However, this story may reflect a cultural influence which had the reverse direction: Hittite cuneiform texts mention an Asia Minor god called Appaliunas or Apalunas in connection with the city of Wilusa attested in Hittite inscriptions, which is now generally regarded as being identical with the Greek Ilion by most scholars. These animals were considered sacred and worshipped in a wide array of ceremonies and sacrifices. He was worshipped at Delphi and Delos . Perhaps, the most well-known symbol of Apollo is his lyre. I 3, 4. Jeremy Villasis, Philippines / Getty Images. According to legend, the positioning was recognized by Zeus, the King of the Gods, who sought to seek out the epicentre of the earth goddess Gaia, or [] Long hair, which was the prerogative of boys, was cut at the coming of age (ephebeia) and dedicated to Apollo. It seems that the first peripteral temples were rectangular wooden structures. She is always depicted as majestic and queenly. Apollo, through the Pythia, commanded him to serve king Eurystheus for twelve years and complete the ten tasks the king would give him. But he metamorphosed Periphas into an eagle and made the eagle the king of birds. [215] Seeing several of his nymphs and Aristaeus drowning in a river, he took them to safety and healed them. This may surprise you but Apollo, the God of Sun, Arts, Blessings, Love, Sports, and Magical Wisdom has picked Dolphin and his sacred animal. Protection of herds, flocks and crops from diseases, pests and predators were his primary duties. Mertens, Dieter; Schutzenberger, Margareta. As the myth goes, Cronus learned of a prophecy in which he was fated to be overthrown by one of his children. https://www.thoughtco.com/apollo-god-symbols-117070 (accessed March 4, 2023). [229], It was an ancestral custom among the Leukadians to fling a criminal from this rock every year at the sacrifice performed in honor of Apollo for the sake of averting evil. Amphion, at the sight of his dead sons, either killed himself or was killed by Apollo after swearing revenge. [148] Niobe was the queen of Thebes and wife of Amphion. During his stay in Troy, Apollo had a lover named Ourea, who was a nymph and daughter of Poseidon. p. 529, Pausanias VIII 41, 8-IV 34, 7-Sittig. This contrast appears to be shown on the two sides of the Borghese Vase. As the patron deity of Delphi (Apollo Pythios), Apollo is an oracular godthe prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. "Symbols of the Greek God Apollo." Only Midas dissented and questioned the justice of the award. She bore him a son, Iamos. Apollo took care of the male offspring and Artemis of Niobe 's daughters. The Apollo Belvedere is a marble sculpture that was rediscovered in the late 15th century; for centuries it epitomized the ideals of Classical Antiquity for Europeans, from the Renaissance through the 19th century. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/apollo-god-symbols-117070. [156] Phoebe, his grandmother, gave the oracular shrine of Delphi to Apollo as a birthday gift. Stones played an important part in the cult of the god, especially in the oracular shrine of Delphi (Omphalos). After chasing the hind for one year, the animal eventually got tired, and when it tried crossing the river Ladon, Heracles captured it. Apollo liked cowsbut he liked music more. Online version at the Topos Text Project. [163] There Zeus himself performed purificatory rites on Apollo. Apollo adopted Carnus, the abandoned son of Zeus and Europa. [221] According to another tale, Apollo killed them by sending a deer between them; as they tried to kill it with their javelins, they accidentally stabbed each other and died. But Apollo soon repented and being distressed at what he had done, he tore the strings of his lyre and threw it away. [339], As patrons of arts, Apollo and Athena were companions of the Muses, the former a much more frequent companion than the latter. It was known for its oracle, which was believed to provide insight into the future, and was also home to the Temple of Apollo, the god of prophecy. The serpent, Python, sought refuge at Delphi. in Labadea, 20 miles (32km) east of Delphi. [168] After the battle Zeus finally relented his aid and hurled Tityos down to Tartarus. Aphrodite was furious with King Glaucus of Corinth as he did not appreciate her beauty. The lyrewhich is perhaps his most well-known symbolsignifies that Apollo is the god of music. This wraps up our post on Apollo, the Greek god of sun, his family, his symbols, sacred animals and plants. Here we have an apotropaic situation, where a god originally bringing the plague was invoked to end it. The Dolphin is an animal which is sacred to Dionysus and Apollo. Athena had also placed a curse upon the instrument, that whoever would pick it up would be severely punished. Spartan annual festivals were the Carneia and the Hyacinthia. Apollo then played his lyre and sang at the same time, mesmerising the audience. [244], Another male lover was Cyparissus, a descendant of Heracles. Soon after, he contracted a terrible disease. He shook his locks of hair, put an end to the night voices, and took away from mortals the truth that appears in darkness, and gave the privilege back again to Loxias. His oracular shrine in Abae in Phocis, where he bore the toponymic epithet Abaeus ( , Apollon Abaios), was important enough to be consulted by Croesus. a. Apollo b. Ares c . [87] In Iliad, his priest prays to Apollo Smintheus,[88] the mouse god who retains an older agricultural function as the protector from field rats. "In the 3rd century, Apollo fell silent. [81] The stones found in front of the gates of Homeric Troy were the symbols of Apollo. [236], Thero, daughter of Phylas, a maiden as beautiful as the moonbeams, was loved by the radiant Apollo, and she loved him in return. [84] However, while usually Greek festivals were celebrated at the full moon, all the feasts of Apollo were celebrated at the seventh day of the month, and the emphasis given to that day (sibutu) indicates a Babylonian origin.