Etymology
Apollo (Greco-Roman epithets
Apollo's chiefSun
*Aegletes ( ; Αἰγλήτης, ''Aiglētēs''), from , "light of the sun" *Helius ( ; , ''Wolf
*Lycegenes ( ; , ''Lukēgenēs''), literally "born of a wolf" or "born of Lycia" *Lycoctonus ( ; , ''Lykoktonos''), from , "wolf", and , "to kill"Origin and birth
Apollo's birthplace wasPlace of worship
Healing and disease
*Acesius ( ; , ''Akesios''), from , "healing". Acesius was the epithet of Apollo worshipped inFounder and protector
* Agyieus ( ; , ''Aguīeus''), from , "street", for his role in protecting roads and homes *Prophecy and truth
*Coelispex (Roman) ( ), from Latin ''coelum'', "sky", and ''specere'' "to look at" *Iatromantis ( ; , ''Iātromantis'',) from , "physician", and , "prophet", referring to his role as a god both of healing and of prophecy *Leschenorius ( ; , ''Leskhēnorios''), from , "converser" *Loxias ( ; , ''Loxias''), from , "to say", historically associated with , "ambiguous" *Manticus ( ; , ''Mantikos''), literally "prophetic" *Proopsios (), meaning "foreseer" or "first seen"Music and arts
*Musagetes ( ;Archery
*Aphetor ( ; , ''Aphētōr''), from , "to let loose" *Aphetorus ( ; , ''Aphētoros''), as the preceding *Arcitenens (Roman) ( ), literally "bow-carrying" *Argyrotoxus ( ; , ''Argyrotoxos''), literally "with silver bow" *Clytotoxus ( ; , ''Klytótoxos''), "he who is famous for his bow", the renowned archer. *Hecaërgus ( ; , ''Hekaergos''), literally "far-shooting" *Hecebolus ( ; , ''Hekēbolos''), "far-shooting" *Ismenius ( ; , ''Ismēnios''), literally "of Ismenus", after Ismenus, the son ofAppearance
* Acersecomes (, ''Akersekómēs''), "he who has unshorn hair", the eternal ephebe. * Chrysocomes ( ; , ''Khrusokómēs''), literally "he who has golden hair."Amazons
*Other
*Patroos (Πατρώος, ancestral), there is theCeltic epithets and cult titles
Apollo was worshipped throughout theOrigins
Healer and god-protector from evil
Dorian origin
The '' Homeric Hymn to Apollo'' depicts Apollo as an intruder from the north. The connection with the northern-dwellingMinoan origin
Anatolian origin
Proto-Indo-European
TheOracular cult
Oracular shrines
Temples of Apollo
Many temples were dedicated to Apollo in Greece and the Greek colonies. They show the spread of the cult of Apollo and the evolution of the Greek architecture, which was mostly based on the rightness of form and on mathematical relations. Some of the earliest temples, especially inGreek temples
*Etruscan and Roman temples
*Veii (Etruria): The temple of Apollo was built in the late 6th century B.C. and it indicates the spread of Apollo's culture (Aplu) in Etruria. There was a prostyle porch, which is called Tuscan order, Tuscan, and a triple cella 18,50 m wide.Robertson pp. 200-201 *Falerii Veteres (Etruria): A temple of Apollo was built probably in the 4th-3rd century B.C. Parts of a teraccotta capital, and a teraccotta base have been found. It seems that the Etruscan columns were derived from the archaic Doric. A cult of Soranus (mythology), Apollo Soranus is attested by one inscription found near Falerii.Mythology
Apollo appears often in the myths, plays and hymns. As Zeus' favorite son, Apollo had direct access to the mind of Zeus and was willing to reveal this knowledge to humans. A divinity beyond human comprehension, he appears both as a beneficial and a wrathful god.Birth
Hyperborea
Hyperborea, the mystical land of eternal spring, venerated Apollo above all the gods. The Hyperboreans always sang and danced in his honor and hosted Pythian games. There, a vast forest of beautiful trees was called "the garden of Apollo". Apollo spent the winter months among the Hyperboreans. His absence from the world caused coldness and this was marked as his annual death. No prophecies were issued during this time.Joseph Eddy Fontenrose, ''Python: A Study of Delphic Myth and Its Origins'' He returned to the world during the beginning of the spring. The ''Theophania'' festival was held inChildhood and youth
As a child, Apollo is said to have built a foundation and an altar on Delos using the horns of the goats that his sister Artemis hunted. Since he learnt the art of building when young, he later came to be known asPython
Tityos
Admetus
Admetus was the king of Pherae, who was known for his hospitality. When Apollo was exiled from Olympus for killing Python, he served as a herdsman under Admetus, who was then young and unmarried. Apollo is said to have shared a romantic relationship with Admetus during his stay.Callimachus, Hymn II to Apollo. After completing his years of servitude, Apollo went back to Olympus as a god. Because Admetus had treated Apollo well, the god conferred great benefits on him in return. Apollo's mere presence is said to have made the cattle give birth to twins. Apollo helped Admetus win the hand of Alcestis, the daughter of Pelias, King Pelias,Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus), ApollodorusNiobe
The fate ofBuilding the walls of Troy
Trojan War
