Greek Stories about Apollo-The Birth of the Twins Apollo and Artemis The Birth of the Twins Apollo and Artemis The Birth of the Twins Apollo and Artemis Apollo and Artemis were two twins born by the king of the gods Zeus and Leto, a daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe . Leto was a very gracious and loveable deity but was hated by Hera , the wife of Zeus, for having seduced her husband. So when Leto became pregnant and Hera found out, she explicitly forbade any place under the sun to offer shelter to the sinful woman. She even held her daughter Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, firmly in her arms to prevent her from supporting Leto on her labor. Zeus felt sorrow for Leto and transformed her into a quail (ortyx) in order to give birth to their children. However, there seemed to be no place all over Greece willing to offer a shelter to Leto, so she was wandering around desperately and aimlessly... Finally, Leto discovered a tiny cycladic island close to Mykonos named "Asteria" (or Ortygia, deriving from Leto's transformation into a quail).

This island was beaten by the waves and blown by the wind and didnât even have a fixed position in the sea, yet it was willing to accept the woman. When Leto settled on the island, the island became firm and its name was changed into " Delos "- "the unconcealed one". For nine days and nine nights Leto was suffering from strong pains, until on the tenth day, Leto went close to a small lake, leaned against a palm tree, unfastened her belt and gave birth to Artemis , the Greek goddess of the hunt. Artemis then acted as a midwife to her mother to bring her brother Apollo to the world. For this reason, she was declared as the new goddess of the childbirth, taking the place of Heraâs daughter Eilithyia . Search Fast Facts on Apollo, Greek God of the Sun Greek God of the Sun Valery Rizzo/Stockbyte/Getty Images By deTraci Regula Updated May 01, 2016. Here's a quick guide to the basic facts about the Greek god of the sun, Apollo. Apollo's Appearance: A young man with curly golden hair or, sometimes, rays of the sun emanating from his head.

Symbol or Attribute of Apollo: The Sun itself, the lyre (a type of musical instrument), the bow, and the chariot he drives across the sky daily, borrowed from an earlier pre-Greek Sun god, Helios . Apollo's Strengths: Creative, handsome, supportive of all the arts of civilization. Apollo's Weaknesses: Like his father Zeus , Apollo is all too happy to enjoy the charms of nymphs, as well as the occasional youth, and his conquests number in the dozens. Birthplace of Apollo: On the sunny Greek island of Delos , where he was born along with his twin sister, Artemis . A palm tree on the island is pointed out as the actual site of the birth. Another tradition gives the islands of Lato, the Letoides, now called Paximadia, which lie off of the southern coast of Crete . continue reading below our video 5 Tips to Make Coach Feel Like First Class Spouse: Apollo had many encounters, but no formal marriages.

Flings included Cassandra, to whom he gave the gift of prophecy; Daphne, who fled from his embrace and turned into a laurel tree; Acacallis, a maiden from the Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete who was spurned by her proud family for choosing a "foreign" Greek god, and Calliope, with whom he had a child, Orpheus. Apollo's Children: Information varies, but the enchanting semi-divine singer Orpheus and the god of healing Asklepios (also spelled Asclepius, Aesculapius and other variants) are the most famous of Apollo's offspring. Some Major Temple Sites of Apollo: The mountain town of Delphi , where a few columns from an early temple of Apollo still stand. The island of Delos is also sacred to him, but there is no temple to Apollo remaining there today. Apollo in some places replaced an earlier solar god, Helios. High mountain tops were sacred to Helios, and today, churches dedicated to Saint Elias are often found on these same spots. Basic Story: Apollo was the son of the supreme Greek god Zeus and Leto, a nymph.

Zeus's wife Hera was outraged and convinced the earth to refuse to allow Leto to give birth anywhere on its surface. But the island of Delos allowed Leto to take refuge there and give birth to Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis , goddess of the hunt and wild things. The goddess Themis assisted in raising him by feeding him ambrosia, the sacred nectar of the gods. Interesting Fact: Apollo Delphinus or Delphinius was the dolphin-form of the god and was revered at Delphi - despite its location high in the mountains. He supposedly commandeered a Cretan ship in his dolphin form, jumping out of the water and landing on its deck, and then forced it to the coastline at Delphi; the sailors on the ship supposedly became his first priests at Delphi. He was also believed to have destroyed an evil serpent at Delphi, and took over as the patron god of the famous oracle there. Some ancient coins show the head of Apollo with dolphins swimming in the background. Some images of Apollo in profile on coins are very beautiful and often can be mistaken for an image of a goddess instead.

The inscription may read Ἀπόλλων (Apollon) or Ἀπέλλων (Apellon), among other variants. If you see the first two letters, the alpha and pi of the Greek alphabet, it's almost certainly Apollo. More Fast Facts on Greek Gods and Goddesses: /od/crete/tp/cretetours.htm ">Sightseeing Trips on Crete</a><br> Plan Your Own Trip to Greece Geography of Cyclades islands, Greece - Greeka.com Cyclades Cyclades Geography Information about the Geography of Cyclades islands, in Greece: Cyclades is an island complex located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea, between Attica and Crete. It is a natural continuation of Cape Sounion and Evia, the second largest island in Greece. The name of the complex was given from the ancient geographers while the islands form a circle around the sacred island of Delos island (the birthplace of goddess Artemis and god Apollo). It comprises of 220 large and smaller islands, Naxos island being the largest of them. These islands are characterized for their rocky and barren landscape, which is unique in the world.

