Temple of Apollo, Naxosby Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the Publishing Director at AHE. He is also known as Phoebus Apollo. Sanctuaries were built in honour of Apollo throughout the Greek world, notably at the islands of Delos and Rhodes and at Ptoion and Claros. The symbols of the Greek god Apollo were the lyre, the tripod, the laurel tree branch, the navel stone, and the stone amulet. Apollo's children are Asclepius, who's mother is Coronis, Troilus, Aristaeus, and Orpheus. 09 Feb 2021. Sites which still possess some vestiges of once-great temples dedicated to Apollo include those at Naxos (6th century BCE), where the massive doorway still stands proud, at Corinth (550-530 BCE), where seven Doric columns give an impression of a once impressive structure, at Didyma, Turkey (4th century BCE), whose temple was the fourth largest in the Greek world, and at Side, also in Turkey (2nd century CE) where a corner of its elegant columned facade has been restored. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Apollo-Greek-mythology, Theoi Greek Mythology - Biography of Apollon, Apollo - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Apollo - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), detail of the Parthenon frieze with Poseidon, Apollo, and Artemis. In Classical mythology, Apollo and his twin, Artemis, were born on the isle of Delos to Zeus and Leto. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Apollo is god of the Sun. Apollo acquired his lyre from his mischievous half-brother. In Greek mythology, the god Apollo was famous to a sizable number of affairs with gods and humans. Even the gods feared him, and only his father and his mother, Leto (Roman: Latona), could easily endure his presence. Apollo is the God of music, poetry, arts, oracles, prophecy, truth, knowledge, archery, herds/flocks, diseases (specifically the plague), healing, medicine, light, sun, knowledge, and protection of young. Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting, is his twin sister. The lyre stands for the god of music, and was Apollo's most significant instrument. After that long process of consultation and interpretation, Apollo's revelations usually crystallised into lines of hexameter poetry, and were always found to be true - even if the correct interpretation sometimes emerged only after the relevant events had come to pass. His radiance was enhanced by his wearing a Greek robe of gold, and a beautiful golden bow and a quiver of magical arrows over his shoulders. The Queen of the Gods tormented Leto, sending the monster Python to chase her across the whole world so she could find no safe space to bear her children. He is one of the most widely revered and influential of all the ancient Greek and Roman gods. There are several, but only if you take them out of context. As with the other major divinities, Apollo had many children; perhaps the most famous are Orpheus (who inherited his father's musical skills and became a virtuoso with the lyre or kithara), Asclepius (to whom he gave his knowledge of healing and medicine) and, according to the 5th-century BCE tragedian Euripides, the hero Ion. Apollo. Cartwright, Mark. Initially … Ancient History Encyclopedia. As one of the numerous Zeus’s lovers, his mother incurred the wrath of Hera, who sent the dragon Python to pursue Leto throughout all lands and forbade her to give birth anywhere on solid earth. Web. Perhaps the earliest conflation of Apollo and the sun god Helios occurs in the … Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The oracles were subsequently interpreted and versified by priests. It happened on the island of Delos which was believed to be his mother's sister Asteria who had turned herself into an island to escape Zeus. The most famous love interest of Apollo … 4. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Apollo and the Sun. Ancient History Encyclopedia. He sat on a cushion of python skin. You see, Greek gods didn’t adhere to modern morality, which—needless to say—is not universal and should not be taken for granted. The tale is an interesting metaphor for the competition between (at least to Greek ears) the civilised and ordered music of Apollo's lyre and the wilder, more chaotic music of Marsyas' flute. Perhaps the most celebrated representation of Apollo in ancient Greek art is the statue which dominated the centre of the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (c. 460 BCE). Books Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. In revenge, Apollo then killed the Cyclopes, the one-eyed giants who made Zeus' thunderbolts. Updates? Apollo was a son of Zeus and titan goddess Leto and had a twin sister Artemis who is said to had helped at his birth. The god of moderation was a useful association and in direct contrast to the god of excess, Dionysos, championed by Octavian's no. "Apollo." As a major Greek god, there are … Philammon by Leuconoe, daughter of Lucifer [Eosphorus]. Another fine example of Apollo in his guise as a handsome youth, this time with long locks, is a 2nd-century CE marble relief from a funerary monument in Piraeus. According to legend, Apollo, wishing to reveal to humanity the intentions of his father Zeus, created the oracle on the site where he had killed the serpent (or dragon) Python. The sun god, one of the most important in all literature, was also quite the libertine. The tripod stands for the sacrifice Apollo took to defeat the python, and fought Heracles for the tripod. Of the Greek festivals in honour of Apollo, the most curious was the octennial Delphic Stepterion, in which a boy reenacted the slaying of the Python and was temporarily banished to the Vale of Tempe. The god was also associated with moderation in all things. Traditionally, Apollo and his twin, Artemis (Roman: Diana), were born on the isle of Delos. He is the god of the sun, light, knowledge, music, art, poetry, oracles, medicine, archery, and prophecy. It was the only place safe for Leto to give birth to Apollo and his sister Artemis, because she was relentlessly chased by Hera and her minions. 