Apollo is a god of Greco-Roman mythology, considered one of the greatest gods of Olympus.
He is worshiped as the god of the Sun, prophecy, poetry, the arts, music, healing, justice, law, order, shooting, and the plague.
Apollo is one of the most beloved Olympians, being seen as a just god, who advocated tolerance. He is also known as the god of herds and crops.
Apollo Representation
The most common representation of Apollo is of a naked, young, handsome and bright man, in which he refers to the idea that he was the Sun itself. Its traditional objects are the silver bow, the lyre, the laurel branch and the palm tree.
Apollo story
Son of Zeus and Leto, Apollo was born on the island of Delos, when his mother hid from Zeus' wife, Hera.
He was the twin brother of Artemis, the goddess of hunting, magic, desert and wild animals. Also, Apollo was brother to Hermes, Hephaestus, Ares and Athena.
As soon as he was born he was fed nectar of the gods and ambrosia. The food directly transformed him from baby to man. At just one year old, he defeated the python snake, which was trying to attack his mother.
He assisted the Trojans in Trojan War saving on more than one occasion the warriors Aeneas, Glaucus and Hector.
His strength helped to destroy the walls of Troy and through him, Paris managed to shoot an arrow into the heel of Achilles, which was defeated.
In his honor, laurel wreaths were thrown at his feet. The laurel is, even today, the representation of triumph in the Olympic Games.
Apollo and Daphne
Apollo was the father of many gods, including Aristeus and Asklepios, although he was not very lucky in love. He had several love affairs with both women and men.
One of his most emblematic love stories is with the nymph Daphne, daughter of King Peneu.
As Apollo was a great archer god, he challenged the Cupid god of love, claiming that his arrows were more powerful than his.
To prove his power, Cupid hits his heart with a golden arrow, which led him to love Daphne madly. In turn, he shot her a lead arrow and as a result, she came to disown Apollo.
Thus, Apollo was despised by Daphne, who, upset by his constant attacks, asked her father, Peneu, to transform her into a laurel tree.
Curiosity
- Apollo is the only god to bear the same name in Greek and Roman mythology.
- He was a protagonist of the work "Odyssey" and quoted in the poem "Iliad", both from the Greek poet Homer.
know more:
- Greek gods
- Gods of Olympus
- Greek mythology
- Roman Mythology