The total population of all the Cyclades is 112,615 people, with Syros island as its capital. The Cyclades geography is very interesting. Its 200 bays, ports and fishing shelters create a natural sailing park for resting and relaxation. The 450 Cycladic beaches are ideal for swimming, exploring the depth and diving. The crystal clear waters of Cyclades preserve their unique color creating amazing mirror images. The geological history of Cyclades witnesses the countless geological treasures which are displayed in every island. Despite the poor vegetation, the islands are blessed with a rare type of flora and fauna and thousands of plant and animal species, an ideal environment for the nature lovers. The most interesting from a geological views are: Santorini island and Milos island . The Greek Islands: Mykonos Travel Guide November 17, 2013 The Greek Islands: Mykonos No matter the weather or temperature, there always seems to be a strong breeze whipping over the water on its way to Mykonos.

There’s a reason, after all, that Mykonos is often referred to as “the island of the winds.” But the wind, of course, is not the only thing Mykonos is known for. It’s also known for its string of windmills, its trendy beaches, its white-washed Chora, and its gay-friendly vibe. And of course its thumping nightlife that draws backpackers and celebrities alike. I won’t lie — Mykonos was not the island I was most looking forward to visiting in the Greek Islands . I had heard that this popular Greek Island was expensive, and usually overrun with cruise ship passengers. And, sure enough, three huge ships were tendered in Mykonos’ port the first morning I woke up there. And it WAS more expensive than any of the other Cycladic islands that I visited. But you know what? I’m still glad I went. Mykonos is definitely worth visiting, especially if you go towards the end of the tourist season like I did. You just have to know what to see and do and when. Places to Go Mykonos town Mykonos’ Chora (“Town”) is probably the biggest must-see on the island.

Here you’ll find the string of windmills the island is known for, plenty of shopping in a pedestrian-friendly zone, and some nice restaurants in an area known as “Little Venice.” Go in the afternoon or evening when the cruise ship passengers are off on shore excursions or heading back to their ships to have the best chance of traversing the maze-like streets of the Chora without having to dodge elbows. And be sure to keep an eye out for Mykonos’ mascot, Petros the Pelican, here! Windmills From the Chora, climb the hill to visit Mykonos’ windmills — the icons of the island. They sadly don’t actually function anymore, but they’re still very pretty and the views out over the town from here are scenic. I would guess that this would be a great spot to watch the sun set from. Delos From Mykonos, you can easily catch a ferry over to the small island of Delos for the afternoon. I’ll go into more detail on this day trip in my next post, but, to sum it up, Delos is said to be the birthplace of Greek god Apollo, and its ruins are interesting to explore.

Beaches Mykonos is known for its nightlife — much of which actually takes place on its beaches. But if you actually want to go to a beach on Mykonos to swim and work on your tan, check out: Ornos This family-friendly beach is popular with tourists and easily reachable from Mykonos town (by bus, taxi, bike, or even on foot if you don’t mind walking a little while). You can rent a sun bed on the sand here (around 6 Euro for 2 beds and an umbrella) or grab food/drinks from any of the nearby bars and restaurants. This beach WAS pretty crowded, but most beaches reachable by public transport on Mykonos are. Others You can also check out Platys Gialos (another sandy, family-friendly beach with frequent bus connections), Psarou (an upmarket beach), Elia (a popular gay beach), and Paradise/Super Paradise (the main party beaches). There are plenty more beaches on Mykonos, but many are difficult to access, especially if you are only relying on public transportation to get around. It’s also worth noting that many of Mykonos’ beaches permit nudity. So just… be aware of that.

Nightlife Paradise/Super Paradise The parties at these beaches usually kick of around 4 p.m., and can last well into the wee hours of the morning. Just be aware that getting to these beaches can be tricky at night. Paradise is the easier of the two to reach — buses from Mykonos town, shuttles from the Old Port, and boats from Platys Gialos will get you there, but there don’t appear to be as many options to return once the party has died out. And good luck being able to catch a taxi back — there are only a handful on the island. Super Paradise is really only reachable by boat, though. My tour group really wanted to check this nude- and gay-friendly beach out one night, but we simply couldn’t figure out a way to get there at 10 p.m. Skandinavian Bar Thwarted by the party beaches, we decided to party in Mykonos town instead. There are plenty of options here, even at the end of the tourist season (which is when I visited). One of the clubs that everyone seems to know about is Skandinavian Bar, where the cover charge is just the price of a drink.

You’ll find multiple levels and places to mingle, lots of younger travelers, and a fun disco playing dance music. What Makes Mykonos Special I was afraid that Mykonos would be just another characterless destination that’s been overrun by annoying tourists and drunken backpackers. But, somehow, despite its wild reputation, Mykonos still manages to cling to its unique Greek Islands identity. And I think that’s great. The practical stuff… WHERE TO STAY — I stayed at Hotel Madalena , which is close to the Old Port. It was my favorite Greek Islands hotel, hands-down. The rooms were lovely and air-conditioned and fitted with some of the most comfortables beds I’ve ever slept in while traveling. There were also balconies, a pool, good wi-fi, a nice reception area with seating to overlook the sea, and an amazing hot breakfast (that was included!). The hotel is a bit far out from the Chora (it takes about 30 minutes to walk to the Fabrica bus station, where most of the beach buses leave from), but this didn’t bother me much in the end.

WHERE TO EAT — Check out Marco Polo (at Lakka Square) for traditional Greek food and any of the restaurants along the water in Little Venice for fresh seafood. If you’re like me and have frequent cravings for big, fat, juicy burgers, go to Black Bull right next to the Fabrika bus station, where the burgers are both tasty and affordable. Then head around the corner (back towards the windmills) for some gelato. GETTING AROUND — Mykonos is a bit tricky when it comes to transport. Renting a car is not ideal because the Chora is closed to cars, and many beaches are unreachable by vehicle anyway. Many people choose to rent bikes, scooters, or quad bikes (ATVs), or just use their feet most of the time. There are buses, too, but you’ll only find two main bus stops in Mykonos town (one near the Old Port, and the other on the opposite side of town past the windmills). For bus times, check at the stations since the services change based on season and even time of day. You can expect to pay about 2 Euro per bus ride.

