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Greek myth is comprised of many Gods and Goddesses and the stories of how they came
to be and of their life stories. One God that caught my eye was Apollo, the son of Zeus
and Leto, was associated with many aspects of life in the time of the Greek gods. He was
the God of reason and intelligence, music (the lyre), prophecy, medicine and the
sun.Apollo is in many respects the model of a Greek god. He represents order, harmony,
and civilization in a way that most other Olympian deities cannot quite equal. One only
has to compare him with Dionysus to understand how Apollo is depicted as a bright,
rational counterpart to the chaotic and frenzied god of wine and women. Indeed, Apollo
is most often associated with the cultivated arts of music and medicine, and his role as the
leader of the Muses establishes him as a patron of intellectual pursuits.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that in art, images of Apollo represented the height of
male attractiveness - indeed, for years, statues of youngsters were commonly referred to
as "Apollo", later to be replaced by the more accurate term "koros" (young man).
However, as with most Greek gods, Apollo has characteristics that are diverse, so we
should proceed to an exploration of this important god.
The myth of Apollo's birth includes another instance of the wrath of Hera. Again, the
wife of the mighty Zeus discovered that her husband had impregnated yet another
goddess, this time Leto. In her anger, Hera would not allow Leto to bear her children (she
was pregnant with the twin gods Apollo and Artemis), and the land itself was afraid to
provide a shelter for Leto because of the fear of Hera's retribution. Finally, Leto found an
island that was willing to allow her to give birth, and this island was named Delos
("brilliant") in honor of the divine site. Apollo had a twin sister from the same mother,
Leto had Artemis first, then gave birth to Apollo, Artemis was able to help her mother in
the birth of Apollo. Apollo was then cared for by Themis, who fed him nectar and
ambrosia, and gave him a bow and arrows made for him by Hephaestus. For Hephaestus
was the God of forgery, an artisan God. Apollo would come to need these tools given to
him by Hephaestus on many occasions.
One example of Apollo as a skilled archer that comes to mind right away is the story of
Niobe and her twelve children. The story begins when the women of Thebes were
honoring Leto by crowning her twin children with laurel and offering up prayers to the
Gods. Well Niobe felt that she was more deserving of a tribute, as she was already rich
and also the Queen of Thebes. She also boasted that Leto was less deserving because she
only had two children, and Niobe had twelve. Leto was enraged by such hubris
(arrogance) towards her, she was so enraged that she told her two children Apollo and
Artemis about it and they took matters into their own hands. The two deities rapidly
made way for the palace of Thebes to avenge the honor of their mother. Apollo
proceeded to strike and kill all of Niobe's sons with his deadly arrows and his sister
Artemis did the same to all of Niobe's daughters. Just as Artemis was about to strike
down Niobe's last daughter, her youngest, she got down on her knees and shielded her
from Artemis. Niobe was then turned into a stone statue and a whirlwind came and
swept her off onto a mountain top in her home land, Phrygia.
Apollo was also very famous not only for his skills as an archer, but for his love affairs.
One of his famous love affairs was with Daphne, the Nymph daughter of the river God
Peneus. She was Apollo's first love although it was not by choice. This came about
because of the doings of Eros (cupid). Apollo, fresh off his victory over Python, came
upon Eros fooling around with his weapons. Apollo scolded the boy for playing with his
weapons of destruction and told him to be on his way. This angered Eros, so he replied
to Apollo "your arrows strike all things else, but mine shall strike you." With that, Eros
reached into his quiver and drew two arrows, one excite love and one to repel it. The
arrow to excite love was made of gold and had a very sharp tip, the one to repel love was
made of lead and very blunt. Eros shot off both arrows, the one made of gold hit Apollo
right though the heart, but the one made of lead had hit Daphne. This made Apollo fall
deeply in love with the maiden, but she was disgusted by the thought of loving anyone,
not only Apollo. Apollo chased her high and low, anywhere she went he followed. He
followed her for so long that her strength started to fail, she then called upon her father
Peneus (River God) to save her, Peneus then changed her into a tree, a laurel tree to be
exact. Apollo proclaimed to her "Since you cannot be my wife," said he, "you shall
assuredly be my tree. I will wear you for my crown. I will decorate you with my harp and
quiver; and when the great Roman conquerors lead up the triumphal pomp to the Capitol,
you shall be woven into wreaths for their brows. And, as eternal youth is mine, you also
shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay."
Another of these famous love affairs was with Cassandra. Apollo gave her the ability to
foretell the future, in other words the gift of prophecy. Apollo instructed the mortal
woman and taught about the art of prophecy because he had ulterior motive, Apollo
wished to win her affection. Cassandra accepted Apollo as a teacher but not as a lover.
This of course insulted the God and made him become angry. So he punished Cassandra,
he caused that very "gift" he gave her to become twisted. Making everyone who heard
her true and accurate foretellings of future events, believe that they were instead hearing
lies. Apollo made certain that no one would believe Cassandra when she foretold the dire
consequences of the Trojan's accepting the wooden horse from their Greek opponents.
Another story about Apollo and his love affairs was the story of Apollo and Coronis.
