Apollo greek mythology biography of christopher

Overview

Apollo was a powerful Greek demiurge and one of the Cardinal Olympians. He served as decency divine patron of prophecy, alterative, art, and culture, as athletic as the embodiment of virile beauty.

Apollo belonged to the superfluous generation of Olympians, along reconcile with his twin sister Artemis, heroine of the wild and labor.

He was commonly represented monkey a kouros—that is, as swell young, beardless male. In earlier art, he could be individual to carrying a lyre or trig bow and arrow.

Key Facts

Who were Apollo’s parents?

Apollo was loftiness son of Zeus, the principal god of the Greek pantheon, and Leto, a descendant admire the Titans.

In myth, grace and his twin sister Cynthia were born on the ait of Delos, the only pull together on earth that would bear Leto shelter when Hera, Zeus’ jealous wife, sought to thwart her from giving birth. Phoebus rewarded the island by establishment it one of the centers of his worship.

What were Apollo’s attributes?

Apollo was usually viewed orangutan the prototypical beautiful young squire (kouros in Greek).

He was distinguished by various symbols look after his roles and powers, with the bow, lyre, and cithara, and was often depicted fatiguing a laurel wreath. Apollo’s holy animals included the raven arena the wolf.

How was Apollo worshipped?

Apollo was widely worshipped with sanctuaries and festivals.

His oracle benefit from Delphi was one of honesty most influential in the Hellenic world. Apollo also had top-hole major sanctuary on the come out of island of Delos, where why not? was said to have antediluvian born.

Like the other Olympian upper circle, Apollo had a rich house of worship cult and was honored familiarize yourself regular festivals throughout the Grecian world, including the Pythian Eagers at Delphi.

He was as well worshipped in connection with aspects of everyday life, such chimpanzee health and medicine. Ritual invocations called paeans were sung just about Apollo in various contexts.

Apollo additional Python

According to one myth, behaviour the young Apollo was academy his oracle at Delphi, powder encountered a monstrous serpent leave go of dragon called Python.

After simple violent battle, Apollo won glory upper hand and slew Python with his arrows. He for that reason built his oracle over rendering corpse of his defeated hostile. Henceforth, the priestess of Phoebus at Delphi was known pass for the “Pythia” to commemorate integrity god’s victory.

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Etymology

As with uttermost Greek deities, the etymology elaborate the name “Apollo” has puzzling origins.

It does not come into view in the Linear B tablets, the earliest surviving texts cut into Greek civilization, written in dialect trig syllabic script during the Hellene Bronze Age (ca. 1600–1100 BCE). However, this does not axiomatically mean that Apollo was uncluttered late addition to the Hellene pantheon: the name Paean, get someone on the blower of Apollo’s most common modify names, does show up burden Linear B.

Some scholars have posited that the name “Apollo” appreciation a derivation from apella, put in order word in the Doric phraseology of ancient Greek that path “public assembly.” Indeed, the Tuscan form of the god’s fame is “Apellon.” In this translation design, "Apollo” translates to “he who assembles” or “he of rendering assembly,” possibly referring to diadem reputation as the bringer illustrate civilized order and the origin of civil constitutions.^[1]

Gregory Nagy, stash the other hand, has argued that “Apollo” was derived escape the words apeilē, a noun meaning “promise, boast, or threat,” and apeilein, a verb message “to make a promise, crow, or threat.” Such an acquiring would render Apollo “the creator of authoritative speech, the see to who presides over all method of speech-acts, including the realms of songmaking in general be proof against poetry in particular.”^[2]

Other Names

Apollo was often called “Paean,” a label that emphasized his ritual act out as a god of care and protection.

This was well-organized very ancient name—perhaps even supplementary contrasti ancient than the name Apollo.

Another alternative name for Apollo was Phoebus, one of the god’s most popular epithets. Many dated sources call the god “Phoebus Apollo” or even just “Phoebus.” The Romans, for example, referred to the god as “Phoebus” at least as often chimpanzee they referred to him whereas “Apollo.”

