken with swift anger” (1). The Galileans are a proud, violent, and restless race that is unreconciled that Palestine has been conquered by the Roman Empire. Daniel is standing atop a mountain, waiting for two figures to appear. Despite trying to forget Ketzah, his village, he is bent on following them. Daniel recognizes the two as Joel bar Hezron, who attended Daniel’s synagogue school, and his twin sister, Malthace. Daniel watches Joel and Malthace point out landmarks. Unable to help himself, he edges slowly towards them when they spot him.
Joel remembers that Daniel was the apprentice who ran away from the blacksmith Amalek, reassuring him that everyone knew how Amalek treated his boys. Daniel asks about his grandmother and sister, Leah. Malthace reports that she sees his grandmother at the well and that there is a little girl who never leaves the house. Daniel then asks Joel to inform Simon, an older apprentice of Amalek, of his whereabouts. Joel is surprised that Daniel lives on the mountain, and Malthace is shocked his grandmother hasn’t know where he is for the past five years. She asks Daniel if she can tell his grandmother she saw him. Angered, Daniel tells them to leave and never return. When they offer to share their lunch, he wonders if the gesture is out of friendship. He is astonished when they wash their hands, unable to imagine that a scribe’s son would carry water up the mountain just to observe the Law.
As they eat, Joel asks why Daniel ran away. Daniel wanted to hide from Amalek, and a good man found him. Daniel then thinks about how Rosh found him starving and frozen and took him in. When Joel asks what he does all the time, Daniel shares that he hunts and works on his trade. Joel studied sandal making and will become a rabbi. Daniel questions why they came. Malthace laughs, admitting they would be skinned alive if they were caught. They had planned to come since childhood and decided to come before moving to Capernaum. Malthace thinks the big city of Capernaum will be wonderful, but Joel thinks otherwise.
Daniel spots Roman legionaries marching in the distance and spits violently. Joel snorts “Romans!” as they acknowledge each other’s hatred. Joel envies Daniel for being able to live free because Capernaum is home to a Roman fortress. Joel then points to the plain where Joshua’s numbered men drove back a great army and won a victory for Israel—the same story that gave Daniel something to live for. Joel believes that God will send the Messiah, but Malthace thinks this belief to be childish imagination. As Daniel walks them home, Joel asks about Rosh, the infamous outlaw who lives on the mountain. Daniel glows with pride when Joel asks if the stories of Rosh fighting beside the great leader Judas and robbing from the rich to give to the poor are true. Joel is envious to learn that Daniel is in Rosh’s army. When Daniel invites him, Joel admits that is not so simple. Daniel wonders if he would have run away if he, too, had parents waiting at home. They stop when they catch sight one of Rosh’s sentries.
Chapter 2 Summary
The sentry informs Daniel that Rosh needs him to take a black slave from a caravan coming from Damascus. Joel tells Daniel he wants to meet Rosh. At first, Daniel demands that Joel return home immediately. Joel remains stubborn, stating that he can go where he pleases. As the caravan approaches, Daniel warns Joel and Malthace to get out of sight. Joel shoves Malthace up the bank and stays beside Daniel. When Ebol questions Joel’s presence, Daniel vouches for him. On the signal, Rosh’s men attack the tradesmen. They take the towering, murderous-looking slave as the caravan accepts its loss and moves on. Daniel doubts Rosh’s choice in taking the slave. Though he is powerful, the slave’s face shows no sign of intelligence.
Rosh has a “squat, thick body, with a short muscular neck, and a grizzled head which seemed to thrust forward directly from the powerful shoulders” (20). He demands Joel introduce himself. Joel confidently states that he wants to help Rosh drive the Romans out of Israel. Rosh states that any man who hates the Romans is welcome. Rosh asks him to keep his eyes open and mouth shut in Capernaum until he hears from Rosh. Daniel is jealous of Joel. Rosh asks the slave if he understands him and asks for his name. When he stares down at Rosh uncomprehending, Rosh’s men call out the names “Samson” and “Goliath” and suggest that he is deaf or mute. Rosh states that they took him for his muscles and not his tongue. As Rosh demands his men take the slave to camp, Daniel volunteers. Holding the slave’s chain, he feels he has regained his former advantage over Joel. A wordless exchange signaling both a farewell and beginning flashes between Daniel and Joel.
As Daniel leads the slave away, he watches Joel and Malthace leave. The sight of Malthace makes him think of his sister, stirring him like an old wound. Daniel regrets the impulse to lead the slave. In Daniel’s absence, the slave has been named Samson and is now under Daniel’s care. While working on Samson’s chains, Daniel talks to him. He asks Samson if he knows what happened and vouches for Rosh, calling him the finest leader one could ask her. Although Rosh pretends to be careless, he leaves nothing to chance. He continues, stating that more men join them every day, and that someday there will be enough to drive the Romans out. As soon as the bands on Samson’s wrists fall, he rears over Daniel and places his forehead on his feet. Daniel jerks his foot away, snapping that Rosh is the one who freed him. When Daniel lies down, Samson crawls towards him and lays hunched at his feet.
