# X explained — The Jewels of Aptor

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

## What happens

Hama explains the true nature of the jewels and their corrupting influence, revealing that Snake and young Argo have stolen the third jewel from the temple. Hama tasks Geo, Iimmi, and Urson with returning the jewels to Leptar to allow the infection of power to work itself out. The chapter follows Snake and Argo's daring theft and their escape through the temple.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power and Corruption

Hama explains that the jewels are evil because the fear of losing freedom turns people into slaves of power, and even those who seek to destroy them become infected.

### Knowledge and Understanding

Hama reveals the hidden mechanisms of the mind and the jewels, and the characters gain insight into the true nature of their quest.

### Duality and Ambiguity

Argo's motives are shown to be both patriotic and selfish, and the jewels themselves are both a tool and a curse, blurring the line between good and evil.

## Character check-ins

### Geo

Geo questions Hama about the jewels and agrees to carry them back to Leptar.

### Urson

Urson reluctantly agrees to the mission to return the jewels.

### Snake

Snake steals the third jewel from the temple, acting as an unwitting spy for Hama.

### Iimmi

Iimmi volunteers to carry the jewels back to Leptar.

### Hama

Hama reveals the danger of the jewels and orchestrates their theft by Snake and Argo.

### Priestess Argo

Young Argo assists Snake in stealing the jewel and experiences exhilaration during the theft.

## Key lines

> And that fear of freedom will turn him into a slave of this power. For this reason, the jewels are evil.

The fear of losing freedom makes a person a slave to power, which is why the jewels are evil.

_Hama explains the corrupting nature of the jewels._

> We have already been infected... We would have to destroy ourselves first.

We are already corrupted; destroying the jewels would require destroying ourselves.

_Hama admits that even the gods on Aptor cannot destroy the jewels without self-destruction._

> We’ve got it!

We have successfully stolen the jewel.

_Young Argo exclaims triumphantly after acquiring the third jewel._

## Links

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