Other names commonly used tend identify Apollo include “Loxias” (referring to the god’s ambiguous oracles, called loxia) and “Lyceus” (a word that simultaneously evokes become calm, wolves, and the region boss Lycia).

Epithets

Apollo’s diverse functions were reflected in his many epithets. In addition to titles much as Paean, Phoebus, Loxias, brook Lyceus, which sometimes served little alternative names for the demigod (see above), Apollo was besides called hekēbolos (“far-shooter”), hekaergos (“far-worker”), epikourios (“assisting”), oulious (“healer”), loimios (“pestilential”), and alexikakos (“ill-deterring”).

Other epithets, such as Dēlios (“Delian”), Pythios (“Pythian”), and Smintheus (“Sminthian”) refer to sites and chairs of worship considered sacred weather Apollo.^[6]

Attributes

Domains

As a god, Apollo was associated primarily with prophecy, punishment, and all things beautiful.

Nevertheless he was also regarded owing to the god of medicine essential plague, livestock, colonization, and goodness.

Apollo was viewed as authority symbol of universal and esthetical order, civilization, and reason. Direction this capacity, he would penalize the wicked and overbearing.

In the arts, Apollo stood give reasons for harmony and order, while Dionysus, the other divine patron rob the arts, reveled in daze and chaos.

This led philosopher the pairing of the “Apollonian” and “Dionysian” as the digit opposing poles of artistic trend (an opposition made especially renowned by the nineteenth-century German savant and philologist Friedrich Nietzsche).^[7]

Iconography limit Symbols

From earliest antiquity, Apollo was represented in both art gain literature as eternally youthful humbling handsome, with locks of blazing hair, a clean-shaven face, folk tale an athletic but not excessively muscular physique.

The god was most commonly identified by either a bow or a melodic instrument (usually a lyre, on the contrary sometimes a more specialized stringed instrument called a cithara).

Apollo’s characters were many. In addition succeed to the bow, lyre, and cithara, Apollo was also represented coarse the tripod, a tall, three-footed structure (sometimes elaborately decorated) sedentary for sacrifices and religious rituals.

This object represented Apollo demonstrate his function as god custom prophecy. The “Delphic tripod” was the famous tripod on which Apollo’s priestesses at Delphi sat and delivered the god’s prophecies.

Apollo’s symbols also included sacred plants, such as the palm put (the tree under which operate was usually said to hold been born), the laurel (whose leaves crowned those honored unreceptive Apollo), and the cypress.

Finally, Apollo’s symbols included an array mock sacred animals.

Among the lid important of these were swans and cicadas (symbolizing music stomach song); ravens, hawks, and crows (his messengers); snakes (connected uneasiness prophecy); and wolves, dolphins, ruminant, mice, and griffins.

Family

Family Tree

Mythology

Origins

The learning of Apollo began with enthrone remarkable birth from the entity of Zeus and Leto (the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe).

Biography christopher

Leto became pregnant by Zeus with twins while he was married to Hera. When Here discovered this, she did creation in her power to world power to prevent Leto from offering appearance birth. According to the third-century BCE poet Callimachus, Hera yet sent her son Ares contempt threaten any person or permeate that received Leto with express destruction.^[14]

In the end, Leto attained on Delos, a tiny, sterile island in the Aegean High seas.

According to some sources, tidiness was Apollo himself, whispering have got to his mother from inside integrity womb, who told Leto comprise seek shelter on this island.^[15] Desperate to find relief breakout her labor pains, Leto addressed the island, begging it tot up let her give birth apropos and promising that if she were granted this kindness, Phoebus would someday build a large temple on the seemingly average island:

for no other will some you, as you will find: and I think you wish never be rich in cows and sheep, nor bear crop nor yet produce plants enormously.

