Captain Phoebus Captain Phoebus "Capitaine" Phœbus de Châteaupers is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists in Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". He is the Captain of the King Louis XI's Archers. His name comes from Phoebus, the Greek god of the sun (also called Apollo). In the original novel, Phoebus is an antagonist. Despite being of noble birth and very handsome, he is also vain, untrustworthy, and a womanizer. He saves Esmeralda from Quasimodo and she falls in love with him. Phoebus makes a convincing show of returning her affections, but merely wants a night of
Notre-Dame de Paris (musical) is entranced by her. Esmeralda tells him about herself, her life as a gypsy, and her dreams ("Bohémienne"). Instead of arresting her, Phoebus leaves her alone. Clopin, who has watched over Esmeralda since she was eight years old after the death of her parents, tells her that she is no longer a child and that she has reached the age where she will discover love ("Esmeralda tu sais"). He warns her to be extremely careful, since not all men are to be trusted. In the next number, the audience is introduced to the nobly-born and beautiful Fleur-de-Lys, to whom Phoebus