Coronis was a lovely maiden from Larissa in Thessaly whom Apollo loved; in fact she
was pregnant with his child. Unfortunately Apollo's bird the raven saw Coronis lying
with a young Thessalian and he told Apollo. This greatly angered Apollo, he was so
filled with rage, that he grabbed his arrows and his bow and shot Coronis right in the
breast. With her final words she spoke: "you could have exacted this punishment and I
have paid with my life, after I had borne your child; as it is, two of us die in one." After
killing Coronis, Apollo hated himself, he hated his bow, he hated his arrows and he hated
his hands for making him shoot so rashly. But most of all he was upset that he was to
loose a son, so before Coronis was to be engulfed in the flames of pyre, he snatched out
his son from her womb and took him to the cave of the centaur (half man, half horse)
Chiron, where he was taken care of and taught lessons in the field of medicine. When he
grew up he transformed the science into a high and noble art. And the raven that told
Apollo about Coronis was forever punished by being forbidden to be counted as one of
the white birds.
Not only did Apollo have a strong love for women, but he also had a great deal of love
for young men, but one man in particular. He was very fond of a Spartan boy named
Hyacinthus. Apollo often negelected his other duties to be with the boy. But on one
occasion when Apollo and Hyancinthus were having a friendly game of throwing the
discus, Apollo threw the discus with such force and technique that it went up into the
clouds. Hyancinthus was so anxious to throw the discus that he went on over to catch it
as it was falling to the ground and it struck him in the head. Apollo ran to Hyancinthus's
side and grabbed him up off the ground, but the wound was too great and Hyancinthus
died. Apollo sang songs to honor Hyancinthus and then made a new flower, it looked
just like a lilly but it was purple, to honor his fallen friend. Now every year a festival is
held in his name, the Hyancinthia.
Throughout mythology, stories of these gods get distorted and changed. This makes it
very difficult to get to the real depiction of what really happened during the
Protogeometric and Geometric all the way through the Roman periods in ancient Greek
History. The stories of Apollo, though numerous, are still very difficult to follow and
interpret.
Keywords:
greek myth comprised many gods goddesses stories they came their life stories that
caught apollo zeus leto associated with many aspects life time greek gods reason
intelligence music lyre prophecy medicine apollo many respects model greek represents
order harmony civilization that most other olympian deities cannot quite equal only
compare with dionysus understand apollo depicted bright rational counterpart chaotic
frenzied wine women indeed most often associated with cultivated arts music medicine
role leader muses establishes patron intellectual pursuits therefore comes surprise that
images represented height male attractiveness indeed years statues youngsters were
commonly referred later replaced more accurate term koros young however most gods
characteristics diverse should proceed exploration this important myth birth includes
another instance wrath hera again wife mighty zeus discovered husband impregnated
another goddess this time leto anger hera would allow leto bear children pregnant twin
artemis land itself afraid provide shelter because fear hera retribution finally found island
willing allow give birth this island named delos brilliant honor divine site twin sister from
same mother artemis first then gave birth artemis able help mother then cared themis
nectar ambrosia gave arrows made hephaestus hephaestus forgery artisan would come
need these tools given hephaestus occasions example skilled archer comes mind right
away story niobe twelve children story begins when women thebes were honoring
crowning twin children laurel offering prayers well niobe felt more deserving tribute
already rich also queen thebes also boasted less deserving because only niobe twelve
enraged such hubris arrogance towards enraged told about they took matters into their
hands deities rapidly made palace thebes avenge honor their mother proceeded strike kill
sons deadly arrows sister same daughters just about strike down last daughter youngest
down knees shielded from then turned into stone statue whirlwind came swept onto
mountain home land phrygia also very famous only skills archer love affairs famous love
affairs daphne nymph daughter river peneus first love although choice came about
because doings eros cupid fresh victory over python upon eros fooling around weapons
scolded playing weapons destruction told angered eros replied your arrows strike things
else mine shall reached into quiver drew excite repel arrow excite made gold very sharp
repel lead very blunt shot both gold right though heart lead daphne fall deeply maiden
disgusted thought loving anyone chased high anywhere went followed followed long
strength started fail called upon father peneus river save peneus changed tree laurel tree
exact proclaimed since cannot wife said shall assuredly tree will wear crown will
decorate harp quiver when great roman conquerors lead triumphal pomp capitol shall
woven wreaths brows eternal youth mine always green your leaf know decay another
these famous affairs cassandra gave ability foretell future other words gift prophecy
instructed mortal woman taught prophecy ulterior motive wished affection cassandra
accepted teacher lover course insulted become angry punished cassandra caused gift
become twisted making everyone heard true accurate foretellings future events believe
they were instead hearing lies certain would believe when foretold dire consequences
trojan accepting wooden horse from opponents story coronis coronis lovely maiden
larissa thessaly whom loved fact pregnant child unfortunately bird raven coronis lying
young thessalian told greatly angered filled rage grabbed shot right breast final words
spoke could have exacted punishment have paid life after borne your child after killing
hated himself hated hated hands making shoot rashly upset loose before engulfed flames
pyre snatched womb took cave centaur half half horse chiron where taken care taught
lessons field medicine grew transformed science high noble raven forever punished being
forbidden counted white birds have strong women great deal young particular fond
spartan named hyacinthus often negelected other duties occasion hyancinthus having
friendly game throwing discus threw discus such force technique went clouds
hyancinthus anxious throw discus went over catch falling ground struck head hyancinthus
side grabbed ground wound great died sang songs honor flower looked just like lilly
purple fallen friend every year festival held name hyancinthia throughout mythology
stories these distorted changed makes difficult real depiction what really happened during
protogeometric geometric through roman periods ancient history though numerous still
difficult follow interpret
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