What is Artemis's true motivation for his quest?

The reader learns Artemis's motivation for this quest is to restore his family fortunes. Underlying this motivation is Artemis's grief for his father, who is probably dead, although Artemis believes that he is alive. His quest is one that shows Artemis's feeling of responsibility for his family, feeling that he must now take over as the provider and male head, and a way of handling his grief over his father. There is almost the sense that Artemis feels he has to do something great in his father's absence so that his father will be proud of him when he returns. For Artemis, gold symbolizes his responsibility to his family and his father's memory. Acquiring gold becomes how Artemis will become like his father.