Premium Essay

Apollo In Greek Mythology

Submitted By
Words 448
Pages 2
“The mythology of the ancient Greeks included a dazzling array of deities, demigods, monsters, and heroes” (“Greek Mythology”). Greek mythology is a collection of myths, especially belonging to the ancient Greek people, Gods, and Goddesses. These myths are commonly recognized as great tales. Some popular stories in Greek mythology include the Trojan War, Pandora’s Box, Oracle of Apollo, and so many more. Apollo is the God of music, poetry, plague, oracles, sun, and healing. Apollo, also known as Phoebus or Apollon, is the son of Zues and Leto. Zues is the God of the sky and thunder and Leto is the representation of motherhood, so she had many children. Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, were born on the island of Delos. Zues was a man of many women, therefore, when Leto became pregnant, a jealous Hera cursed Leto, causing her to not be able to find a stable place to have children. After Apollo and Artemis’ birth, the island of Delos was one of the most sacred places in Greek mythology. Apollo is described as a young, beardless man, having ideal physique and curly, long, golden hair. “[Apollo] served …show more content…
He also had the ability to see the future, and to heal others. It is said that Apollo moved the sun across the sky every day. Apollo represents the sun, and Artemis represents the moon. While a lover of many women, Apollo was not very smooth with them. He never found a wife, and was even rejected by some. When Apollo saw Cassandra, a beautiful young priestess, he immediately wanted to be with her. He was one for deals, and told her that if she kissed him, he would give her the gift of prophecy. Cassandra did not hesitate, but after the kiss, she spit in his face and refused to be with him. Apollo gave her the gift of prophecy, but when she rejected him, he gave her a curse, causing no one to believe what she told

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Greek Mythology

...ancient Greek myths because they influenced the ancient Greeks’ daily life and developed a sense of community within each city state. The people of ancient Greece believed that the diverse range of deities within Greek mythology influenced and controlled life on Earth, which made all aspects of life dependent on the attitudes of the gods. Each deity possessed specific desirable traits making them admired by the ancient Greeks. However, the gods also showed moral weakness to represent how it is natural to be influenced by temptation. It is interesting that the most powerful individuals in the universe were given flaws, which made each god and goddess more relatable. Mythology was intertwined...

Words: 885 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mythology

...MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY [pic]    [pic]    [pic] |Mythology is everywhere! Daily you run across instances of words, city names, companies, | |literary allusions - and even planets and constellations - that take their name or borrow | |their theme from myths. Because of your many requests, I've provided a couple of thousand | |excellent examples to help you get started in your research. Remember, you're surrounded | |by mythology in today's society, whether you realize it or not!  | Mythological Influence on Modern... |[pic]Companies & Groups |[pic]Planets & Constellations | |[pic]  Words & Expressions |[pic]Literary & Pop Culture | [pic]American Cities Named From Mythology [pic] COMPANIES & GROUPS |Mythology is everywhere! There are hundreds of companies, groups and corporations that take their name, logo or theme from ancient mythology. | |I've provided a variety of examples to help you in starting your research. Some are well-known international companies, others are of a more | |local nature. | |Aegis - Zeus and Athena's protective shield; modern group of insurance companies (The Aegis Group). | |Ajax - Greek warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in...

Words: 5942 - Pages: 24

Premium Essay

Greek Mythology: The Role Of Women In Greek Society

...Greek Mythology has assigned many roles to women in society. Women hold most of the power, although it is not very obvious. Also, women have to be beautiful in order to be accepted into Greek society. Finally, women are supposed to be obedient in Greek society. Women hold most of the power in Greek society. In the myth the Trojan War, Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite find a golden apple labeled “to the fairest.” They all believe the apple is for themselves, so they go to Paris of Troy to decide. All three goddesses offer something to Paris. Paris chooses Aphrodite, who offers the most beautiful woman in the world. Women played a huge role in starting the Trojan War. It was the goddesses who went to Paris and it was a woman that Paris was after. Women have to be beautiful in order to be accepted in Greek society. For example, in the myth Perseus, Medusa is turned into a Gorgon, “each with wings, and snaky hair, most horrible to mortals." Medusa is shunned by society because she looks like a horrible monster. Perseus is told to go slay Medusa because she isn't beautiful and because she is a monster....

