Apollo ( Greek: Aπόλλων) is one of the most important and complex the Olympian deities in classical Greek and Roman religion. The national divinity of the Greeks, Apollo has been variously recognized as a God of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the sun and light, poetry, and more. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis. Seen as the most beautiful God and the ideal of the kouros (a beardless, athletic youth), Apollo is considered to be the most Greek of all Gods.
When Zeus' wife Hera discovered that Leto was impregnanted by Zeus, she banned Leto from giving birth on terra firma. In her wanderings, Leto sought shelter on many lands, only to be rejected by them. Finally, she saw Delos, a floating island, which was neither a real island nor a mainland. It is said that Apollo, still in Leto's womb, had informed his mother about Delos to put an end to her suffering. Leto, when welcomed by Delos, gave birth there, clinging to a palm tree.
It is also stated that Hera kidnapped Eileithyia, the Goddess of childbirth, to prevent Leto from going into labor. Goddess Iris managed to get Eileithyia to Delos, sneaking Her out of Olympus.
Apollo's birth fixed the floating Delos to the earth. This island later became sacred to Apollo. Mythographers agree that Artemis was born first and subsequently assisted with the birth of Apollo, or that Artemis was born on the island of Ortygia and that she helped Leto cross the sea to Delos the next day to give birth to Apollo.
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 became Archegetes, the founder of towns and god who guided men to build new cities.
In his young years when Apollo spent his time herding cows, he was reared by Thriae, the bee nymphs, who trained him and enhanced his prophetic skills. Apollo is also said to have invented the lyre, and along with Artemis, the art of archery. He then taught to the humans the art of healing and archery. Phoebe, his grandmother, gave the oracular shrine of Delphi to Apollo as a birthday gift. Themis inspired him to be the oracular voice of Delphi thereon.
Python, a chthonic serpent-dragon, was a child of Gaea and the guardian of the Delphic Oracle.
Python was sent by Hera to hunt the pregnant Leto to death, and had assaulted Leto. To avenge the trouble given to his mother, the young Apollo, with his bow and arrows that he had received from Hephaestus, went in search of Python and killed it in the sacred cave at Delphi with his arrows. In most of the traditions, Apollo was still a child when he killed Python.
As Zeus' favorite son, Apollo has direct access to the mind of Zeus and is willing to reveal this knowledge to humans. A divinity beyond human comprehension, he appears both as beneficial and wrathful.
As the patron of Delphi (Pythian Apollo), Apollo is an oracular God—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle.
Medicine and healing are associated with Him, whether through the God himself or mediated through his son Asclepius. Yet, Apollo is also a God who could bring ill-health and deadly plague with his arrows.
As the God of Music (art of Muses) , Apollo presides over all music, songs, dance and poetry. He is the inventor of string-music, and the frequent companion of the Muses, functioning as their chorus leader in celebrations.
As the protector of young, Apollo is concerned with the health and education of children. He presides over their passage into adulthood.
Apollo is an important pastoral deity. He is the patron of herdsmen and shepherds. Protection of herds, flocks and crops from diseases and pests are his primary duties.
Apollo encourages founding new towns and establishment of civil constitution, and is associated with dominion over colonists. He is also the giver of laws, and his oracles were consulted before setting laws in a city.
In literary contexts, Apollo represents harmony, order, and reason—characteristics contrasted with those of Dionysos, God of wine, who represents ecstasy and disorder. However, the Greeks thought of the two qualities as complementary: the two Gods are brothers, and when Apollo travels to Hyperborea in winter, he leaves the Delphic oracle to Dionysos.
Apollo is the God who affords help and wards off evil. He delivers men from the epidemics. As the patron of seafarers, he is also the God of foreigners, the protector of fugitives and refugees.
In Hellenistic times, especially during the 5th century BCE, as Apollo Helios he became identified among Greeks with Helios, Titan God of the sun.
Apollo's chief epithet is Phoebus ( Φοίβος), literally "bright". It was very commonly used by both the Greeks and Romans for Apollo's role as the god of light. Like other Greek deities, he has a number of others applied to him, reflecting the variety of roles, duties, and aspects ascribed to the god.
Helius, literally "Sun".
Lyceus, "light". The meaning of the epithet "Lyceus" later became associated with Apollo's mother Leto, who was the patron goddess of Lycia (Λυκία) and who was identified with the wolf (λύκος).
Didymaeus , "twin", as Artemis' twin.
Pythius , from the region around Delphi.
Acesius, "healing".
Iatrus, literally "physician".
Alexicacus, literally "warding off evil".
Loxias, "ambiguous".
Hecebolus, "far-shooting".
As the patron of Delphi (Pythian Apollo), Apollo is an oracular God—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle.
Medicine and healing are associated with Him, whether through the God himself or mediated through his son Asclepius. Yet, Apollo is also a God who could bring ill-health and deadly plague with his arrows.
As the God of Music (art of Muses) , Apollo presides over all music, songs, dance and poetry. He is the inventor of string-music, and the frequent companion of the Muses, functioning as their chorus leader in celebrations.
As the protector of young, Apollo is concerned with the health and education of children. He presides over their passage into adulthood.
Apollo is an important pastoral deity. He is the patron of herdsmen and shepherds. Protection of herds, flocks and crops from diseases and pests are his primary duties.
Apollo encourages founding new towns and establishment of civil constitution, and is associated with dominion over colonists. He is also the giver of laws, and his oracles were consulted before setting laws in a city.
In Hellenistic times, especially during the 5th century BCE, as Apollo Helios he became identified among Greeks with Helios, Titan God of the sun.
Apollo's chief epithet is Phoebus ( Φοίβος), literally "bright". It was very commonly used by both the Greeks and Romans for Apollo's role as the god of light. Like other Greek deities, he has a number of others applied to him, reflecting the variety of roles, duties, and aspects ascribed to the god.
Helius, literally "Sun".
Lyceus, "light". The meaning of the epithet "Lyceus" later became associated with Apollo's mother Leto, who was the patron goddess of Lycia (Λυκία) and who was identified with the wolf (λύκος).
Didymaeus , "twin", as Artemis' twin.
Pythius , from the region around Delphi.
Acesius, "healing".
Iatrus, literally "physician".
Alexicacus, literally "warding off evil".
Loxias, "ambiguous".
Hecebolus, "far-shooting".
Apollo's most common attributes are the bow and arrow. Other attributes of his include the kithara, an advanced version of the common lyre. Another common emblem is the sacrificial tripod, representing his prophetic powers.
The palm tree is also sacred to Apollo because he had been born under one in Delos. Animals sacred to Apollo include wolves, dolphins, roe deer, swans, cicadas -symbolizing music and song-, hawks, ravens, crows, snakes -referencing Apollo's function as the god of prophecy- mice and griffins.
SOURCE: Wikipedia
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