Apollo sided with the Trojans during theHeracles
After Heracles (then named Alcides) was struck with madness and killed his family, he sought to purify himself and consulted the oracle of Apollo. Apollo, through the Pythia, commanded him to serve king Eurystheus for twelve years and complete the ten tasks the king would give him. Only then would Alcides be absolved of his sin. Apollo also renamed him as Heracles.Periphas
Periphas was an Attican king and a priest of Apollo. He was noble, just and rich. He did all his duties justly. Because of this people were very fond of him and started honouring him to the same extent as Zeus. At one point, they worshipped Periphas in place of Zeus and set up shrines and temples for him. This annoyed Zeus, who decided to annihilate the entire family of Periphas. But because he was a just king and a good devotee, Apollo intervened and requested his father to spare Periphas. Zeus considered Apollo's words and agreed to let him live. But he metamorphosed Periphas into an eagle and made the eagle the king of birds. When Periphas' wife requested Zeus to let her stay with her husband, Zeus turned her into a vulture and fulfilled her wish.Plato's concept of soulmates
A long time ago, there were three kinds of human beings: male, descended from the sun; female, descended from the earth; and androgynous, descended from the moon. Each human being was completely round, with four arms and fours legs, two identical faces on opposite sides of a head with four ears, and all else to match. They were powerful and unruly. Aloadae, Otis and Aloadae, Ephialtes even dared to scale Mount Olympus. To check their insolence, Zeus devised a plan to humble them and improve their manners instead of completely destroying them. He cut them all in two and asked Apollo to make necessary repairs, giving humans the individual shape they still have now. Apollo turned their heads and necks around towards their wounds, he pulled together their skin at the abdomen, and sewed the skin together at the middle of it. This is what we call navel today. He smoothened the wrinkles and shaped the chest. But he made sure to leave a few wrinkles on the abdomen and around the navel so that they might be reminded of their punishment.Nurturer of the young
Apollo ''Kourotrophos'' is the god who nurtures and protects children and the young, especially boys. He oversees their education and their passage into adulthood. Education is said to have originated from Apollo and the Muses. Many myths have him train his children. It was a custom for boys to cut and dedicate their long hair to Apollo after reaching adulthood. Chiron, the abandoned centaur, was fostered by Apollo, who instructed him in medicine, prophecy, archery and more. Chiron would later become a great teacher himself.God of music
Apollo's lyre
The invention of lyre is attributed either to Hermes or to Apollo himself. Distinctions have been made that Hermes invented lyre made of tortoise shell, whereas the lyre Apollo invented was a regular lyre. Myths tell that the infant Hermes stole a number of Apollo's cows and took them to a cave in the woods near Pylos, covering their tracks. In the cave, he found a tortoise and killed it, then removed the insides. He used one of the cow's intestines and the tortoise shell and made his lyre.Contest with Pan
Contest with Marsyas
Marsyas was a satyr who was punished by Apollo for his hubris. He had found an aulos on the ground, tossed away after being invented by Athena because it made her cheeks puffy. Athena had also placed a curse upon the instrument, that whoever would pick it up would be severely punished. When Marsyas played the flute, everyone became frenzied with joy. This led Marsyas to think that he was better than Apollo, and he challenged the god to a musical contest. The contest was judged by theContest with Cinyras
Cinyras was a ruler of Cyprus, who was a friend of Agamemnon. Cinyras promised to assist Agamemnon in the Trojan war, but did not keep his promise. Agamemnon cursed Cinyras. He invoked Apollo and asked the god to avenge the broken promise. Apollo then had a lyre-playing contest with Cinyras, and defeated him. Either Cinyras committed suicide when he lost, or was killed by Apollo.Patron of sailors
Apollo functions as the patron and protector of sailors, one of the duties he shares with Poseidon. In the myths, he is seen helping heroes who pray to him for safe journey. When Apollo spotted a ship of Cretan sailors that was caught in a storm, he quickly assumed the shape of a dolphin and guided their ship safely to Delphi. When the Argonauts faced a terrible storm, Jason prayed to his patron, Apollo, to help them. Apollo used his bow and golden arrow to shed light upon an island, where the Argonauts soon took shelter. This island was renamed "Anafi, Anaphe", which means "He revealed it". Apollo helped the Greek hero Diomedes, to escape from a great tempest during his journey homeward. As a token of gratitude, Diomedes built a temple in honor of Apollo under the epithet Epibaterius ("the embarker"). During the Trojan War, Odysseus came to the Trojan camp to return Chriseis, the daughter of Apollo's priest Chryses, and brought many offerings to Apollo. Pleased with this, Apollo sent gentle breezes that helped Odysseus return safely to the Greek camp. Arion was a poet who was kidnapped by some sailors for the rich prizes he possessed. Arion requested them to let him sing for the last time, to which the sailors consented. Arion began singing a song in praise of Apollo, seeking the god's help. Consequently, numerous dolphins surrounded the ship and when Arion jumped into the water, the dolphins carried him away safely.Wars
