# Epigraph explained — The Jewels of Aptor

> Chapter companion for The Jewels of Aptor by Samuel R. Delany.

## What happens

The epigraph presents the opening lines from 'The Galactica' by the one-armed poet Geo, an epic poem about the conflicts between Leptar and Aptor, setting a poetic and mythic tone for the book.

## Themes in this chapter

### Duality and Ambiguity

The epigraph introduces dualities such as 'double sleeplessness' and 'double rings of fire, double fears', hinting at the theme of duality.

### Quest and Adventure

The lines evoke a journey through perilous elements ('rings of fire', 'ropes of wind'), suggesting an epic quest.

## Character check-ins

### Geo

Referred to as the one-armed poet and author of 'The Galactica'.

### Leptar

Mentioned as one of the conflicting forces in the epic.

### Aptor

Mentioned as the opposing force in the epic's conflict.

## Key lines

> The waves flung up against the purple glow of double sleeplessness. Along the piers the ships return; but sailing I would go through double rings of fire, double fears.

The waves crash against a purple-lit sky that never rests. While ships come back to the docks, I choose to sail through twin circles of flame and twin terrors.

_Paraphrases the opening imagery and the speaker's defiant choice to journey onward._

> So therefore let your bright vaults heave the night about with ropes of wind and points of light, and say, as all the rolling stars go, 'I have stood my feet on rock and seen the sky.'

Let the luminous heavens toss the night around with wind-ropes and specks of light, and declare, as the stars turn, that I have stood firmly on stone and witnessed the sky.

_Paraphrases the concluding lines, emphasizing steadfastness and cosmic perspective._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_jewels_of_aptor_se/chapters/epigraph
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_jewels_of_aptor_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_jewels_of_aptor_se/chapters