[85]. Apollo played a pivotal role in the entire Trojan War. Percy Bysshe Shelley composed a "Hymn of Apollo" (1820), and the god's instruction of the Muses formed the subject of Igor Stravinsky's Apollon musagte (19271928). 75.) R. S. P. Beekes rejected the connection of the theonym with the noun apellai and suggested a Pre-Greek proto-form *Apalyun. A devastated Niobe fled to Mount Sipylos in Asia Minor and turned into stone as she wept. [241], Hyacinth (or Hyacinthus), a beautiful and athletic Spartan prince, was one of Apollo's favourite lovers. We recently discussed the importantance of omega-3 fatty acids for maintaining good health. Apollo is one of the most handsome, dazzling, and charismatic Gods of the Olympian Pantheon; he is blindingly good-looking and had many, many lovers, both male and female. Since Leto was unable to feed him, Themis, the goddess of divine law, fed him with nectar, or ambrosia. In the late 2nd century CE floor mosaic from El Djem, Roman Thysdrus, he is identifiable as Apollo Helios by his effulgent halo, though now even a god's divine nakedness is concealed by his cloak, a mark of increasing conventions of modesty in the later Empire. Arion began singing a song in praise of Apollo, seeking the god's help. During the war, the Greek king Agamemnon captured Chryseis, the daughter of Apollo's priest Chryses, and refused to return her. She was later granted longevity by Apollo who turned her into a nymph. He is the inventor of string-music, and the frequent companion of the Muses, functioning as their chorus leader in celebrations. Patroclus was eventually killed by Hector. [218] He also killed Porphyrion, the king of giants, using his bow and arrows. In her honor, he built the city Cyrene and made her its ruler. Many temples were dedicated to Apollo in Greece and the Greek colonies. When the raven told Apollo of the affair, he became enraged that the bird had not pecked out Ischys' eyes, and the poor raven was an early example of the messenger being shot. [63] It is suggested, though unconfirmed, that he is connected to the Mycenaean figure pa-ja-wo-ne (Linear B: ). Lyre, the string instrument, is the main Apollo symbol while bows and laurel wreathes are among the other symbols of Apollo. [200][204], Cinyras was a ruler of Cyprus, who was a friend of Agamemnon. The reason for Dionysus' association with Dolphins stems from when he was at Naxos headed for Asia a group of pirates who planned to sell him into slavery. This may surprise you but Apollo, the God of Sun, Arts, Blessings, Love, Sports, and Magical Wisdom has picked Dolphin and his sacred animal. Apollo loved and kidnapped an Oceanid nymph, Melia. Several of this Goddesses roles may appear incompatible in nature. Among the rural populace, Artemis was the favourite goddess. Delphi and Actium were his primary places of worship. The contestants agreed to take turns displaying their skills and the rule was that the victor could "do whatever he wanted" to the loser. Because of this people were very fond of him and started honouring him to the same extent as Zeus. Medicine and healing are associated with Apollo. Apollo and the Furies argue about whether the matricide was justified; Apollo holds that the bond of marriage is sacred and Orestes was avenging his father, whereas the Erinyes say that the bond of blood between mother and son is more meaningful than the bond of marriage. . But he made sure to leave a few wrinkles on the abdomen and around the navel so that they might be reminded of their punishment.[181]. The Hyperboreans always sang and danced in his honor and hosted Pythian games. Myths tell that the infant Hermes stole a number of Apollo's cows and took them to a cave in the woods near Pylos, covering their tracks. [140] Swans circled the island seven times and the nymphs sang in delight. Apollo later established the Pythian games to appropriate Gaia. He is pictured as a terrible god, less trusted by the Greeks than other gods. Argonautica ii, 846 ff, The Cyclopedia, Or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature, Volume 37, Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. [165], Soon after, Zeus instructed Apollo to go to Delphi and establish his law. They were all usually very beautiful. What of his lyre that flashes gold, gleams white with ivory, and shimmers with rainbow gems? His intimate connection to wolves is evident from his epithet Lyceus, meaning wolf-like. In a frenzy of jealousy over Zeus' infidelity with Leda, Hera sent Python to chase Leto away: at the time, Leto was pregnant with the twins Apollo and Artemis, and their birth was delayed. He foiled Achilles' attempt to mutilate Hector's dead body. The violet remains a sacred flower to Cupid, and witches still use Violet in a variety of love spells and love potions. Anius later became the priest of Apollo and the king of Delos. He later gave this arrow to Abaris. He immediately set out in pursuit of the serpent that Hera had sent to torment his mother, Leto. Patron god of the theatre and art. [253], Apollo sired many children, from mortal women and nymphs as well as the goddesses. [54][55], The cult centers of Apollo in Greece, Delphi and Delos, date from the 8th century BCE. In her earliest depictions she was accompanied by the "Master of the animals", a bow-wielding god of hunting whose name has been lost; aspects of this figure may have been absorbed into the more popular Apollo. In. Delphi was an important ancient Greek religious sanctuary sacred to the god Apollo.Located on Mt. Apollo Delphinios or Delphidios was a sea-god especially worshipped in Crete and in the islands. Such statues were found across the Greek speaking world, the preponderance of these were found at the sanctuaries of Apollo with more than one hundred from the sanctuary of Apollo Ptoios, Boeotia alone. To commemorate his son's bravery, Apollo commanded Boeotians to build a town around the tomb of the hero, and to honor him.