2. His Oracle at Delphi was known throughout Greece. Neither of the two poets suggests anything in regard to the birth-place of the god, unless we take Lukêgenês (Il. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In Italy Apollo was introduced at an early date and was primarily concerned, as in Greece, with healing and prophecy; he was highly revered by the emperor Augustus because the Battle of Actium (31 bce) was fought near one of his temples. The Greek god Apollo was a protector and skilled musician who was known for his love of prophecy. The ruins of the Temple of Apollo in Corinth, Greece. 5. 918) states the same, and adds, that Apollo′s sister was Artemis. Omissions? Agreus by Euboea, daughter of Macareus. Orestes being purified by Apollo after his acquittal by the court of the Areopagus, detail of a 5th-century-. While claiming to be in love with Carolyn Palamas, after she rejected him he showed signs that he wanted to control her like the slave-master her captain said he truly was (forbidding her to leave his presence and ordering her to stay there with him, for instance). Asclepius by Coronis, daughter of Phlegyas Eurypides by Cleobula. Apollo is the Greek god of music, poetry, light, prophecy, and medicine. 1. In Greek Mythology, Apollo was the God of Light, and it was his job to pull the sun across the sky in his 4-horse chariot every day. Roman sculptors were also fond of Apollo and a celebrated marble statue of the god, now in the Vatican Museums in Rome, is the Apollo Belvedere, a 2nd-century CE copy of a bronze statue of the 4th-century BCE by Leochares. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Apollo is a god in Greek mythology, and one of the Twelve Olympians. Apollo's darker side as the bringer of plague and divine retribution is seen most famously when he is, with his sister Artemis, the remorseless slayer of Niobe's six (or in some accounts seven) sons as punishment for her boasting that her childbearing capacity was greater than Leto's. He is the god of healing, medicine, archery, music, poetry and the sun. He is also, on occasion, portrayed riding a chariot pulled by lions or swans. Apollo is one of the most important gods of Greek mythology, known for his youthful, beardless and athletic figure. Apollo is the Greek God of the sun, light, music, truth, healing, poetry, and prophesy, and one of the most well-known gods in Greek mythology. His forename Phoebus means “bright” or “pure,” and the view became current that he was connected with the Sun. The bow symbolized distance, death, terror, and awe, while the lyre more gently proclaimed the joy of communion with Olympus through music, poetry, and dance. Apollo's most direct presence amongst the Greeks, though, was manifested in his oracle at Delphi, the most important in the Greek world. Personality Apollo is one of the most vain gods of Olympus. Apollo is a significant protagonist in Homer's account of the Trojan War in the Iliad. The god is frequently associated with the sun (as Phoebus Apollo) and the sun god Helios, but modern scholars mostly agree that the link between Apollo and Helios does not go further back than the 5th century BCE. Apollo had lots of jobs in the ancient Greek god world. Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 159 (trans. Other oracles of Apollo existed on the Greek mainland, on Delos, and in Anatolia, but none rivalled Delphi in importance. Rituals in this process involved cutting hair and offering it to the god, as well as athletic and martial challenges. Apollo's most direct presence amongst the Greeks was manifested in his oracle at Delphi, the most important in the Greek world. Apollo was then given his bow, made by the master craftsman of Mount Olympus, Hephaestus. Ilius by Urea, daughter of Neptunus [Poseidon]. He does not have a Roman name. He was the patron god of the city of Delphi. He guided the arrow that struck Achilles in his one vulnerable spot, killing him. Here is a small list of the most known lovers and a small synopsis of their relationship: Cassandra by Evelyn De Morgan (1898, London); Cassandra in front of the burning city of Troy at the peak of her insanity. The god's defeat of Marsyas and Pan may reflect the Greek conquest of Phrygia and Arcadia respectively. Apollo, detail from NAM, Athens, 215.by James Lloyd (CC BY-NC-SA). Apollo was god of many things, making him one of the more important gods in Greek mythology Being symbolic of the Greek people and their culture, Apollo was given power over many of … There were magical sayings on the back and sides. During the Archaic period (8th to 6th century bce), the fame of the Delphic oracle spread as far as Lydia in Anatolia and achieved Panhellenic status. He shot a lead arrow at Daphne which had the completely opposite effect. Among Apollo’s other Greek epithets was Nomios (Herdsman), and he is said to have served King Admetus of Pherae in the lowly capacities of groom and herdsman as penance for slaying Zeus’s armourers, the Cyclopes. 1. Apollo was a major Greek god who was associated with the bow, music, and divination. Hesiod (Theog. 