Ferries are an option, too, during high season to reach many of the beaches, and there are a handful of taxis on the islands that charge set prices based on where you’re going (Mykonos to Ornos Beach was about 6 Euro). —— Apollo Apollo See More Apollo Pictures > Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto , twin brother of Artemis . He was the god of music, and he is often depicted playing a golden lyre. He was also known as the Archer, far shooting with a silver bow; the god of healing, giving the science of medicine to man; the god of light; and the god of truth. One of Apollo 's most important daily tasks was to harness his four-horse chariot, in order to move the Sun across the sky. Apollo was an oracular god, as he was the prophetic deity in the Oracle in Delphi . People from all over the known world travelled there to learn what the future held for them, through his priestess Pythia. The god was also worshipped in the island of Delos, which was initially dedicated to his twin sister Artemis .

In relation to the rituals and practices that took place in Delos and Delphi , it could be said that there were two completely distinct cults in honour of Apollo . As already mentioned, Apollo was also considered as the god of healing and medicine, either through himself or through his son Asclepius . At the same time, he could also bring forth disease and plague with his arrows; it was considered that a god that can cause disease is also able to prevent it. He was born on Delos, where his mother Leto sought refuge; Hera , having realised that Leto was impregnated by her husband Zeus , banned Leto from giving birth on land. So, Leto managed to go to Delos, which had recently been formed, and therefore, was not considered a real island yet. The inhabitants of the island, along with Artemis who had been born a day earlier, helped Leto give birth to Apollo . Leto then promised the Delians that Apollo would always favour them for having helped her. His holy tree was the laurel, and his holy animal was the dolphin. Apollo Is also called Phoebus, Apollon.

APOLLO, the Greek God of Light and Prophecy - GroundReport Home / Lifestyle / Music & Film / APOLLO, the Greek God of Light and Prophecy APOLLO, the Greek God of Light and Prophecy picincu andra Dec 21, 2008 Music & Film , World APOLLON (or Apollo) was the great Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, healing, plague and disease, music, song and poetry, archery, and the protection of the young. Apollo’s birthplace was the sunny Greek island of Delos, where he was born along with his twin sister, Artemis, being the son of the supreme Greek god Zeus and Leto, a nymph. The goddess Themis assisted in raising him by feeding him ambrosia, the sacred nectar of the gods. Another tradition gives the islands of Lato, now called Paximadia, of the southern coast of Crete. He was described as a young man with curly golden hair, creative, handsome, supportive of all the arts of civilization, but, like his father Zeus, Apollo was all too happy to enjoy the charms of nymphs, as well as the occasional youth, and his conquests number in the dozens.

Apollo was associated with the Sun itself, the lyre (a type of musical instrument), the bow, and the chariot he drives across the sky daily.He is known on several names and epithets, such as akesios, akestôr, alexikakos, sôtêr, apotropaios, epikourios, iatromantis, and others, that are descriptive for his power. The powers of Apollo are various, but all are connected with one another, and may be said to be only ramifications of one and the same, as will be seen from the following classification: -Apollo is the the god who punishes and destroys (oulios) the wicked and overbearing, and as such he is described as the god with bow and arrows, the gift of Hephaestusl (Homer, Iliad), the god who with his darts hits his object at a distance and never misses it. All sudden deaths of men, whether they were regarded as a punishment or a reward, were believed to be the effect of the arrows of Apollo; and with the same arrows he sent the plague into the camp of the Greeks.

-Apollo was also considered the god who affords help and wards off evil, as he was having the ability of visiting men with plagues and epidemics, so he was also able to deliver men from them, if duly propitiated, or at least by his oracles to suggest the means by which such calamities could be averted. – The god of prophecy, because he exercised this power in his numerous oracles, and especially in that of Delphi, having Zeus himself as the source of his prophetic power. Apollo had nevertheless the power of communicating the gift of prophecy both to gods and men, and all the ancient seers and prophets are placed in some relationship to him. – According to Iliad, Apollo was also the god of song and music, delighting the immortal gods with his play on the phorminx during their repast. – Another attribute associated with Apollo was about his protective attitude for the the flocks and cattle, being also the god who delights in the foundation of towns and the establishment of civil constilutions throw his assistance in the building of Troy, respecting his aid in raising the walls of Megara.

Apollo, the national divinity of the Greeks, was represented in all the ways which the plastic arts were capable of, from a rude wooden image to the perfect ideal of youthful manliness, so that he appeared to the ancients in the light of a twin brother of Aphrodite.The most beautiful and celebrated among the extant representations of Apollo are the Apollo of Belvedere at Rome, which was discovered in 1503 at Rettuno, and the Apollino at Florence, where the god is represented with commanding but serene majesty, where sublime intellect and physical beauty are combined in the most wonderful manner. The forehead is higher than in other ancient figures, and on it there is a pair of locks, while the rest of his hair flows freely down on his neck. The limbs are well proportioned and harmonious, the muscles are not worked out too strongly, and at the hips the figure is rather thin in proportion to the breast. Some major temple sites of the God of Sun were the mountain town of Delphi, where a few columns from an early temple of Apollo still stand and the island of Delos, that was also sacred to him.

Delos Greek Island Hopping 2007, Thomas Cook Publishing) Site plan of ruins below Mt. Kynthos, Delos (from Greek Island Hopping 2007, Thomas Cook Publishing) said to be the birthplace of Apollo and, according to some accounts, his sister Artemis the island was originally a goddess named Asteria, who flung herself into the sea to escape Zeus’s unwanted advances she became a floating island Asteria was later anchored to the seafloor and became known as Delos (‘the seen one’ some sources say she was granted this anchoring for agreeing to be the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis (Unless other indicated, all dates are B. C.) traces of human habitation date to ca. 2000 Ionians came to the island ca.