Titanomachy
Once Hera, out of spite, aroused the Titans to war againstTrojan War
Apollo played a pivotal role in the entire Trojan War. He sided with the Trojans, and sent a terrible plague to the Greek camp, which indirectly led to the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon. He killed the Greek heroes Patroclus, Achilles, and numerous Greek soldiers. He also helped many Trojan heroes, the most important one being Hector. After the end of the war, Apollo and Poseidon together cleaned the remains of the city and the camps.Telegony war
A war broke out between the Brygoi and the Thesprotians, who had the support of Odysseus. The gods Athena and Ares came to the battlefield and took sides. Athena helped the hero Odysseus while Ares fought alongside of the Brygoi. When Odysseus lost, Athena and Ares came into a direct duel. To stop the battling gods and the terror created by their battle, Apollo intervened and stopped the duel between them.Indian war
When Zeus suggested thatTheban war
During the war between the sons of Oedipus, Apollo favoredSlaying of giants
Apollo killed the giants Python and Tityos, who had assaulted his mother Leto.Gigantomachy
During the gigantomachy, Apollo and Heracles blinded the giant Ephialtes (disambiguation), Ephialtes by shooting him in his eyes, Apollo shooting his left and Heracles his right. He also killed Porphyrion, the king of giants, using his bow and arrows.Aloadae
The Aloadae, namely Otis and Ephialtes, were twin giants who decided to wage war upon the gods. They attempted to storm Mt. Olympus by piling up mountains, and threatened to fill the sea with mountains and inundate dry land. They even dared to seek the hand of Hera and Artemis in marriage. Angered by this, Apollo killed them by shooting them with arrows. According to another tale, Apollo killed them by sending a deer between them; as they tried to kill it with their javelins, they accidentally stabbed each other and died.Phorbas
Phorbas was a savage giant king of Phlegyas (Boeotia), Phlegyas who was described as having swine like features. He wished to plunder Delphi for its wealth. He seized the roads to Delphi and started harassing the pilgrims. He captured the old people and children and sent them to his army to hold them for ransom. And he challenged the young and sturdy men to a match of boxing, only to cut their heads off when they would get defeated by him. He hung the chopped off heads to an oak tree. Finally, Apollo came to put an end to this cruelty. He entered a boxing contest with Phorbas and killed him with a single blow.Other stories
Molpadia and Parthenos
Molpadia and Parthenos were the sisters of Rhoeo, a former lover of Apollo. One day, they were put in charge of watching their father's ancestral wine jar but they fell asleep while performing this duty. While they were asleep, the wine jar was broken by the swines their family kept. When the sisters woke up and saw what had happened, they threw themselves off a cliff in fear of their father's wrath. Apollo, who was passing by, caught them and carried them to two different cities in Chersonesus, Molpadia to Castabus and Parthenos to Bubastus. He turned them into goddesses and they both received divine honors. Molpadia's name was changed to Hemithea (mythology), Hemithea upon her deification.Prometheus
Prometheus was the titan who was punished by Zeus for stealing fire. He was bound to a rock, where each day an eagle was sent to eat Prometheus' liver, which would then grow back overnight to be eaten again the next day. Seeing his plight, Apollo pleaded Zeus to release the kind Titan, while Artemis and Leto stood behind him with tears in their eyes. Zeus, moved by Apollo's words and the tears of the goddesses, finally sent Heracles to free Prometheus.The rock of Leukas
Leukatas was believed to be a white colored rock jutting out from the island of Lefkada, Leukas into the sea. It was present in the sanctuary of Apollo Leukates. A leap from this rock was believed to have put an end to the longings of love.Strabo, ''Geographica, Geography''Female lovers
Love affairs ascribed to Apollo are a late development in Greek mythology. Their vivid anecdotal qualities have made some of them favorites of painters since the Renaissance, the result being that they stand out more prominently in the modern imagination.Male lovers
