Apollo

APOLLON (Apollo) was the Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, music, song and poetry, archery, healing, plague and disease, and the protection of the young. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and attributes such as a wreath and branch of laurel, bow and quiver of arrows, raven, and lyre.

Myths

The most famous myths of Apollon include:

• His birth on the island of Delos.

• The slaying of the serpent Python which guarded the oracular shrine of Delphoi (Delphi).

• The slaying of the giant Tityos who attempted to carry off the god's mother Leto.

• The destruction of the Niobides whose mother had offended Leto with her boasts.

• His music contest with the satyr Marsyas who lost and was flayed alive.

• His love for the youth Hyakinthos (Hyacinthus) who was killed by a discus throw and transformed into a flower.

• His love for the nymph Daphne who fled from him and was transformed into a laurel tree.

• His love for Koronis (Coronis) who was slain by Artemis for her infidelity.

• The murder of the Kyklopes (Cyclopes) who had forged the lightning bolt used to destroy his son Asklepios (Asclepius).

• His service as bondsman to the mortal Admetos.

• His struggle with Herakles (Heracles) for the Delphic tripod.

• The Trojan War in which he brought plague to the Greeks and helped Paris slay Akhilleus (Achilles).

These myths and more can be found detailed on the Theoi Project page.