1000, bringing with them the worship of Apollo island was a major religious center by 700, with Naxians controlling the Sanctuary of Apollo Athenians conduct first purification in 543, removing from the island all graves within sight of the Temple of Apollo in 478, Athens makes the island the headquarters of the Delian League, a defense bloc against the Persians the League’s treasury is kept on the island until Pericles moves it to Athens in 454 Athenians conduct second purification in 426, removing all graves from Delos and decreeing that no one shall be born or die on the island in 422, Athens exiles all Delians to Asia Minor they return in the following year Delos declares independence from Athens in 314 the island was known for its large-scale slave trade Romans settle in Delos in 250 and return the island to Athenian control in 166 as many 30,000 people may have lived on Delos at the beginning of the 1st century Mithridates sacks Delos in 88 the island goes into a steady decline once every four years the island hosted the Delia, festivals and games

 in honor of Apollo A in the first plan above constructed near the end of the 2nd century B.

C. divides the religious and business districts of Delos contains a small, round building dedicated to Hermes, god of commerce takes its name from competialistes, a union of freedmen and slaves their patron deities were the Lares Compitales, who were Roman gods of crossroads postholes for market awnings are still visible guildsmen erected monuments here leads to the Sanctuary of Apollo was flanked by votive offerings, statues, and vases D - G in the first plan above entrance is from the south, where the Athenians built propylaia around the middle of the 2nd century B. C. to replace an earlier entry way in the sanctuary is the Oikos of the Naxians built in the 7th century B. C. roof was made of Naxian marble, which was a technical marvel in its day its purpose is unknown Below: remnants of the colossal statue of Apollo in a 1673 drawing by Seger de Vries; Above: photograph of the same scene today (from Dr. Fotini Zaphiropoulou, Delos: Monuments and Museum, Krene Editions, 2007, p.

18) H in the first plan above buillt in 478 B. C. dedicated to Apollo only peripteral temple on Delos N in the first plan above sometimes called the Square Market (because of its shape) contains the Oikos of the Naxians O in the first plan above rectangular platform flanked on both sides by a pillar with a giant phallus the pillar on the south side depicts, in relief, scenes from the Dionysiac circle was erected ca. 300 B. C. by Karystios to celebrate a winning theatrical performance, which he sponsored P in the first plan above on the north side of the Sanctuary of Apollo built in the second half of the 3rd century B. C. by Antigonos Gonatas, king of Macedonia colonnade consisted of 47 Doric columns every second triglyph bears a carved, painted bull's head Q in the first plan above public well, hewn in the rock built in 6th century B. C. about 13 ft deep a 4th B. C.

inscription lists the fines for washing anythingincluding oneselfor throwing anything into the fountain an inscription says that it was reconstructed in 166 B. C. the granite column in the center supported the roof that was part of the reconstruction R in the first plan above sacred to Artemis built ca. 175 B. C. on the site of an Archaic, which replaced a Mycenaean temple best known today as the site of the remains of the colossal statue of Apollo W in the first plan above temple dedicated to Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis built ca. 540 B. C. only Archaic temple on Delos outside of the sanctuaries of Apollo and Artemis the large area north of the Sanctuary of Apollo was said to be the Letoon which is a testament to the importance of Leto faces south, which is unusual but this orientation causes it to look towards the sanctuaries of Apollo and Artemis X in the first plan above built at end of 2nd B. C. paid for by wealthy merchants who did business on Delos Z in the first plan above created at the end of the 6th century B. C.

carved from Naxian marble opinions vary on the original number of lions somewhere between 9 and 19 the five that now remain on Delos are in the museum on the island the body of one of the Delian lions now sports a replacement head and guards the Arsenal in Venice, Italy in the first plan above called sacred because it witnessed the birth of Apollo and Artemis kept dry today to suppress bacteria and disease-carrying insects the palm tree at its center was planted in 1925 in the first plan above built in the late 2nd century B. C.

by Syrian merchants housed an association of merchant warehousement, shipowners and innkeepers has been rebuilt in the modern era inscription on the architrave translates as “The Koinon of Berytian Poseidoniasts, merchants and ship owners and inn-keepers, dedicated the oikos and stoa and chresterion*, to the gods of the fatherland.” *seat of an oracle included a statue of Roma in addition to images of Baal (Poseidon), Astarte (Aphrodite), and Eshmun (Asklepios) in 1904, a statue of Aphrodite, Pan, and Eros was found in the remains of the building the statue’s inscription reads in translation, “Dionysos, son of Zenon who was son Theodoros, from Beirut dedicated [this offering] to the ancestral gods for his own benefit and that of his children” the statue is now in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens D in the second plan above built in 138/7 B. C.

belonged to two AtheniansDioskourides and Cleopatra (not the Egyptian Cleopatra) the statues in the house are reproductions the originals are in the island’s museum E in the second plan above lavish private house built in 2nd century B. C. takes its name from a mosaic on the floor of one of its rooms, depicting Dionysos riding a tiger F in the second plan above named for a trident mosaic on one of its floors also has a mosaic depicting a dolphin swimming around an anchor G in the second plan above built in 3rd century B. C.

seated 5500 has 26 rows of seats in the cavea and an additional 17 rows in the epitheatre, above the diazoma remains of the stage-building (skene) are still visible a gutter around the orchestra drained rain water into the Theatre Cistern, located just below the theatre its roof, now missing, rested on eight arched foundations J in the second plan above lavish private house built in the Hellenistic period takes its name from a mosaic featuring 10 theatrical masks, which depict characters from New Comedy K in the second plan above lavish private house built in the Hellenistic period takes its name from a mosaic in the impluvium*, depicting erotes riding dolphins *cistern to collect rainwater, a common feature of Roman-style homes L in the second plan above built ca. 500 B. C., replacing an earlier temple to Hera two columns survive M in the second plan above dates to the 3rd century B. C. contained a statue of Herakles a circular marble altar stands before the door P in the second plan above built in late 3rd or early 2nd century B. C. repaired by Athenians in 135 B.