Words: 405 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ancient Greek Instruments Research Paper

...Music 360 Research Paper: Ancient Greek Instruments and Performance Practice The ancient Greeks have always been knows from their innovations. They revolutionized agriculture, architecture, education, and music (to name just a few of the advances they made). The philosophers and educators made music one of the main focuses in education, and with this focus came progress. The musical instruments that were made were both unique and new to the world. From new stringed instruments to winds to instruments that use water the music of ancient Greece was truly something new to the world. Unfortunately, not much about the performance practices is known due to the effects of war, time, and most of the music was passed down through word of mouth....

Words: 1890 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Schwetzingen Castle and Mythology: the Connection

...Schwetzingen Castle and Mythology: The Connection There is unmistakable beauty and history on the grounds of Schwetzingen Castle- and the history is primarily a mythological one. Numerous statues throughout the gardens depict primarily Greek gods and heroes, though scattered examples from other cultures are present. Their faces and poses tell the story of how they were perceived- at least by their creators- in terms of their value to the society of the time of their making. The original castle, built in 1350, gave away nothing of its future splendor; it was merely “a small moated castle”, one of many such edifices throughout Europe at the time. It took the genius of Palatine Prince Elector Carl Theodor (1724-1799) to truly lift Schwetzingen Castle to its stunning present form and bring the Baroque gardens to life- though the addition of two wings in 1697 are credited to Prince Elector Johann Wilhelm.() Four characters from Greek mythology found in Schwetzingen’s gardens are Zeus, Apollo, Athena (the temple is actually dedicated to her Roman counterpart Minerva), and the Sphinx. The statue of Zeus in the gardens at Schwetzingen wears a crown of leaves and is looking sideways and slightly downwards with a powerful gaze; it is a remarkably emotive statue, offering the possibility for many different interpretations of mood and purpose- even varying depending upon the angle at which it is viewed. He seems to be about to pass judgment or wreak havoc upon a mortal or fellow...

Words: 1108 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Mytholo

...What is a Myth? Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". So the word "myth" is defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Furthermore, all myths are, at some stage, actually believed to be true by the peoples of the societies that used or originated the myth. The definition is thus clearly distinguished from the use of the word myth in everyday speech which basically refers to any unreal or imaginary story. A myth is also distinctly different from an allegory or parable which is a story deliberately made up to illustrate some moral point but which has never been assumed to be true by anyone. Some myths describe some actual historical event, but have been embellished and refashioned by various story tellers over time so that it is impossible to tell what really happened. In this last aspect myths have a legendary and historical nature. Definitions of Mythology The word mythology has two related meanings. Firstly it refers to a collection of myths that together form a mythological system. Thus one can speak of "Egyptian Mythology", "Indian Mythology", "Maori Mythology" or "Greek Mythology". In this sense one is describing a system of myths which were...

Words: 2019 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Defiance of the Maxim Nothing in Excess

...At the entrance of the temple of Apollo at Delphi there were three Maxims inscribed: “Know Yourself”, “Nothing in Excess”, and “A Promise will be Your Ruin”. When the Greeks said “Nothing in Excess” they meant in all aspects of life. The Greek maxim “Nothing in Excess” reflects the idea of moderation and reasonable sufficiency which influences behaviors and choices. Defiance of the maxim “Nothing in Excess” invited discord, catastrophe and repudiation of living wholly with beauty and truth. The maxim, “Nothing in Excess”, is exemplified and defied in Greek myths through the figures Heracles, Niobe, Oedipus and Creon. Heracles, son of Zeus and Alcmena, exhibited excessive mortal strength from infant to adult. When Heracles was eight months old, Hera, desiring his death, sent two serpents to Heracles’ bed; but because of his excessive strength he strangled the serpents with his bare hands. Another example of “the strength of stout Heracles” (Theogony 332) is when he kills Linus, his tutor, in self-defense. Hera, still persecuting Heracles, drove him mad, and as a result he killed his wife, Megara, and his children, flinging them into the fire. Arriving at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the Pythian priestess told Heracles to reside in Tiryns, serving Eurystheus for twelve years and to perform ten labors to be purified for his crime (Parada). His first labor was to destroy the Nemean Lion. Heracles first shot him with an arrow, but when he perceived that the animal was invincible...

