In-depth (kinda) reading of the prophecy
1. The prophecy is an acrostic that reads "Bellona's daughter". Allows us to assume that Reyna is more or less the key to everything. 2. Now onto the actual prophecy, let's break it down into lines and analyze it verse by verse : •"BRONZE UPON GOLD" Celestial Bronze, Imperial Gold. Aka Greeks and Romans, the two sides reconnecting after having stayed out of touch for so many months. • "EAST MEETS WEST" It has a geographical significance, obviously. Either west coast (CJ) and east coast (CHB)..Or.. America (West) meets China (East) ? See down under to understand better. • "LEGIONS ARE REDEEMED" So, Camp Jupiter is also known as 12th Legion Fulminata right? Where are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.. legions? Hehe.. missing because of some sort of treason? Something shameful they did or that happened back in the past? Standing against their emperors, maybe :)? Or..losing a huge battle ? Well this verse's only interpretation is that the other missing legions are going to have their redemption arc, for whichever messy shit they've done in the past. And in canon, we do have a few informations about the whereabouts of a few legions. Back in TSN, we got to know more about Frank Zhang's ancestry, right? His Chinese ancestors are from Li Jien/Liqian, aka "Legion". I also have a feeling he'll play an important role in the next book (Changeling lord line in the Dark Prophecy).The Zhang family had a Roman ancestor known as Seneca Gracchus dubbed by the Chinese as Sung Guo, who's most famous deed was to fight for the Roman empire at the battle of Carrhae against the Parthians. This battle resulted in 10,000 Romans captured by the Parthians and was known as the most crushing defeat in Roman history. The 7 legions' (yes, 7!) Aquilae (aka legionary battle standards) were captured by the Parthians, which by itself was considered a grave moral defeat and evil omen for the Romans.. which is possibly why they'll have to seek redemption among their peers. Then, the captured legions were sent to work in Eastern Asia, until the attack of Chinese people on the region, who then took the prisoners to their land. Then, the surviving legionnaires founded the Chinese city of Liqian/Li Jien where they prospered for millennia. There is also another very interesting legion I came across. The Legio XV Apollinaris, also known as Apollo's fifteenth Legion, which was part of the Imperial Roman army. It was recruited by Octavian (the Emperor). The emblem of this legion was probably a picture of Apollo, or of one of his holy animals... (Maybe the reason as to why Apollo followed Octavian in his craze? Because he thought he'll do what his namesake once did? Maybe he promised him that he'll "recreate" the 15th? Roman gods are more warlike, which is why Roman Apollo would be more interested in having a Legion named after him than temples and ivory statues and glory and whatever would interest his Greek side) During the upraising against Marcus Aurelius, this legion remained faithful to him.. then they were sent to serve in many regions around the middle east, and the last place the legion's presence was attested was Dux Armeniae, in Western Asia, known as Armenia in modern times. Yep, the legions were indeed spread everywhere, and interpreting "east" as Asia makes far more sense than just "Eastern coast". Maybe Riordan will stop forcefeeding us his Americentrism, for once xDDD "LIGHT THE DEPTHS" Shit. I'm clueless. Maybe Apollo, aka the sun, "illuminating" the Tyrant's tomb.. and tomb=depth?? heLP • "ONE AGAINST MANY" Someone is going to face many people or monsters or dangers or all three. And I'm so worried because it's most likely Frank. Why? Because same as Jason, he never was a fan favourite. He is the second in the list of potential-characters-to-kill-off-when-need-be. But then again, I'm probably (I hope so) wrong. •"NEVER SPIRIT DEFEATED" The person that is going to face the potential danger is either "OP" and pretty much invincible and was never defeated, not even by "spirits".. • "ANCIENT WORDS SPOKEN" Ancient words is a circumlocution refering to the Sibylline books. I guess. Through the Sibyl of Cumae or Ella. • "SHAKING OLD FOUNDATIONS" Rome was a kingdom at first, then turned into a republic. That way, the system was shaken and with it the foundations. And -I believe- they're about to be shaken again, now that -I suppose- Tarquin aka the last king of Rome is possibly still alive? Is he going to attempt something against the Triumvirate? This is all so confusing. And like, same as some Titans/Giants sided with the demigods, maybe this king, as cruel as he was, would side with them? • "DESTROY THE TYRANT" Ok now this goes against what I said earlier. Assuming that the Tyrant is Tarquin, then maybe they'll need to destroy him later on because he'll end up turning against them once he reached his goal, so it's either destroy him or get destroyed. • "AID THE WINGED" The winged? The only thing that comes to my mind are the winged gods. Aka Eros (the Erotes too),Thanatos, Morpheus, the wind gods.. ? Thanatos was captured once so it'll be plain redundancy so he's out, I don't think it'll be Hypnos either.. oh gods... what if..WHAT IF IT'S EROS? [[[Is Reyna going to face him too, like Nico?]]] ASSUMING they'll go back to the ancient lands, they'll have to cross paths with him at some point, since Croatia (where he lives) lies between Italy and Greece after all. But..what kind of aid is he going to need ?! Or maybe Morpheus to help with Apollo's memory? Dreams and memory are very close relatives. And he's an important god who has yet to show up. Or even more likely, Zephyros, the West wind. He was mentioned in the hidden oracle where apollo begged the west wind to forgive him and he actually helped him in a way? Since we all know about what happened with Hyacinthus, it's their cue to forgive each other and reconnect ? Good drama I'm sensing. Or maybe Eagles. CJ's symbol is the Imperial Eagle, so maybe that's another metaphor.. •"UNDER GOLDEN HILLS" Golden Hills? The 7 hills of Rome are comforting me in the idea that they indeed are going back to the ancient lands. OR, since New Rome is located in an area that was very much affected by the Burning Maze..maybe the Berkeley hills turned golden due to the maze-induced drought? • "GREAT STALLION'S FOAL" The great stallion.. Pegasus? His foal...the whole bunch of Pegasi? Aka Greek demigods riding Pegasi on their way to help the Romans? • "HARKEN THE TRUMPETS" The Greeks doing it in order that they signal their arrival to CJ? • "TURN RED TIDES" RED TIDES. This has to do with the previous prophecy, bodies fill tiber beyond count etc..The tiber will turn RED with the amount blood that will be spilled. • "ENTER STRANGER'S HOME" Since we know for sure that "bodies fill tiber beyond count" is bound to happen and no matter how much we refuse to accept it, death will strike again.. BUT.. Stranger could also mean foreigner. And so many warriors dying, weapon in hand.. what if they all go to Valhalla, "Home" of the Norse? The war opposing the confederates and the union was in the first place a Greek vs Roman war, right? And in the Ship of the Dead, TJ talked about many many warriors from both sides entering to Valhalla with him. And I suppose, not many were of Norse heritage so even foreigners enter to Valhalla. Guys, there is hope. (This fits within the Jason-in-Valhalla theory too *elation intensifies*) OR...maybe it's something we don't even know about yet and has to do with Apollo and the Oracle? Python's den? Meh. Not as fun. • "REGAIN LOST GLORY" Apollo regaining his lost glory. Or Rome regaining its lost glory. Or the Delphic oracle regaining its lost glory. Or all the three stated up above. So that was it, and I'm about to lose my mind xD