C. Doric in design houses a cult statue of Isis, which bears an inscription dating it to 128 B. C. much more Greek than Egyptian in style the high altar of the goddess is in front of the temple temple has been reconstructed in modern times Y in the second plan above built in 4th century B. C. remains of three stories are visible the columns of the ground floor atrium and of the peristyle on the second floor have been restored exact purpose/use of the building is unknown considerable wear of the thresholds bespeaks a great deal of use APOLLO (Apollon) - Greek God of Music, Prophecy & Healing Apollo Apollo god of music, Athenian red-figure kylix C5th B.C., Archaeological Museum of Delphi APOLLON (Apollo) was the Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, music, song and poetry, archery, healing, plague and disease, and the protection of the young. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and attributes such as a wreath and branch of laurel, bow and quiver of arrows, raven, and lyre.

MYTHS The most famous myths of Apollon include:-- His birth on the island of Delos. << More >> The slaying of the serpent Python which guarded the oracular shrine of Delphoi (Delphi). << More >> The slaying of the giant Tityos who attempted to carry off the god's mother Leto. << More >> The destruction of the Niobides whose mother had offended Leto with her boasts. << More >> His music contest with the satyr Marsyas who lost and was flayed alive. << More >> His love for the youth Hyakinthos (Hyacinthus) who was killed by a discus throw and transformed into a flower. << More >> His love for the nymph Daphne who fled from him and was transformed into a laurel tree. << More >> His love for Koronis (Coronis) who was slain by Artemis for her infidelity. << More >> The murder of the Kyklopes (Cyclopes) who had forged the lightning bolt used to destroy his son Asklepios (Asclepius). << More >> His service as bondsman to the mortal Admetos.

His struggle with Herakles (Heracles) for the Delphic tripod. The Trojan War in which he brought plague to the Greeks and helped Paris slay Akhilleus (Achilles). APOLLO PAGES ON THEOI.COM This site contains a total of 9 pages describing the god, including general descriptions, mythology, and cult. The content is outlined in the Index of Apollo Pages (left column or below).

FAMILY OF APOLLO PARENTS [1.1] ZEUS & LETO (Hesiod Theogony 918, Hesiod Works & Days 770, Homer Iliad 1.9 & 21.495, Homer Odyssey 6.100 & 11.318, Homeric Hymn 27 to Artemis, Orphic Hymn 35, Pindar Nemean Ode 6 & 8, Pindar Processional Song on Delos, Callimachus Hymn to Artemis & Hymn to Delos, Apollodorus 1.21 & 3.46, Pausanias 8.9.1 & 8.53.1.

Hyginus Fabulae 9 & 140, et al) [1.2] ZEUS (Innumerable other sources) OFFSPRING Below are two graphics depicting Apollon's family tree, the first with names transliterated from the Greek and the second with the common English spellings:- CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES Apollo, Athenian red-figure calyx krater C5th B.C., Musée du Louvre I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS Homeric Hymn 3 to Pythian Apollo (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th to 4th B.C.) : "O Lord [Apollon], Lykia (Lycia) is yours and lovely Maionian (Maeonian) and Miletos (Miletus), charming city by the sea, but over wave-girt Delos you greatly reign your own self. Leto's all-glorious son goes to rocky Pytho, playing upon his hollow lure, clad in divine, perfumed garments; and at the touch of the golden key his lyre sings sweet.

Thence, swift as thought, he speeds from earth to Olympos, to the house of Zeus, to join the gathering of the other gods: then straightway the undying gods think only of the lyre and song, and all the Mousai (Muses) together, voice sweetly answering voice, hymn the unending gifts the gods enjoy and the sufferings of men . . . Meanwhile the rich-tressed Kharites (Charites, Graces) and cheerful Horai (Horae, Seasons) dance with Harmonia and Hebe and Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, holding each other by the wrist. And among them sings one . . . Artemis who delights in arrows, sister of Apollon. Among them sport Ares and the keen-eyed Argeiphontes [Hermes], while Apollon plays his lure stepping high and featly and radiance shines around him, the gleaming of his feet and close-woven vest.

And they, even gold-tressed Leto and wise Zeus, rejoice in their great hearts as they watch their dear son playing among the undying gods." Homeric Hymn 21 to Apollo : "Phoibos (Phoebus) [Apollon], of you even the swan sings with clear voice to the beating of his wings, as he alights upon the bank by the eddying river Peneios; and of you the sweet-tongued minstrel, holding his high-pitched lyre, always sings both first and last. And so hail to you lord! I seek your favour with my song." II) THE ORPHIC HYMNS Orphic Hymn 34 to Apollo (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) : "To Apollon.

Blest Paian (Paean), come, propitious to my prayer, illustrious power, whom Memphian tribes revere, Tityoktonos (Slayer of Tityos), and the god of Health, Lykoreus (Lycoreus), Phoibos (Phoebus), fruitful source of wealth: Pytheion (Pythian), golden-lyred, the field from thee receives its constant rich fertility. Titan, Gryneion, Smyntheus, thee I sing, Pythoktonos (Python-Slayer), hallowed, Delphion king: rural, light-bearing Daimon, and Mousagetos (Leader of the Muses), noble and lovely, armed with arrows dread: far-darting, Bakkhion (Bacchian), twofold and divine, power far diffused, and course oblique is thine.

O Delion king, whose light-producing eye views all within, and all beneath the sky; whose locks are gold, whose oracles are sure, who omens good revealest, and precepts pure; hear me entreating for he human kind, hear, and be present with benignant mind; for thou surveyest this boundless aither all, and every part of this terrestrial ball abundant, blessed; and thy piercing sight extends beneath the gloomy, silent night; Beyond the darkness, starry-eyed, profound, the table roots, deep-fixed by thee, are found. The world's wide bounds, all-flourishing, are thine, thyself of all the source and end divine. 'Tis thine all nature's music to inspire with various-sounding, harmonious lyre: now the last string thou tunest to sweet accord, divinely warbling, now the highest chord; the immortal golden lyre, now touched by thee, responsive yields a Dorian melody.