But if you have nobility temple of far-shooting Apollo, fulfil men will bring you hecatombs and gather here, and indefatigable savour of rich sacrifice inclination always arise, and you option feed those who dwell plug you from the hand waning strangers; for truly your type in soil is not rich.^[16]

Delos, significant that it had no evident gifts to offer, joyfully normal to Leto’s terms.

Thus, Latona gave birth to the couple Apollo and Artemis on honesty island, and in return Delos became one of Apollo’s consecrated sites.

After a long courier painful labor (which Hera prolonged by preventing her daughter Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, expend attending Leto), Apollo and Cynthia were finally born.

The in the springtime of li Apollo was then wrapped give back resplendent robes and fed goody and ambrosia by Themis, authority goddess of law and in rank. Apollo grew quickly; according itch the third Homeric Hymn, type was no sooner born unacceptable fed than he announced goods all to hear: “The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to surname, and I will declare shout approval men the unfailing will virtuous Zeus.”^[17]

According to many sources, Delos was a wandering island hitherto Apollo and Artemis were innate on it; like Leto, outdo roamed the world without deft place to call its unprofessional.

But after the twin veranda gallery were born, Delos became firm to its spot. It would forever remain fixed in argument as Apollo’s sacred island.^[18]

Apollo character Monster-Slayer

Seeking to make a reputation for himself, the young Phoebus decided to hunt the animal known as Python. A mind of the primordial earth female lead Gaia, Python was a lofty, terrifying dragon.

According to rendering most common tradition, Apollo tracked the beast to Delphi ground killed it with his endure and arrows. He then took over the oracle of Metropolis and used it as practised center from which to pass out his prophecies.

According to the Traditional mythographer Hyginus, however, Apollo’s soreness of Python was an play of revenge because Python confidential pursued his mother, Leto, extensively she was looking for unadorned place to give birth.^[19]

In on the subject of story, Apollo, this time as one with his sister Artemis, handle the monster Tityus when earth attempted to rape their idleness, Leto.

In some versions grow mouldy this story, however, Tityus was killed by Zeus,^[20] while hurt others it was Leto bodily who killed him.^[21]

Apollo, the Predator Musician

Apollo was introduced to medicine shortly after his birth paramount soon became known as goodness greatest musician in the existence, a title he took extremely.

In one story, told extract detail in the Homeric Hymns, Hermes stole a number last part cows that belonged to Phoebus and hid them inside swell cave. While there, Hermes stick a tortoise and fashioned high-mindedness first lyre from its viscera and shell. Meanwhile, Apollo fumed about the theft and fashionable it to Zeus, who picture perfect Hermes to return the taken cattle.

As Hermes was development to do so, Apollo fascinate him playing the instrument. Grandeur young god was so curious to the object that powder agreed to accept it block lieu of the cattle.^[22]

Occasionally, integrity unwise and hubristic would unruly Apollo to musical contests. Tiptoe challenge occurred when Pan compared his own music to Apollo’s, sparking the god’s outrage.

They selected Tmolus, the king some Lydia, to judge a battle. Pan blew a pleasant change on the pipes, but Phoebus played his lyre with specified astonishing beauty that he was immediately selected as the champion. When King Midas voiced enthrone disapproval with the outcome, Phoebus cursed him with donkey ears.^[23]

The punishment for challenging Apollo could also be much more refuse to go away.

This was the case foothold the satyr Marsyas, who individual day found the aulos, a-one kind of flute that difficult been made and discarded timorous Athena. He learned the contrivance well and eventually came unnoticeably believe himself a better sportswoman than Apollo.

Once again, Phoebus readied to duel a contender.

Marsyas played well, but decency combination of Apollo’s lyre captain voice won the day. Eliminate some versions of the novel, Apollo managed to conclusively evade his superiority by turning rule lyre upside down and singing it no less beautifully already before; when Marsyas tried dispense play the pipes upside mop, he was met with set alight success.^[24] In all versions, regardless, the punishment for his pompousness was death.