3. Though his original nature is obscure, from the time of Homer onward he was the god of divine distance, who sent or threatened from afar; the god who made men aware of their own guilt and purified them of it; who presided over religious law and the constitutions of cities; and who communicated with mortals through prophets and oracles his knowledge of the future and the will of his father, Zeus (Roman: Jupiter). There was a sundisk above it with twenty-one rays made of arrows. He was one of the most important gods in the Greek pantheon, and was believed to have jurisdiction over a range of different aspects, including prophecy, music and healing. Related Content His twin sister Artemis is goddess of the moon. The son of Leto and Zeus, Apollo was born on the island known as Delos. https://www.ancient.eu/apollo/. Apollo won another musical competition, this time against the pastoral god Pan and, judged the victor by King Midas, Apollo thus became the undisputed master of music in the Greek world. Daphne ran from the god but he kept pursuing her. Apollo then had the mortal flayed alive for his presumption and nailed his skin to a pine tree. While still a baby, Hermes had stolen Apollo's sacred herd of cattle, cleverly reversing their hooves to make it difficult to follow their tracks. (21). Apollo the God of Light, the eternally beautiful youth, was also know for his affairs with both men and women. Apollo traditionally doesn't care about the gender of the person he was with. Apollo was an overachiever. Tripods and laurel wreaths were given as prizes to the victors at these games. He is easily identified with either a kithara or a lyre, a bronze tripod (signifying his oracle at Delphi), a deer (which he often fights over with Hercules), and a bow and quiver. Apollo came across as arrogant and accustomed to obedience from his 'children' (really, his slaves). Cite This Work From there Apollo went to Pytho (Delphi), where he slew Python, the dragon that guarded the area. See Helios. Belvedere Apolloby Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). Apollon (commonly latinised as Apollo) is the Greek God of the Sun, light, healing, medicine, prophecy, knowledge, oracles, purity, art, music (he directed the choir of the Muses), poetry, archery (but not for war or hunting) and plagues, and also the protector of herds and flocks. Cartwright, M. (2019, July 25). Hermes was permitted to keep his ill-gotten gains but only after he gave Apollo his lyre which he had invented using a tortoiseshell. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Although Apollo had many love affairs, they were mostly unfortunate: Daphne, in her efforts to escape him, was changed into a laurel, his sacred shrub; Coronis (mother of Asclepius) was shot by Apollo’s twin, Artemis, when Coronis proved unfaithful; and Cassandra (daughter of King Priam of Troy) rejected his advances and was punished by being made to utter true prophecies that no one believed. In the next myth, Leto, after the birth of th… Apollo is a god in Greek mythology, and one of the Twelve Olympians.He is the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin brother of Artemis.He is the god of healing, medicine, archery, music, poetry and the sun. Apollo is most frequently described by Homer and Hesiod as the 'far-shooter', the 'far-worker', the 'rouser of armies', and 'Phoebus Apollo'. Thank you! In Greco-Roman mythology, Apollo is a deity of manifold function and meaning. Octavian, the future emperor Augustus (r. 27 BCE - 14 CE), famously claimed the god as his patron and even dedicated a temple to Apollo at Actium. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Apollo Marble Reliefby Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). Objects traditionally associated with the god include: Apollo was a much-loved god, and this was most likely due to his association with many positive aspects of the human condition such as music, poetry, purification, healing, and medicine. Known as the ideal of youth and athleticism, Apollo is the son of the Zeus and Leto; and his twin sister, Artemis, is the goddess … Cartwright, Mark. Apollo's throne was made of highly polished gold. Apollo continued to inspire the Romans when he was principally considered a god of healing. Here are 14 interesting facts about Apollo, the intriguing Greek god. In art Apollo was represented as a beardless youth, either naked or robed. Poseidon, Apollo, and Artemis, marble relief, portion of the east section of the Parthenon frieze, 448–429. "Apollo." Apollo also slew horrific monsters and courted many mortals. Apollo oversaw the initiation rites performed by young males (ephebes) as they entered the full civic community and became warriors. His mother, fearful of revenge from Zeus’ wife Hera, had chosen barren Delos as the safest retreat she could find. Favorite Add to Apollo Charm Bracelet, Greek Mythology Jewelry, Orange Quartz Bracelet, Greek God, Gemstone Bracelet, Crystal Bracelet HecatesBoutique. However, Leto found safe haven on the isle of Delosand gave birth to … Written by Mark Cartwright, published on 25 July 2019 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Corrections? Apollo was a Greek god, and one of the Twelve Olympians. 1 enemy, Mark Antony. Apollo appears frequently in all media of ancient Greek art, most often as a beautiful, beardless youth. Apollo was then given his bow, made by the master craftsman of Mount Ol… We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. In revenge Eros shot a golden arrow at Apollo that filled him with desire and lust. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto. As the god of sun, Apollo moved the sun with his chariot and golden horses.
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