All nature's tribes to thee their difference owe, and changing seasons from thy music flow: hence, mixed by thee in equal parts, advance summer and winter in alternate dance; this claims the highest, that the lowest string, the Dorian measure tunes the lovely spring: hence by mankind Pan royal, two-horned named, shrill winds emitting through the syrinx famed; since to thy care the figured seal's consigned, which stamps the world with forms of every kind. Hear me, blest power, and in these rites rejoice, and save thy mystics with a suppliant voice." PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF APOLLO Classical literature provides only a few, brief descriptions of the physical characteristics of the gods. Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 2. 19 (trans.

Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C3rd A.D.) : "As for the aspect of the god [Apollon], he is represented as unshorn, my boy, and with his hair fastened up so that he may box with girt-up head; rays of light rise from about his brow and his cheek emits a smile mingled with wrath; keen is the glance of his eyes as it follows his uplifted hands." Philostratus the Younger, Imagines 14 (trans. Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C3rd A.D.) : "[From a description of an ancient Greek painting:] Here is the god [Apollon], painted as usual with unshorn locks; he lifts a radiant forehead above eyes that shine like rays of light." ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART Apollo Belvedere, Greco-Roman marble statue C2nd A.D., Pio-Clementino Museum, Vatican Museums APOLLO, one of the great divinities of the Greeks, was, according to Homer (Il. i. 21, 36), the son of Zeus and Leto. Hesiod (Theog.

918) states the same, and adds, that Apollo′s sister was Artemis. Neither of the two poets suggests anything in regard to the birth-place of the god, unless we take Lukêgenês (Il. iv. 101) in the sense of "born in Lycia," which, however, according to others, would only mean "born of or in light." Several towns and places claimed the honour of his birth, as we see from various local traditions mentioned by late writers. Thus the Ephesians said that Apollo and Artemis were born in the grove of Ortygia near Ephesus (Tacit. Annal. iii. 61); the inhabitants of Tegyra in Boeotia and of Zoster in Attica claimed the same honour for themselves. (Steph. Byz. s.v. Tegura.) In some of these local traditions Apollo is mentioned alone, and in others together with his sister Artemis. The account of Apollo′s parentage, too, was not the same in all traditions (Cic. de Nat. Deor. iii. 23), and the Egyptians made out that he was a son of Dionysus and Isis. (Herod.

ii. 156.) But the opinion most universally received was, that Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, was born in the island of Delos, together with his sister Artemis; and the circumstances of his birth there are detailed in the Homeric hymn on Apollo, and in that of Callimachus on Delos. (Comp. Apollod. i. 4. § 1; Hygin. Fab. 140.) Hera in her jealousy pursued Leto from land to land and from isle to isle, and endeavoured to prevent her finding a resting-place where to give birth. At last, however, she arrived in Delos, where she was kindly received, and after nine days′ labour she gave birth to Apollo under a palm or an olive tree at the foot of mount Cynthus. She was assisted by all the goddesses, except Hera and Eileithyia, but the latter too hastened to lend her aid, as soon as she heard what was taking place. The island of Delos, which previous to this event had been unsteady and floating on or buried under the waves of the sea, now became stationary, and was fastened to the roots of the earth.

(Comp. Virg. Aen. iii. 75.) The day of Apollo′s birth was believed to have been the seventh of the month, whence he is called hebdomagenês. (Plut. Sympos. 8.) According to some traditions, he was a seven months′ child (heptamênaios). The number seven was sacred to the god; on the seventh of every month sacrifices were offered to him (hebdomagetês, Aeschyl. Sept. 802; comp. Callim. Hymn. in Del. 250, &c.), and his festivals usually fell on the seventh of a month. Immediately after his birth, Apollo was fed with ambrosia and nectar by Themis, and no sooner had he tasted the divine food, than he sprang up and demanded a lyre and a bow, and declared, that henceforth he would declare to men the will of Zeus. Delos exulted with joy, and covered herself with golden flowers. (Comp. Theognis, 5, &c.; Eurip. Hecub.

457, &c.) Apollo, though one of the great gods of Olympus, is yet represented in some sort of dependence on Zeus, who is regarded as the source of the powers exercised by his son. The powers ascribed to Apollo are apparently of different kinds, but all are connected with one another, and may be said to be only ramifications of one and the same, as will be seen from the following classification. Apollo is -- 1. the god who punishes and destroys (oulios) the wicked and overbearing, and as such he is described as the god with bow and arrows, the gift of Hephaestus. (Hom. Il. i. 42, xxiv.605, Od. xi. 318, xv. 410, &c.; comp. Pind. Pyth. iii. 15, &c.) Various epithets given to him in the Homeric poems, such as hekatos, hekaergos, hekêbolos, ekatêbolos, klutotoxos, and argurotoxos, refer to him as the god who with his darts hits his object at a distance and never misses it.

All sudden deaths of men, whether they were regarded as a punishment or a reward, were believed to be the effect of the arrows of Apollo; and with the same arrows he sent the plague into the camp of the Greeks. Hyginus relates, that four days after his birth, Apollo went to mount Parnassus, and there killed the dragon Python, who had pursued his mother during her wanderings, before she reached Delos. He is also said to have assisted Zeus in his contest with the giants. (Apollod, i. 6. § 2.) The circumstance of Apollo being the destroyer of the wicked was believed by some of the ancients to have given rise to his name Apollo, which they connected with apollumi, "to destroy." (Aeschyl. Agam. 1081.) Some modern writers, on the other hand, who consider the power of averting evil to have been the original and principal feature in his character, say that Apollôn, i. e.

