Nicolas

Nicolas, a Greek diver from Cape Matapan nicknamed "Il Pesce" (The Fish), is a minor but revealing character who surfaces during the Nautilus's passage through the Greek Islands. His brief appearance provides one of the few direct glimpses of Captain Nemo's secret, ongoing engagement with the world above the waves, and it deepens the mystery of Nemo's true identity and motives.

Identity and Introduction

Nicolas is introduced as a bold diver well known throughout the Cyclades Islands, a man who lives in the sea more than on shore, moving constantly from one island to another, even to Crete. Captain Nemo, when asked, acknowledges knowing him without further explanation, a response that hints at a pre-existing relationship between the reclusive captain and this local figure. Nicolas's nickname, "Il Pesce" (Italian for "The Fish"), underscores his amphibious nature and his mastery of the underwater world, a skill that aligns him, however distantly, with the world of the Nautilus.

The Encounter and the Gold Chest

The encounter occurs when the Nautilus is submerged near the Greek Islands. Through the lounge window, Aronnax sees a living man swimming vigorously, carrying a little leather bag at his belt. Mistaking him for a castaway, Aronnax urges Captain Nemo to rescue him. Instead, Nemo signals to the diver, who responds with his hand, swims to the surface, and disappears. This silent exchange reveals that Nicolas is not a stranger but an acquaintance, perhaps even an agent, of Captain Nemo.

Immediately after this encounter, Nemo opens a safe containing a large number of gold ingots, which he methodically packs into a chest. He writes an address on the lid in characters that appear to be modern Greek. The chest is then hoisted out of the lounge and, as Aronnax later deduces from the sounds of the skiff being launched and returning, delivered to its recipient. The gold, worth an estimated five million francs, is thus sent to an unknown destination, almost certainly connected to the Cretan revolt against Ottoman rule, a conflict that was ongoing at the time of the voyage.

Significance and Narrative Role

Nicolas's role is that of a messenger and a living proof of Captain Nemo's continued, albeit secret, involvement in human affairs. He is the conduit through which Nemo channels his immense wealth to support a cause—the liberation of Crete from the Ottoman Empire. This act directly contradicts Nemo's professed hatred for humanity and his desire to sever all ties with the land. It reveals that beneath the misanthropic exterior, Nemo's heart still beats for the oppressed, and he actively uses his underwater empire to fund resistance against tyranny. Nicolas, therefore, is not a fully developed character but a crucial narrative device: he is the visible thread connecting the isolated world of the Nautilus to the political struggles of the surface world, and he provides the reader with the most concrete evidence of Captain Nemo's secret philanthropy and his identity as a champion of the downtrodden.