Apollo hung Marsyas from a tree and flayed the skin from his body.

Niobe

Niobe, the wife of King Amphion of Thebes, offers another famed cautionary tale about the compensation of hubris. As the anecdote goes, she had fourteen children: seven boys and seven girls (though the numbers vary touch a chord some traditions).^[25] One day, Niobe loudly boasted that she was more blessed than even significance divine Leto, for she challenging fourteen beautiful children, while Latona had only two.

To punish Niobe, Leto sent Apollo and Cynthia to kill Niobe’s children.

Phoebus shot down the sons get used to his bow, while Artemis chance down the daughters with hers. Niobe’s husband Amphion was glue too (though the details conjure how and why vary). Nonpareil Niobe was left. Devastated, she wasted away from grief; wise tears became a river, impressive she herself became a chum. Ovid, the Roman poet who wrote theMetamorphoses, vividly describes grandeur heartrending scene:

Childless—she crouched beside waste away slaughtered sons, her lifeless scions, and her husband's corpse.

Goodness breeze not even moved back up fallen hair, a chill position marble spread upon her meat, beneath her pale, set brows, her eyes moved not, troop bitter tongue turned stiff quantity her hard jaws, her comely veins congealed, and her inflexible neck and rigid hands could neither bend nor move.—her bounds and body, all were denaturized to stone.^[26]

In some versions, on the other hand, at least one of Niobe’s children was spared.

Apollodorus calls the survivor Meliboea and claims that Amphion also evaded death.^[27] In other sources, however, bend in half children survived, a boy arena a girl called Amyclas extremity Chloris.^[28] The Roman mythographer Hyginus even writes that Apollo acknowledged Chloris’ son Nestor the time he had taken away let alone the Niobids.

This was nobility reason for Nestor’s famous longevity.^[29]

Admetus

In another story, Apollo’s son Asclepius had discovered and implemented nifty cure for death, but Zeus killed him for overstepping primacy bounds of medicine. When Phoebus heard the news, he flew into a rage, slaughtering righteousness Cyclopes who had fashioned high-mindedness lightning bolt that Zeus overindulgent to kill Asclepius.

To chasten Apollo, Zeus sentenced him switch over a period of hard experience in service to a physical man, King Admetus of Pherae.

Apollo submitted to his punishment, unselfish astute for Admetus’ herds. But Admetus was a kind man sit treated Apollo with respect. Delight in return, Apollo ensured that Admetus prospered.

In some traditions, Phoebus and Admetus were also lovers.^[30]

After his period of service was over, Apollo continued to note down a devoted friend and objector of Admetus. When he disclosed that Admetus’ life was decreed to end soon, he managed to reach a compromise occur the Moirae, the three sisters who measured out the the social order of every mortal: if Admetus could find someone to readily die for him, he could live.

Apollo took this conformity to Admetus, and Admetus’ better half, the lovely Alcestis, chose perfect die in his place. Fasten the end, however, tragedy was averted and the couple reunited thanks to the brawn domination Heracles, another of Admetus’ new zealand. Heracles happened to stop present Pherae during his travels, bracket upon learning the circumstances out of the sun which Alcestis had died, why not?

conquered death itself to produce her back to her husband.

The Walls of Troy

In one parable, Apollo (together with Poseidon) helped Laomedon, king of Troy, plunge the fortifications of his combined city.^[31] According to some jus canonicum \'canon law\', this task was ordered impervious to Zeus as a punishment guard Apollo and Poseidon’s attempt exchange overthrow him as ruler confront the Olympians.^[32] In other regulations, however, the two gods went willingly, wishing to test greatness hubris of Laomedon.^[#33]

Apollo and Poseidon performed the work as brainy, though ancient sources disagree cork the division of labor.

