Apollo

## Relevant Pages

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> God of the sun, light, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, music, poetry and knowledge
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> As well as also being very important as a queer god
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—Hesiod or Homersrc

**Apollo** is a character in Hesiod's and Homer's myth. He débuts with his appearance in around 700 B.C. and usually ends at around the 9th Century. Apollo is the greek god of the sun, light and music in Greek Mythology.

## Biography

Apollo, the Sun god, was born on an island called Delos. Not long after his birth Apollo asked Hepaestus to make him a bow and arrows to kill Python the earth dragon one of Gaia's children who was sent by Hera to hunt his mother. After the death of the monster the Pythian games founded in honor of Apollo and the dragon. Also in his honor Apollo became ruler of Delphi. Gaia was not happen about one of her children being killed so Zeus punished Apollo he made up for his action by naming the Oracle of Delphi Pythia and crating the Pythian games. When the dragon Python was killed Hera sent the giant Tityos after Leto but was defeated by Apollo with the help of Artemis then Zeus tossed the giant into Tartarus. When Apollo reigned over Delphi Hercules came to the city to consult with the Oracle and was refused which caused a fight Zeus stopped the fighting by hurling a lighnting bolt between them.

When Hermes was born he stole Apollo's sacred cattle. Apollo found out and brought Hermes before Zeus and the other gods as punishment for stealing. Hermes denied his actions Zeus and the other gods did not believe his story but found it amusing so he was not punished but Zeus made Hermes give the cattle back. Hermes gave Apollo his lyre as a gift of forgiveness.

There is a story of Apollo being punished by Zeus. In the story one of his sons the demigod of medicine Asclepius brings a hunter named Hippolytus back to life for Artemis. This action upset Hades so Zeus killed Asclepius Apollo filled with anger killed the Cyclopes who helped Hephaestus make the lightningbolts. Zeus was going to send Apollo to tartarus but Leto begged him not to instead he was sent to live with the mortals in Troy. He was one of the many gods who fought in the Trojan war and helped Troy fight the Greeks.

After their fight Zeus decided to resurrect Asclepius and make him a god to end the feud with Apollo. After his resurrection Zeus made Asclepius promise to never revive the dead with out his approval.

Before the Trojan war Hecuba the queen of Troy and was one of Apollo's many lovers and had a son Troilus. Priam king of Troy and husband of Hecuba treated like his own son. Troilus was killed in one of Apollo's temples so the city of Troy would fall. After the fall Troy Hecuba was taken as a slave her children and Priam were killed but she escaped and was rescued by Hecate.

Asclepius was the son Apollo and Coronis one of his father's many lovers. When Coronis was pregnant she cheated on Asclepius's father with Ischys while Apollo was away but they didn't know he left a crow behind to look out for her the crow found Apollo and told him what Coronis had done. Ischys and Coronis were killed for there actions Apollo hurried as fast as he could to save the unborn baby later the sun god grieved at his lovers funeral. To make up for what happened Apollo made Asclepius his favorite son. Apollo was one of the gods who fought in the giant war working together with Hercules the two killed the giant Ephialtes.

The sun god is protective of his family these actions are shown when he saved his mother from the Python answer again when he and his sister svelte her form a giant, he killed Niobe's children because she bragged about having more kids than his mother Leto, keeping Artemis from marrying Orion so she can keep her virginity, Apollo had his son Asclepius bring one of Artemis hunters back to life for his sister. Another action of him caring for his sister is trying to keep the hunting goddess from losing her best huntress by telling Atalanta to never marry because of the future the Oracle of Delphi saw.

When Apollo was sent to live with the mortals as punishment he appeared as a poor man to king Admetus the king was kind enough to help him Apollo thanked the king and reveled who he really was because of his kindness the sun god promise that if he needed anything he would help him. When Admetus fell in love with a woman named Alcestis he asked for Apollo to help him win her love the sun god helped him succeed Admetus and Alcestis lived happy lives until the king became ill Apollo came to his aid Apollo made a deal with the fates to save the king someone else would have to take his place only one person agreed Alcestis. Thanatos took her to the underworld Hercules a friend of Admetus arrives at the city and learns what happened the son of Zeus enters Persephone's realm in the underworld and finds Thanatos while wrestling with the god of death Persephone was moved by Alcestis actions she asked for Thanatos to send Alcestis back to Admetus Hercules wins and the god of death send her back. Apollo is glad to see the lovers back together.

When Artemis and Ares decided to punish Aphrodite by killing Adonis Apollo took part in this action because of the goddess of love blinding his Erymanthus for see her with Adonis.

In one story Selene the titan sister Helios and Eos was a loyal maiden to Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi until she fell in love with Ambrogio. Being know as a god who loved many women Apollo cursed Ambrogio into a vampire so he wouldn't take Selene from him. After his curse the man decided to strike a deal with Hades having his soul trapped in the underworld with his body still living on earth. Unknown to the sun god Selene's love for the man was so great that she would follow him down the same path.

Just like his Artemis who placed Callisto and Orion to people colse to her in space as costellations Apollo had the same thing done to the crow Corvus who told the sun god the Coronis cheating on him Apollo angry that the bird didn't stop this and punished. However this action did not get the crow turned into a constellation it was when Corvus lied to Apollo telling him that he could get water for his cup because of a Hydra keeping him from getting it Apollo didn't believe him he wanted proof. The bird brought back a snake saying that it was the Hydra Apollo knew this was a lie and had the crow, the cup and the snake turned into constellations in night sky out in space.

## Apollo's Possessions

* Sword
* Shield
* Bow & Arrows
* Armor
* Chariot
* Lyre

## Family

URANUS †---------------------------------------------------------------------------GAIA

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CRONUS †---------------------------------------------------------------------------RHEA

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HESTIA \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_DEMETER\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HERA\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HADES\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ POSEIDON\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ZEUS--LETO

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                                                                         **APOLLO**

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*Notes:*

* Solid lines denote parent-child blood relationships
* Dashed lines denote marriage relationships that result in offspring
* **†** denotes the deceased

### Notes

* **Apollo** had either too much or no consorts.

## References

1. ↑ Meaning 'clear light'. Divinites et sanctuaires de la Gaule, E. Thevonat, 1968, Paris.