[183]. Branchus, a shepherd, one day came across Apollo in the woods. Apollo's chief epithet was Phoebus (/fibs/ FEE-bs; , Phoibos Greek pronunciation:[pi.bos]), literally "bright". For this reason, he was called Homopolon before the Homo was replaced by A. The chief Apollonian festival was the Pythian Games held every four years at Delphi and was one of the four great Panhellenic Games. To know what a thing is, we must know the look of it": Rhys Carpenter: Rufus B. Richardson, "A Temple in Eretria", See reports of the German Archaeological Institute in Archaeological Reports for 2008/9 43-45. Omens, symbols, purifications, and exorcisms appear in old Assyro-Babylonian texts. In the Iliad, Apollo is the healer under the gods, but he is also the bringer of disease and death with his arrows, similar to the function of the Vedic god of disease Rudra. (Plut. In Ovid's account, Apollo completes his task by playing his tunes on his lyre. He wished to plunder Delphi for its wealth. Receiving the aegis from Zeus, Apollo entered the battlefield as per his father's command, causing great terror to the enemy with his war cry. Apollo was just four days old when he demanded a bow and arrows, which Hephaestus created for him. He also helped many Trojan heroes, the most important one being Hector. Dionysus caused ivy to grow all over the ship and he turned all the pirates (with the exception of the helmsman) into Dolphins. What of his song, so cunning and so sweet? You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Python was sent by Hera to hunt the pregnant Leto to death, and had assaulted her. [344], The palm tree was also sacred to Apollo because he had been born under one in Delos. [73] Apellaios is the month of these rites, and Apellon is the "megistos kouros" (the great Kouros). This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 21:45. In Classical Greece he was the god of light and of music, but in popular religion he had a strong function to keep away evil. As a protector of the young (kourotrophos), Apollo is concerned with the health and education of children. Apollo's Cattle are animals sacred to the Greek god of music, poetry, prophecies and the sun, Apollo. Sinope, a nymph, was approached by the amorous Apollo. Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 4 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190), Thus scholia on Paus. [216] He taught Aristaeus more useful healing arts and sent him back to help the army of Dionysus. The number seven was sacred to the god; on the seventh of every month sacrifices were offered to him (hebdomagets, Aeschyl. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. What of his robes so fine in texture, so soft to the touch, aglow with purple? After the end of the war, Apollo and Poseidon together cleaned the remains of the city and the camps. Apollo is the god who affords help and wards off evil; various epithets call him the "averter of evil". The island later became sacred to Apollo. According to one account, after the first round, they both were deemed equal by the Nysiads. His skills as a physician surpassed that of Apollo's. He deflected many spears and arrows away them. When Zeus allowed the other gods to get involved in the war, Apollo was provoked by Poseidon to a duel. Loki's son Fenrir is a giant legendary wolf from Norse mythology. After Heracles (then named Alcides) was struck with madness and killed his family, he sought to purify himself and consulted the oracle of Apollo. [231] Their vivid anecdotal qualities have made some of them favorites of painters since the Renaissance, the result being that they stand out more prominently in the modern imagination. [148] Python was the nurse of the giant Typhon. Zeus had turned all the people of Thebes to stone and so no one buried the Niobids until the ninth day after their death, when the gods themselves entombed them. Apollo's most common attributes were the bow and arrow. The contest was judged by the Muses, or the nymphs of Nysa. There, Hecate was taken to be Apollo's sister counterpart in the absence of Artemis. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, The epithet "Smintheus" has historically been confused with, Divinites et sanctuaires de la Gaule, E. Thevonat, 1968, Paris, La religion des Celtes, J. de Vries, 1963, Paris, Martin Nilsson (1967). Apollo is associated with the cow as he has had the famous cattle that Helios, the god of the sun, was looking over and which Hermes stole when he was born. "You Apollo Smintheus, let my tears become your arrows against the Danaans, for revenge". Hephaestus While Apollo presided over the prophetic powers and magic of light and heaven, Hecate presided over the prophetic powers and magic of night and chthonian darkness. What Are The Sacred Animals Of Apollo/Apollon? The inspiration oracular cult was probably introduced into Greece from Anatolia, which is the origin of Sibyl, and where some of the oldest oracular shrines originated.
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