Apollo

=Apollo.... =

-->Apollo is the son of zeus and Leo and has a twin sister, the chaste huntress Artemis. When Hera discovered that Leo was pregnant and that
==== zeus was the father, she banned Leto from giving birth. In her wanderings, Leo found the newly created floating island of Delos, which was neither mainland nor real island, so she gave birth there, where she was accepted by the people, offering them her promise that her son will be always favorable towards the city. Afterwards, zeus secured Delos to the bottom of the ocean. This island later becomes sacred to Apollo. ====

Children
==== -->Apollo loved Marpessa and Zeus gave her choice between Idas and Apollo but unfortunately, she chose Idas. By Cyrene, Apollo had a son named Aristaeus, who became the patron god of cattle, fruit trees, hunting, husbandry and bee-keeping. He was also a culture- hero and taught humanity dairy skills and the use of nets and traps in hunting, as well as how to cultivate olives. Apollo also had a son named Troilus. An oracle prophesied that Troy would not be defeated as long as Troilus reached the age of twenty alive. He was ambushed and killed by Achilles. Apollo also loved men. In the story of the young man Hyacinthos Apollo accidentily kills his young lover with a discus, and is then transformed into the flower with the same name. ====

Symbol
==== -->The most obvious symbol of Apollo is his laurel wreath crown and bow and arrow. The three combined clearly identify any figure as Apollo. Other attributes of his included the kithara, the plectrum and the sword. Another common emblem was the sacrificial tripod, representing his prophetic powers. The bay laurel plant was used in expiatory sacrifices and in making the crown of victory at these games. The palm was also sacred to Apollo because he had been born under one in Delos. Animals sacred to Apollo included wolves, dolphins, roe deer, swans, and cicadus which these symbolized the art and the music. ====

-->He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and various attributes including a wreath and branch of laurel; bow and quiver; raven; and lyre.
==== -These characteristics also appear in the form of peculiar light which was almost universal among the later poets, mythographers, and philesophers, and according to which Apollo was identical with Helios, or the Sun. ====

Friends and enemies
==== -Apollo had many enemies throughout his life. Hera persecuted Apollo's mother Leto in jealousy of Zeus' attentions. She sent the dragon Python to kill Leto. Apollo killed Python.Then Hera sent the giant Tityos to kill Leto. Apollo threw the giant into Tartarus, where he is tortured daily. ====

==== -->One of the significant story deals with the music contest. MARSYAS was a Phrygian Satyr who first composed tunes for the flute. He obtained his instrument from Athena, who had invented the device but discarded it in her displeasure over the bloating effect on the cheeks. Later, in hubristic pride over the new-found music, Marsyas dared challenge the god Apollon to a contest. The Satyr inevitably lost, when, in the second round, the god demanded they play their instruments upsidedown--a feat ill-suited to the flute. As punishment for his presumption, Apollon had Marsyas tied to a tree and flayed him alive. The rustic gods in their pity then transformed him into a mountain stream.The story of Marsyas' musical contest with Apollon was sometimes applied to the Arkadian god Pan. The satyr was also connected with the flute-playing Tityroi which formed part of the train of the god Dionysos ====

==== -->Apollo shot arrows infected with the plague into the Greek encampment during the Trojan War in retribution for Agamemnon's insult to Chryses, a priest of Apollo whose daughter Chryseishad been captured. He demanded her return, and the Achaeans complied, indirectly causing the anger of Achilles, which is the theme of the Illiad. ==== ==== -->When Diomedes injured Aeneas ,Apollo rescued him. First, Aphrodite tried to rescue Aeneas but Diomedes injured her as well. Aeneas was then enveloped in a cloud by Apollo, who took him to Pergamos, a sacred spot in Troy. Apollo aided Paris in the killing of Achilles by guiding the arrow of his bow into Achilles' heel. One interpretation of his motive is that it was in revenge for Achilles' sacrilege in murdering Troilus, the god's own son by Hecuba, on the very altar of the god's own temple. His role in trojan was revenge and murdering of his enemies. ====