Children
Apollo sired many children, from mortal women and nymphs as well as the goddesses. His children grew up to be physicians, musicians, poets, seers or archers. Many of his sons founded new cities and became kings. They were all usually very beautiful.Failed love attempts
Marpessa (daughter of Evenus), Marpessa was kidnapped by Idas but was loved by Apollo as well.Female counterparts
Artemis
Hecate
Athena
As a deity of knowledge and great power, Apollo was seen being the male counterpart of Athena. Being Zeus' favorite children, they were given more powers and duties. Apollo and Athena often took up the role as protectors of cities, and were patrons of some of the important cities. Athena was the principle goddess ofApollo in the ''Oresteia''
In Aeschylus' ''Oresteia'' trilogy, Clytemnestra kills her husband, King Agamemnon because he had sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to proceed forward with the Trojan war. Apollo gives an order through the Oracle at Delphi that Agamemnon's son, Orestes, is to kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, her lover. Orestes and Pylades carry out the revenge, and consequently Orestes is pursued by the Erinyes or Furies (female personifications of revenge, vengeance). Apollo and the Furies argue about whether the matricide was justified; Apollo holds that the bond of marriage is sacred and Orestes was avenging his father, whereas the Erinyes say that the bond of blood between mother and son is more meaningful than the bond of marriage. They invade his temple, and he drives them away. He says that the matter should be brought before Athena. Apollo promises to protect Orestes, as Orestes has become Apollo's Supplication, supplicant. Apollo advocates Orestes at the trial, and ultimately Athena rules in favor of Apollo.Roman Apollo
The Roman worship of Apollo was adopted from the Greeks. As a quintessentially List of Greek mythological figures, Greek god, Apollo had no direct Roman equivalent, although later Roman poets often referred to him as Phoebus. There was a tradition that the Delphic oracle was consulted as early as the period of the Roman Kingdom, kings of Rome during the reign of Tarquinius Superbus. On the occasion of a pestilence in the 430s BCE, Apollo's Temple of Apollo Sosianus, first temple at Rome was established in the Flaminian fields, replacing an older cult site there known as the "Apollinare". During the Second Punic War in 212 BCE, the ''Ludi Apollinares'' ("Apollonian Games") were instituted in his honor, on the instructions of a prophecy attributed to one Marcius. In the time of Augustus, who considered himself under the special protection of Apollo and was even said to be his son, his worship developed and he became one of the chief gods of Rome. After the battle of Actium, which was fought near a sanctuary of Apollo, Augustus enlarged Apollo's temple, dedicated a portion of the spoils to him, and instituted quinquennial games in his honour. He also erected Temple of Apollo (Palatine), a new temple to the god on the Palatine Hill, Palatine hill. Sacrifices and prayers on the Palatine to Apollo and Diana (mythology), Diana formed the culmination of the Secular Games, held in 17 BCE to celebrate the dawn of a new era.Festivals
The chief Apollonian festival was the Pythian Games held every four years at Delphi and was one of the four great Panhellenic Games. Also of major importance was the Delia (festival), Delia held every four years on Delos. Athenian annual festivals included the Boedromia, Metageitnia, Pyanepsia, and Thargelia. Spartan annual festivals were the Carneia and the Hyacinthia. Thebes, Greece, Thebes every nine years held theAttributes and symbols
Apollo's most common attributes were the bow and arrow. Other attributes of his included the kithara (an advanced version of the common lyre), the plectrum and the sword. Another common emblem was the sacrificial tripod, representing his prophetic powers. The Pythian Games were held in Apollo's honor every four years atApollo in the arts
Apollo is a common theme in Greek and Roman art and also in the art of the Renaissance. The earliest Greek word for a statue is "delight" (, ''agalma''), and the sculptors tried to create forms which would inspire such guiding vision. Greek art puts into Apollo the highest degree of power and beauty that can be imagined. The sculptors derived this from observations on human beings, but they also embodied in concrete form, issues beyond the reach of ordinary thought. The naked bodies of the statues are associated with the cult of the body that was essentially a religious activity. The muscular frames and limbs combined with slim waists indicate the Greek desire for health, and the physical capacity which was necessary in the hard Greek environment. The statues of Apollo embody beauty, balance and inspire awe before the beauty of the world.Archaic sculpture