Words: 1173 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Uncontrollation Of Virgo In Greek Mythology

...The constellation Virgo has multiple different origins depending on which mythology is being studied. Most myths generally view Virgo as a virgin/maiden with heavy association with wheat. In Greek and Roman mythology hey relate the constellation to Demeter, mother of Persephone, or Proserpina in Roman, the goddess of the harvest. However, some tell tales of the Greek story of Parthenos, which means virgin in Greek, which explains how the actual constellation Virgo came to be. In this story Parthenos is the daughter of Staphylus and Chrysothemis, and sister to Rhoio and Molpadia. Rhoio had been impregnated by the Greek god Apollo, once her father had found out that she was pregnant he assumed it was from some random suitor and was greatly ashamed....

Words: 322 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Hermes Greek God

...Hermes the Greek Messenger God Hermes was the youngest son of Zeus, the king of all gods. He was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. ("Olympian Gods", 2005-2011). Hermes was born very playful and right away Zeus loved him very much. Zeus knew he was going to have a lot of fun raising Hermes. When Hermes was only a few days old he got out of the blanket that his mother had him wrapped in and escaped from his crib. He ran off on his own very quickly. Hermes was born with the ability to run fast. He also was very smart for such a young baby. (Russell, 1992). While out on his adventure, Hermes came across a bunch of cows grazing in a field. The cows turned out to be owned by his brother Apollo. Hermes thought it would be funny to play a joke on Apollo. He decided to steal his cows. Since Hermes was so smart he decided to pad the cow’s feet and walk them backwards. He did this so Apollo would be confused and wouldn’t know which way the cows had gone. (Russell, 1992). The effort it took to pad and move all of the cows made Hermes very hungry. Hermes decided to put his clever ideas to good use again so he invented fire. He cooked and ate one of Apollo’s cows. Eating the cow definitely satisfied Hermes hunger. He decided to bring the rest of the cows’ home with him in case he got hungry again. ("Hermes", 2000-2011). While traveling home the cows were mooing in a musical way that made them sound like they were singing. Hermes saw a tortoise shell on the ground and he had another witty...

Words: 740 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Gods and Human Relationships

...of Greek mythology was dated back to around the time of the Trojan War. Homer and Hesiod were two of the most well-known writers of Greek mythology and epic poetry. Although a lot of information is debatable about him, Homer was the first known person to write Greek literature. Homer has many claimed birthplaces. Among the most popular are Smyrna and Ionia. His main theme was the Trojan War between the Greek and Trojans. Even though he may have been blind, Homer is considered responsible for two of the most well-known books of Greek myth; Iliad and the Odyssey and Homeric Hymns which were short poems celebrating the various gods. The Iliad is a story of the siege of the city of Troy during the Trojan War. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus, a warrior, and his ten year journey from Troy to Ithaca after the fall of Troy in the Trojan War (“The Life and Work of Homer”). Hesiod is along the side of Homer when it comes to the creation of the Greek gods. He was said to be born after Homer. He was a shepherd who worked in the mountains of Helicon. He got his inspiration to write epic poetry from an experience he had on the mountain where he met the Muses that appeared before him in a mist after the death of his father. Two of his most famous works were Theogony and Works and Days. Theogony is the story of the creation of the Greek gods and their evolution. His second story, Works and Days, was about the struggle between him and his brother over the property of his father Greek mythology...

Words: 2242 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Polytheism

...Polytheism Ancient Greek theology was based on polytheism, the beliefs in many Gods and Goddesses. Breaking the word down, “poly” comes from the Greek word for “many,” and “theism” from the Greek word for “God.” These divine entities tend to distinguish particular functions, and often took on human characteristics. The gods acted like humans, and had human voices. They would interact with humans, sometimes even spawning children with them. Even though the Gods were immortal, nor some of them are not all powerful. Fate is what they had to obey, which overrode all. The number of the deities would expand as the culture’s belief system developed. The Greek Gods/Goddesses directly took on human activities. The divine entities would also take on human form and personality. Man learned to accept or fear the powers of nature, such as the deities. Humans tended to see the divine entities as storms, seasons, the sun, and the moon as personal beings. However the earliest humans believed the main deities were An, Enlil, Enki, and Ninhursaga. In ancient Greece there were twelve deities that sat on top of Mount Olympus: Hermes, Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Ares, Athena, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hestia, Hera, and Zeus, king of the gods. Under them sat Zeus' brother Hades, king of the underworld. Since its miraculous beginning in mainland Greece around 1800-1500 BCE, when Poseidon was the chief God and not Zeus, the deities were worshiped wherever Greeks lived or had a concept...