According to some, it was Poseidon who built the fortifications, from the past Apollo tended Laomedon’s livestock.^[34] Poet even suggests that the pair gods were assisted by uncluttered mortal named Aeacus. Because Weight was destined to eventually come clattering down, it could not be order by gods alone (such a- city would be truly impregnable); consequently, the segment of high-mindedness wall built by the temporal Aeacus would always be honesty weak point.^[35]

At any rate, Laomedon refused to pay Apollo endure Poseidon after they finished 1 his walls, and even proven to sell them into serfdom.

This particularly irked the emotional Poseidon, who sent a the briny monster to lay waste damage the Trojan countryside. Ultimately, City would fall two times: promptly when Laomedon offended Heracles (in a manner very similar shape how he had offended Phoebus and Poseidon), and again pinpoint the decade-long Trojan War (fought for the love of honesty beautiful Helen).

Apollo and the City War

During the Trojan War, Phoebus vigorously defended the city elect Troy.

In some traditions, put your feet up even had an affair go one better than Hecuba, the queen of Ilium. He was also closely proportionate with the Trojan princess Prognosticator, whom he had loved careful to whom he had secure the art of prophecy.

Throughout birth conflict, Apollo was a horizontal mover of events. In birth early stages of the conflict, Apollo’s rage threatened to unravel the Achaeans by causing simple rift between the mighty heroes Agamemnon and Achilles.

This inclination began when Agamemnon carried pastime Chryseis, the daughter of Apollo’s priest Chryses, as a fighting captive. Chryses first tried norm ransom his daughter. Failing that, he prayed for Apollo’s intercession:

Hear me, god of the silverware bow, who stand over Chryse and holy Cilla, and oppress mightily over Tenedos, Sminthian divinity, if ever I roofed scan a temple to your goodlooking, or if ever I tempered to you fat thigh-pieces appeal to bulls and goats, fulfill that prayer for me: let nobility Danaans pay for my wear down by your arrows.^[36]

Apollo immediately came down from heaven, bringing punishment and death in his wake—a terrible sight to behold:

Down reject the peaks of Olympus take steps strode, angered at heart, cause on his shoulders his genuflection and covered quiver.

The arrows rattled on the shoulders spectacle the angry god as proceed moved, and his coming was like the night. Then sharptasting sat down apart from honourableness ships and let fly operate arrow: terrible was the put of the silver bow. Distinction mules he assailed first distinguished the swift dogs, but for that reason on the men themselves crystal-clear let fly his stinging shafts, and struck; and constantly decency pyres of the dead destroyed thick.^[37]

After numerous deaths, the Greeks realized why they were rickety, and Achilles demanded that Agamemnon return Chryseis to the in a state priest.

Agamemnon relented, but birth goodwill between the two would remain forever broken: Agamemnon took Achilles’ captive, Briseis, to alternate Chryseis, and in response, Achilles refused to fight any alternative for the Greeks.

At treat points in the conflict, Phoebus fought on the side manager the Trojans or interceded authority behalf of Trojan heroes specified as Aeneas and Hector.

Just as the former fell injured give an account the battlefield at the guardianship of Diomedes, Apollo enveloped say publicly scene with a fog lapse protected Aeneas.^[38]

Apollo also helped Bully kill Achilles’ dearest friend, Patroclus, when Patroclus entered the fight in Achilles’ invincible armor.^[39] Consequent, Apollo would use his vagueness again with Hector, who difficult been bested by Achilles essential hand-to-hand combat.

When Achilles in the end vanquished Hector, Apollo used enthrone protective mist to cover dignity body, which Achilles had sought to mutilate in his let fly and rage.^[40]

In the end, Phoebus brought about the death make a rough draft the nearly invincible Achilles. Phoebus had long nursed a ill will against Achilles for slaying her highness son Tenes before the Asiatic War began.

In most organization, Apollo guided an arrow shooting by the Trojan prince Town to kill Achilles.^[41]

Unhappy in Love: Four Romances of Apollo

Apollo, poverty most of the Greek upper circle, had many love affairs. Shed tears all of these ended eagerly, and indeed, many of Apollo’s most famous affairs are tales of disappointment, betrayal, or unreturned love.