Apellôn, (from the root pello), signifies the god who drives away evil, and is synonymous with alexikakas, Acesius, Acestor, sôtêr, and other names and epithets applied to Apollo. 2. The god who affords help and wards off evil. As he had the power of visiting men with plagues and epidemics, so he was also able to deliver men from them, if duly propitiated, or at least by his oracles to suggest the means by which such calamities could be averted. Various names and epithets which are given to Apollo, especially by later writers, such as akesios, akestôr, alexikakos, sôtêr, apotropaios, epikourios, iatromantis, and others, are descriptive of this power. (Paus. i. 3. § 3, vi. 24. § 5, viii. 41. § 5; Plut. de Ei ap. Delph. 21, de Defect. Orac. 7; Aeschyl. Eum.. 62; comp. Müller, Dor. ii. 6.

§ 3.) It seems to be the idea of his being the god who afforded help, that made him the father of Asclepius, the god of the healing art, and that, at least in later times, identified him with Pacëon, the god of the healing art in Homer. 3. The god of prophecy. Apollo exercised this power in his numerous oracles, and especially in that of Delphi. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. Oraculum) The source of all his prophetic powers was Zeus himself (Apollodorus states, that Apollo received the mantikê from Pan), and Apollo is accordingly called "the prophet of his father Zeus." (Aeschyl. Eum. 19); but he had nevertheless the power of communicating the gift of prophecy both to gods and men, and all the ancient seers and prophets are placed in some relationship to him. (Hom. Il. i. 72, Hymn. in Merc. 3, 471.) The manner in which Apollo came into the possession of the oracle of Delphi (Pytho) is related differently.

According to Apollodorus, the oracle had previously been in the possession of Themis, and the dragon Python guarded the mysterious chasm, and Apollo, after having slain the monster, took possession of the oracle. According to Hyginus, Python himself possessed the oracle; while Pausanias (x. 3. § 5) states, that it belonged to Gaea and Poseidon in common. (Comp. Eurip. Iphig. Taur. 1246, &c.; Atlen. xv. p. 701; Ov. Met. i. 439; Apollon. Rhod. ii. 706.) 4. The god of song and music. We find him in the Iliad (i. 603) delighting the immortal gods with his play on the phorminx during their repast ; and the Homeric bards derived their art of song either from Apollo or the Muses. (Od. viii. 488, with Eustath.) Later traditions ascribed to Apollo even the invention of the flute and lyre (Callim. Hymn. in Del. 253; Plut.

de Mus.), while the more common tradition was, that he received the lyre from Hermes. Ovid Heroid. xvi. 180) makes Apollo build the walls of Troy by playing on the lyre, as Amphion did the walls of Thebes. Respecting his musical contests, see Marsyas. 5. The god who protects the flocks and cattle (nomios Deos, from nomos or nomê, a meadow or pasture land). Homer (Il. ii. 766) says, that Apollo reared the swift steeds of Eumelus Pheretiades in Pieria, and according to the Homeric hymn to Hermes (22, 70, &c.) the herds of the gods fed in Pieria under the care of Apollo. At the command of Zeus, Apollo guarded the cattle of Laomedon in the valleys of mount Ida. (ll. xxi. 488.) There are in Homer only a few allusions to this feature in the character of Apollo, but in later writers it assumes a very prominent form (Pind. Pyth. ix. 114; Callim. Hymn. in Apoll.

50, &c.); and in the story of Apollo tending the flocks of Admetus at Pherae in Thessaly, on the banks of the river Amphrysus, the idea reaches its height. (Apollod. i. 9. &sec; 15; Eurip. Alcest. 8; Tibull. ii. 3. 11; Virg. Georg. iii. 2.) 6. The god who delights in the foundation of towns and the establishment of civil constilutions. His assistance in the building of Troy was mentioned above; respecting his aid in raising the walls of Megara. Pindar (Pyth. v. 80) calls Apollo the archêgetês, or the leader of the Dorians in their migration to Peloponnesus; and this idea, as well as the one that he delighted in the foundation of cities. seems to be intimately connected with the circumstance, that a town or a colony was never founded by the Greeks without consulting an oracle of Apollo, so that in every case he became, as it were, their spiritual leader. The epithets ktistês and oikistês (see Böckh, ad Pind.

l.e.) refer to this part in the character of Apollo. These characteristics of Apollo necessarily appear in a peculiar light, if we adopt the view which was almost universal among the later poets, mythographers, and philesophers, and according to which Apollo was identical with Helios, or the Sun. In Homer and for some centuries after his time Apollo and Helios are perfectiy distinet. The question which here presents itself, is, whether the idea of the identity of the two divinities was the original and primitive one, and was only revival in later times, or whether it was the result of later speeulations and of foreign, chiefly Egyptian, influence. Each of these two opinions has had its able advocates. The former, which has been maintained by Buttmann and Hermann, is supported by strong arguments. In the time of Callimachus, some persons distinguished between Apollo and Helios, for which they were censured by the poet. (Fragm. 48, ed. Bentley.) Pausanias (vii. 23.

&sec; 6) states, that he met a Sidonian who declared the two gods to be identical, and Pausanias adds that this was quite in accordance with the belief of the Greeks. (Comp. Strab. xiv. p. (635; Plut. de Ei ap. Delph. 4, de Def.Orae. 7.) It has further been said, that if Apollo be regarded as the Sun, the powers and attributes which we have enumerated above are easily explained and accounted for; that the surname of Phoibos (the shining or brilliant), which is frequently applied to Apollo in the Homeric poems, points to the sun; and lastly, that the traditions concerning the Hyperboreans and their worship of Apollo bear the strongest marks of their regarding the god in the same light. (Alcaeus, ap. Himer. xiv. 10; Diod. ii. 47.) Still greater stress is laid on the fact that the Egyptian Horus was regarded as identical with Apollo (Herod. ii. 144, 156 ; Diod. i. 25; Plut. de Is. et Os.

