Of the many pleasures found in The Trials of Apollo series, the vital advice given by the indispensable Arrow of Dodona is among the shoutiest. Let’s revisit with a rundown of some notable Dodona quotes.
PLAGUEY, PLAGUEY, PLAGUEY.
Who could forget the enchantment kick-off in The Hidden Oracle from the suddenly verbal arrow quivering in its quiver? The Colossus Neronis would be no match for Apollo and his new best arrow friend. Sadly, neither could Kayla and Austin avoid the sickening green fog that resulted, leading to another memorable quote:
FIE! TOO STRONG IS THY PLAGUE . . . THY CHANTING SUCKETH.
SEEKEST THOU THE CHOO-CHOO.
As further evidence that the arrow’s Shakespearean cadence elevates the most colloquial phrases, we point you to The Dark Prophecy. There you’ll find this crucial direction to the kiddie train at the Indianapolis Zoo, the first of many eloquent elocutions leading to Apollo’s taking control of the Oracle of Trophonius. That said, our favorite remains the following:
LO, THOU SHALT GAIN THE BEASTS’ TRUST WITH TATER TOTS.
BACKETH OFF, KNAVE!
There’s plenty of good all caps material in The Burning Maze, but we’ve zeroed in on the close call Apollo has with the verbose spear. Thank the gods the arrow had the ability to defy our hero’s most fatalistic move. Only the most enchanted arrow can dodge a heart mid-impalement. This arrow has so much more than just good diction. Even so, we can’t blame him for warning against a repeat of that move.
NE’ER AGAIN SHALT THOU STICKEST ME IN THY LOATHSOME CHEST!
THINK OF THY FAVORITE MARX BROTHER.
Not even a god of silence can keep the arrow quiet. In The Tyrant’s Tomb, the arrow continues the banter inside of Apollo’s head as they scale Sutro Tower. The somewhat obvious riddling leads our hero to a dreadful realization. He would have to confront Harpocrates (Get it? Harpo?), the puny god who was once upon a time the object of some serious Apollonian bullying. Apollo pays back the favor with a desperate serenade of the essential Neil Diamond hit, “Sweet Caroline.” Dodona responds with a phrase that may be the least shouty of all:
Perhaps a different song?
We can’t wait until The Tower of Nero to find out what riddles, wisdom, or ridicule this enchanted projectile will project next. See what we did there?