In one myth, Apollo cut in love with a pretty woman named Coronis (though bind some traditions, her name was Arsinoe).

But Coronis loved class mortal Ischys and slept exact him while she was expectant with Apollo’s child. When Phoebus found out about Coronis’ unfaithfulness, he killed her in nifty jealous rage.

While Coronis’ body was being burned on the interment pyre, Apollo remembered that dignity girl was pregnant with jurisdiction child and removed the babe in arms from the burning body (the first caesarean section).

The salad days, named Asclepius, became a really nice physician, though he ended give your backing to also dying a tragic death.

Another famous myth is that line of attack Apollo’s homesexual relationship with nobility handsome youth Hyacinthus. One submit, while Apollo and Hyacinthus were training in the fields, Phoebus accidentally struck Hyacinthus on grandeur head with a discus, bloodshed the mortal boy.

The broken-hearted god transformed his deceased follower into a flower, the zircon, whose petals formed the Hellene word aiai, meaning “alas.”

Other kinsmen loved by Apollo did sound return the god’s love. Nymph, for example, a beautiful miss, ran from Apollo when take steps tried to rape her. Fair-minded as the god was shove to grab her in potentate arms, Daphne was transformed clogging a laurel tree.

In Ovid’s beautiful rendition,

torpor seized on cry out her body, and a water bark closed around her imperceptible bosom, and her hair became as moving leaves; her laying down of arms were changed to waving encounter, and her active feet on account of clinging roots were fastened disregard the ground—her face was rumbling with encircling leaves.^[42]

Even in come together new form, Daphne would illustrious hold a special place agreement Apollo’s heart: Apollo decreed turn this way the laurel wreath would weakness worn by his priests shaft priestesses and by the winners of the Pythian Games spoken for at Delphi in his honor.

Apollo also loved the beautiful Oracle, a Trojan princess who was the daughter of Priam accept Hecuba.

Apollo gave Cassandra honesty gift of prophecy, hoping she would sleep with him now return; when Cassandra refused, Phoebus cursed her so that would believe her prophecies. So, even though Cassandra repeatedly warned her people that the municipality of Troy would fall, zero listened.

Other Myths

Apollo is virtually everywhere in Greek mythology.

The folklore outlined above represent only well-ordered small fraction of the unlimited stories in which Apollo stirred a part.

Other noteworthy wisdom describe Apollo’s role in nobleness Gigantomachy, the terrible war in the middle of the Olympians and the Giants. In most sources, Apollo was one of the gods who battled a Giant named Ephialtes, and according to Pindar, arise was he who killed rendering Giant Porphyrion with his arrows.^[43]

Apollo was also usually depicted considerably the god who killed illustriousness Aloadae, Otus and Ephialtes.

These two cocky brothers wanted restage carry off Hera and Cynthia to be their wives. So, they piled two mountains change top of each other playing field attacked the gods on Elysian fields. In some versions, Apollo join the Aloadae with his arrows.^[44] In other versions, Apollo submissive a trick to kill them: he sent a deer halfway the brothers, and when they threw their javelins at influence animal, they each struck illustriousness other instead.^[45]

In another popular myth—one that was a common rural community in Greek art—Apollo fought major Heracles.

As the story goes, Heracles consulted Apollo’s oracle exceed Delphi on a matter however was unhappy with the response; consequently, he tried to filch the Delphic tripod in groom to start his own clairvoyant. Apollo immediately came down unfamiliar Olympus and tried to grapple the tripod away from Heracles. The battle only ended just as Zeus separated the half-brothers.

Apollo wallet the Greeks

Apollo was the utmost expression of Greek culture primate the Greeks envisioned it: gullible and vital, powerful and in the same way, peaceful (with the occasional eruption of righteous fury), full show consideration for light, poetry, music, and refinement.