Chapter 3 Summary
Four weeks have passed, and Daniel wonders if Samson knows that he is free—he doesn’t move without Daniel’s orders and stays by Daniel’s side day and night, which makes Daniel’s work easier. Although no one knows whether Samson is actually deaf or dumb, the men still fear him. Daniel suspects Samson understands more than they realize. One afternoon, Simon comes to check on him. Daniel proudly shows off his forge. Simon asks Daniel if he is happy, and Daniel responds that Rosh is nothing like Amalek. Daniel asks Simon if he will join them because of his nickname, “Simon the Zealot.” Simon admits that though both he and Rosh work towards the same end, they don’t see eye to eye.
Simon then tells Daniel that because Amalek recently died, he can return to the village. Daniel is unsure until Simon asks if he would like to visit his grandmother and sister. He is ashamed to admit that he doesn’t want to see them, but Simon finally convinces him. As they leave, Samson stubbornly tries to follow Daniel. Daniel tries to persuade Simon to join Rosh. Simon politely explains that they will join together when a leader arrives. Until then, Simon prefers to earn his own living. When they stop to bathe for Sabbath before sundown, Daniel burns with embarrassment. He hasn’t kept track of Sabbath and his body is streaked with soot and sweat. They arrive at the village at the first call to the Sabbath, signaling the workers to leave the fields. Though the village hasn’t changed in five years, it looks smaller.
Simon informs Daniel that his grandmother and sister are expecting him. His grandmother is bent and thin Leah is now a beautiful young woman with long golden hair. She sits behind a loom in the corner of the empty room and fearfully looks at Daniel. Daniel asks if Leah remembers him. Leah asks if he really is Daniel and says that he has been away for so long. Daniel notices the two don’t eat with him and asks them to. His grandmother responds that they have already eaten. Leah admits, “Grandmother said we must save it for you […] She said you would be very hungry” (39).
Daniel shares his food with Leah and wonders where they get their food. His grandmother tells him it is a pauper’s share. When a little goat enters the room and heads towards Leah, Daniel notices that Leah looks like their mother. Leah tells the goat that he is their brother Daniel: “See how big and strong he is. He will take care of us and keep us safe” (41). Daniel suddenly feels afraid. He climbs to the rooftop where he used to sleep. He wonders why he came back, yearning to leave again. Hunger gnaws at him as he imagines the men on the mountain sitting about the fire with their stomachs satisfied with stolen mutton and wine.
Chapters 1-3 Analysis
In Chapters 1-3, the narrator utilizes the third-person limited perspective to introduce the protagonist, Daniel bar Jamin, and his internal conflict. Daniel is caught between his hatred for the Romans and his desire for love and companionship. Daniel’s hatred leads him to join Rosh and dedicate his life to driving out the Romans. At the same time, he longs for his grandmother and sister, remembering his hometown despite his efforts to forget the life he left behind. When he returns home on Simon’s urging, Daniel’s internal conflict becomes clearer. He no longer feels at home in the dingy hut, nor is he able to eat his full as he did on the mountain. However, Daniel is unable to disconnect from his hometown because of his sister, and her helplessness threatens his goals. Though it is unclear what happened to his parents, the narrator hints at the past trauma that caused Leah’s mental state and clarifies their parents are gone—Daniel wonders if he, too, would have joined Rosh’s army if he had parents waiting at home. Although Daniel justifies his hatred for the Romans using their occupation of Israel, the narrator alludes to a more personal, vengeful motive.
Daniel is deeply emotional and hotheaded and has a strong desire to be accepted. He worships Rosh and desires so fiercely to be in his favor that he becomes jealous when Joel does so without much effort and takes on responsibilities he can’t handle. The narrator depicts Daniel as almost savage in comparison to the civilized manner of Joel, Malthace, and later Simon. Daniel is ashamed of the stark contrast. However, shared feelings about the Romans become the stepping-stones towards newfound friendship with both Joel and Simon, something Daniel has never had.
The historical setting of first-century Galilee sets the stage for the events and conflicts of the story. The narrator repeatedly refers to their way of life, including their practices and history. Daniel’s people, the Jews, abide by the Law in every part of life, including not working during Sabbath and reciting prayers before eating. Israel is conquered by the Romans, and the Jews despise them and desire to drive them out. Unfortunately, they are without the means and manpower to do so. Some Jews, including Malthace, prefer to take no action and not be bothered by the Romans. Others hopefully await the prophesized Messiah, which Malthace mocks as a fairytale. When Joel and Malthace visit the mountain, they reflect on their history and stories of their ancestral heroes, imagining an upcoming struggle of a hero of their own against the Romans.
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