Numerous free-standing statues of male youths fromClassical sculpture
Hellenistic Greece-Rome
Apollo as a handsome beardless young man, is often depicted with a cithara (as Apollo Citharoedus) or bow in his hand, or reclining on a tree (the Apollo Lykeios and Apollo Sauroctonos types). The Apollo Belvedere is a marble sculpture that was rediscovered in the late 15th century; for centuries it epitomized the ideals of Classical Antiquity for Europeans, from the Renaissance through the 19th century. The marble is a Hellenistic Greece, Hellenistic or Roman copy of a bronze original by the Greek sculptor Leochares, made between 350 and 325 BCE. The life-size so-called "Adonis" found in 1780 on the site of a ''Roman villa, villa suburbana'' near the Via Labicana in the Roman suburb of Centocelle is identified as an Apollo by modern scholars. In the late 2nd century CE floor mosaic from El Djem, Roman ''Thysdrus'', he is identifiable as Helios, Apollo Helios by his effulgent Halo (religious iconography), halo, though now even a god's divine nudity, nakedness is concealed by his cloak, a mark of increasing conventions of modesty in the later Roman Empire, Empire. Another haloed Apollo in mosaic, from Hadrumentum, is in the museum at Sousse. The conventions of this representation, head tilted, lips slightly parted, large-eyed, curling Hairstyle, hair cut in locks grazing the neck, were developed in the 3rd century BCE to depict Alexander the Great. Some time after this mosaic was executed, the earliest depictions of Christ would also be beardless and haloed.Modern reception
Apollo often appears in Modernity, modern and Greek mythology in popular culture, popular culture due to his status as the god of music, dance and poetry.Postclassical art and literature
Dance and music
Apollo has featured in dance and music in modern culture. Percy Bysshe Shelley composed a "Hymn of Apollo" (1820), and the god's instruction of the Muses formed the subject of Igor Stravinsky's ''Apollon musagète'' (1927–1928). In 1978, the Canadian band Rush (band), Rush released Hemispheres (Rush album), an album with songs Cygnus X-1 Book II, "Apollo: Bringer of Wisdom"/"Dionysus: Bringer of Love".Books
Apollo been portrayed in modern literature, such as when Charles Handy, in ''Gods of Management'' (1978) uses Greek gods as a metaphor to portray various types of organizational culture. Apollo represents a 'role' culture where order, reason, and bureaucracy prevail. In 2016, author Rick Riordan published the first book in the Trials of Apollo series, publishing four other books in the series in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.Film
Apollo has been depicted in modern films—for instance, by Keith David in the 1997 animated feature film ''Hercules (1997 film), Hercules,'' by Luke Evans in the 2010 action film Clash of the Titans (2010 film), ''Clash of the Titans'', and by Dimitri Lekkos in the 2010 film ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief''.Video games
Apollo has appeared in many modern video games. Apollo appears as a minor character in Santa Monica Studio's 2010 Action-adventure game, action-adventure game ''God of War III'' with his bow being used by Pirithous, Peirithous. He also appears in the 2014 Hi-Rez Studios Multiplayer online battle arena, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game ''Smite (video game), Smite'' as a playable character.Psychology and philosophy
In philosophical discussion of the arts, a distinction is sometimes made between the Apollonian and Dionysian impulses, where the former is concerned with imposing intellectual order and the latter with chaotic creativity. Friedrich Nietzsche argued that a fusion of the two was most desirable. Psychologist Carl Jung's Apollo archetype represents what he saw as the disposition in people to over-intellectualise and maintain emotional distance.Shinoda-Bolen, J., ''Gods in Everyman: A New Psychology of Men's Lives and Loves'' p.130-160 (1989)Spaceflight
In spaceflight, the 1960s and 1970s NASA program for orbiting and landing astronauts on the Moon was named after Apollo program, Apollo, by NASA manager Abe Silverstein:Genealogy
See also
*Darrhon *Dryad *Epirus *Family tree of the Greek gods *Phoebus (disambiguation) *Sibylline oracles *Tegyra *Temple of Apollo (disambiguation)Notes
References
Sources
Primary sources
* Claudius Aelianus, Aelian, ''On Animals'', Volume II: Books 6–11. Translated by A. F. Scholfield. Loeb Classical Library 447. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1958. * Aeschylus, ''Oresteia, The Eumenides'' in ''Aeschylus, with an English translation by Herbert Weir Smyth, Ph. D. in two volumes'', Vol 2, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1926Secondary sources
* Apostolos Athanassakis, Athanassakis, Apostolos N., and Benjamin M. Wolkow, ''The Orphic Hymns'', Johns Hopkins University Press; owlerirst Printing edition (May 29, 2013).External links