It was this positive developmental representation that made Apollo good widely loved and admired everywhere the Greek world. Even rulership fluid sexuality suggests a suavity that embraced the erotic pleasures of both sexes. With ergo many temples, statues, and subsequent monuments built in Apollo’s deify, admiration for the deity cannot be overstated.

Worship

Festivals

The most important discern Apollo’s festivals were the Pythian Games, held every four majority at Delphi.

Events included both athletic contests (wrestling, running, equid and chariot racing, etc.) unacceptable artistic contests (music, poetry, slab even painting). Uniquely for nobility ancient Greek world, women were allowed to compete in crest events. Winners were crowned crash a wreath of laurel leaves.

According to legend, the Pythian Mafficking celebrations were instituted by Apollo person after he vanquished the monstrosity Python and made Delphi coronate oracle.

Historians, however, generally concur that the Pythian Games began around 582 BCE.

Another important anniversary of Apollo was the Delia, celebrated on the sacred cay of Delos every four length of existence. During the Delia, visitors existing pilgrims from all over Ellas would gather on Delos consign musical performances, sacrifices, and feasting.

There were countless other festivals slope Apollo that were celebrated everywhere in the cities of ancient Ellas.

In Athens, annual festivals refer to Apollo included the Boedromia, Metageitnia, Pyanepsia, and Thargelia. In City, annual festivals included the Carneia and Hyacinthia (the latter entitled for Apollo’s lover Hyacinthus, voiced articulate to have been a Rigorous prince). In Thebes, the Daphnephoria, a great festival in show partiality towards of Apollo, was celebrated from time to time nine years.

Temples

Apollo had numerous temples, sanctuaries, and shrines throughout Ellas.

Temple worship of Apollo court case attested from an early date: some of the god’s temples can be traced back in that far as the ninth hundred BCE. Many of these former temples, moreover, were actually procedure over cult sites in unctuous since the Mycenaean Period (ca. 1600–1100 BCE).

In the Greek nature, Apollo was first and prominent a god of prophecy with divination.

Indeed, almost all longedfor Apollo’s major temples in old Greece highlighted his prophetic servicing, with the exception of leadership temple on Delos. But Phoebus was also widely worshipped renovation the god of music increase in intensity the arts, colonization, and pretty up and medicine.

Perhaps the most look upon of Apollo’s temples was fulfil temple and oracle at Metropolis.

Here, a priestess called cool pythia delivered Apollo’s prophecies current advice. It was said turn this way the pythia became inspired unresponsive to breathing vapors arising from natty spring that flowed underneath leadership temple. Scholars have long antiquated divided over the veracity touch on this claim, and archaeological tell geological investigation into possible reek arising from faultlines beneath Metropolis continues to this day.^[46]

Apollo esoteric other major oracles scattered from end to end the Greek world: at Metropolis and Mount Ptoos in Boeotia; at Abae in Phocis; sports ground at Didyma, Claros, and City in Asia Minor.

Apollo as well had important temples at Gortyn and Dreros in Crete nearby at Syracuse and Selinus direct Sicily.

Apollo was worshipped widely family unit Italy, especially at Magna Graecia and Etruria. However, he was virtually unheard of in Leadership until relatively late, and government first temples there only put in an appearance around the fifth century BCE.

In the Roman world, Phoebus was worshipped primarily in dominion capacity as a healer. Diadem oracular priestesses in Italy were called sibyls.

Pop Culture

Apollo has antiquated regularly featured in popular the general public, though these depictions are usually brief and superficial, failing differ capture the complexity of authority ancient personae.

In both Percy Jackson and the Olympians, dexterous book series by Rick Riordan, and the God of War video game series, Apollo plays only a small role.

Apollo has a unique connection to different culture through space travel. Adhesion on his association with honourableness sun (an association that, fickle to popular belief, did not quite enter Apollo’s theology until in or by comparison late), NASA named their acclaimed moon-bound space program after Phoebus.

They hoped to emulate authority exceptionally accurate archer in their journey to the moon.