12, 61; Aelian, Hist. An. x. 14), as Horus is usually considered as the god of the burning sun. Those who adopt this view derive Apollo from the East or from Egypt, and regard the Athenian Apollôn patrôios as the god who was brought to Attica by the Egyptian colony under Cecrops. Another set of accounts derives the worship of Apollo from the very opposite quarter of the world -- from the country of the Hyperboreans, that is, a nation living beyond the point where the north wind rises, and whose country is in consequence most happy and fruitful. According to a fragment of an ancient Doric hymn in Pausanias (x. 5. § 4), the oracle of Delphi was founded by Hyperboreans and Olenus ; Leto, too, is said to have come from the Hyperboreans to Delos, and Eileithyia likewise. (Herod. iv. 33, &c.; Paus. i. 18. § 4; Diod. ii.

47.) The Hyperboreans, says Diodorus, worship Apollo more zealously than any other people; they are all priests of Apollo; one town in their country is sacred to Apollo, and its inhabitants are for the most part players on the lyre. (Comp. Pind. pyth. x. 55, &c.) These opposite accounts respecting the original seat of the worship of Apollo might lead us to suppose, that they refer to two distinct divinities, which were in the course of time united into one, as indeed Cicero (de Nat. Deor. iii. 23) distinguishes four different Apollos. Müller has rejected most decidedly and justly the hypothesis, that Apollo was derived from Egypt; but he rejects at the same time, without very satisfactory reasons, the opinion that Apollo was connected with the worship of nature or any part of it; for, according to him, Apollo is a purely spiritual divinity, and far above all the other gods of Olympus. As regards the identity of Apollo and Helios, he justly remarks, that it would be a strange phenomenon if this identity should have fallen into oblivion for several centuries, and then have been revived.

This objection is indeed strong, but not insurmountable if we recollect the tendency of the Greeks to change a peculiar attribute of a god into a separate divinity; and this process, in regard to Helios and Apollo, seems to have taken place previous to the time of Homer. Müller′s view of Apollo, which is at least very ingenious, is briefly this. The original and essential feature in the character of Apollo is that of "the averter of evil" (Apellôn); he is originally a divinity peculiar to the Doric race; and the most ancient seats of his worship are the Thessalian Tempe and Delphi. From thence it was transplanted to Crete, the inhabitants of which spread it over the coasts of Asia Minor and parts of the continent of Greece, such as Boeotia and Attica. In the latter country it was introduced during the immigration of the Ionians, whence the god became the Apollôn patrpsos of the Athenians. The conquest of Peloponnesus by the Dorians raised Apollo to the rank of the principal divinity in the peninsula.

The Apollôn nomios was originally a local divinity of the shepherds of Arcadia, who was transformed into and identified with the Dorian Apollo during the process in which the latter became the national divinity of the Peloponnesians. In the same manner as in this instance the god assumed the character of a god of herds and flocks, his character was changed and modified in other parts of Greece also : with the Hyperboreans he was the god of prophecy, and with the Cretans the god with bow and darts. In Egypt he was made to form a part of their astronomical system, which was afterwards introduced into Greece, where it became the prevalent opinion of the learned. But whatever we may think of this and other modes of explaining the origin and nature of Apollo, one point is certain and attested by thousands of facts, that Apollo and his worship, his festivals and oracles, had more influence upon the Greeks than any other god. It may safely be asserted, that the Greeks would never have become what they were, without the worship of Apollo : in him the brightest side of the Grecian mind is reflected. Respecting his festivals, see Dict. of Ant. s. v.

Apollônia, Thargelia, and others. In the religion of the early Romans there is no trace of the worship of Apollo. The Romans became acquainted with this divinity through the Creeks, and adopted all their notions and ideas about him from the latter people. There is no doubt that the Romans knew of his worship among the Greeks at a very early time, and tradition says that they consulted his oracle at Delphi even before the expulsion of the kings. But the first time that we hear of the worship of Apollo at Rome is in the year B. C. 430, when, for the purpose of averting a plague, a temple was raised to him, and soon after dedicated by the consul, C. Julius. (Liv. iv. 25, 29.) A second temple was built to him in the year B. C. 350. One of these two (it is not certain which) stood outside the porta Capena. During the second Punic war, in B. C. 212, the ludi Apollinares were instituted in honour of Apollo. (Liv. xxv. 12; Macrob. Sat. i. 17; Dict. of Ant. s.

v. Ludi Apollinares; comp. Ludi Sweculares.) The worship of this divinity, however, did not form a very prominent part in the religion of the Romans till the time of Augustus, who, after the battle of Actium, not only dedicated to him a portion of the spoils, but built or embellished his temple at Actium, and founded a new one at Rome on the Palatine, and instituted quinquennial games at Actium. (Suet. Aug. 31, 52; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Aktia.) Apollo, the national divinity of the Greeks, was of course represented in all the ways which the plastic arts were capable of. As the ideas of the god became gradually and more and more fully developed, so his representations in works of art rose from a rude wooden image to the perfect ideal of youthful manliness, so that he appeared to the ancients in the light of a twin brother of Aphrodite. (Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 4.

§ 10.) The most beautiful and celebrated among the extant representations of Apollo are the Apollo of Belvedere at Rome, which was discovered in 1503 at Rettuno (Mus. Pio-Clem. i. 14, 15), and the Apollino at Florence. In the Apollo of Belvedere, the god is represented with commanding but serene majesty; sublime intellect and physical beauty are combined in it in the most wonderful manner. The forehead is higher than in other ancient figures, and on it there is a pair of locks, while the rest of his hair flows freely down on his neck. The limbs are well proportioned and harmonious, the muscles are not worked out too strongly, and at the hips the figure is rather thin in proportion to the breast. Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. SOURCES (ALL APOLLO PAGES)

Question: Which Greek island is said to be the birthplace of the god Apollo?
Answer: Delos