Words: 1334 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Mythology

...Greek and Roman Gods | | | Roman Colosseum | | Roman Gods | | | Greek and Roman Gods * Facts and information the deities of the Romans and the Greeks * Religion and Mythology of the Romans and Greeks * Facts and interesting information about the gods and goddesses of the Greeks and Romans * History, Facts and Information about the religion and deities of the Greeks and Romans * Different Greek Names in the religion and Mythology of the Romans * List of Names and Table of Names |   | | | | | Greek and Roman Gods History, Facts and Information about Greek and Roman Gods The content of this article provides interesting mythology, facts and information about Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Greek and Roman Gods worshipped by the two nations had similar roles and duties. However, their names were different. The religion of the Romans differed in some respects from that of the Greeks. For information regarding the differences between the Greek and Roman religion please click the following link:Greek and Roman Religion  Different Names of Greek and Roman Gods - Mythology In the mythology of the Romans there are separate Latin and Greek names for one imagined divinity. Examples of these separate names are  "Ares" of the Greeks and "Mars" of the Latins, "Poseidon" of the Greeks is "Neptunus" of the Latins, "Aphrodite" of the Greeks is "Venus" of the Latins.  More names of Greek and gods of the Romans are shown in the list on the following table...

Words: 874 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mythology Lesson Plan

... Twelve Olympians ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Twelve Olympians From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, the Twelve Olympians are the major deities of the Greek pantheon, commonly considered to be Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus.[1] Hades and Persephone were sometimes included as part of the twelve Olympians (primarily due to the influence of the Eleusinian Mysteries), although in general Hades was excluded, because he resided permanently in the underworld and never visited Olympus. Contents 1 Concept 2 Membership 3 List 3.1 The major Olympians 3.2 Other Olympians 3.3 Minor residents of Mount Olympus 4 Genealogy 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References Concept The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon (Greek: Δωδεκάθεον from δώδεκα,[3][4] dōdeka, "twelve" and θεοί, theoi, "gods"), were the principal deities of the Greek pantheon, said to reside atop Mount Olympus. The Olympians gained their supremacy in a war of gods in which Zeus led his siblings to victory over the Titans. Fragment of a Hellenistic relief (1st century BC – 1st century AD) The concept of the "Twelve Gods" is older than depicting the Twelve Olympians carrying their attributes in any extant Greek or Roman sources.[5] The procession; from left to right, Hestia (scepter), Hermes (winged cap gods meet in council in the Homeric epics...

Words: 3807 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

The Role Of Artemis In Greek Mythology

...Artemis plays an important role in Greek Mythology and thus has multiple names given to her. The name Artemis does not have a certain meaning but one theory suggests that it means quail referring to a version of her birth in which her father, Zeus, turned her mother, Leto, into said bird (“Greek Mythology” 129-130). Another theory proposes that Artemis is “she who heals sickness” because of a link between an “adjective meaning ‘safe and sound’” (“Greek Mythology” 129-130). Additional names for Artemis is Diana, her Roman equivalent, and Phoebe which means “the ‘light one’ or ‘bright one’” (Turnbull “The Greek Goddess Artemis”). Despite Artemis having numerous titles and meanings, she is still uniquely known. There are many peculiar Greek...

Words: 277 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Themes Are the Fundamental and Often Universal Ideas Explored in a Literary Work of the Greek Mythology

...The Dominance of Fate Fate was of great concern to the Greeks, and its workings resonate through many of their myths and texts. We see countless characters who go to great lengths in attempts to alter fate, even if they know such an aim to be futile. The inability of any mortal or immortal to change prescribed outcomes stems from the three Fates: sisters Clotho, who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, who assigns each person’s destiny; and Atropos, who carries the scissors to snip the thread of life at its end. These three divinities pervade all the stories of Greek myth, whether they be stories of gods, goddesses, demigods, heroes, or mortals and regardless of the exploits recounted. Nothing can be done to alter or prolong the destiny of one’s life, regardless of the number of preparations or precautions taken. This inflexibility applies just as much to Zeus as to the lowliest mortal, as we see in Zeus’s hounding of Prometheus to divulge the name of the woman who will bear the offspring that one day will kill him. Though this lesson is somewhat consoling—the way of the world cannot be bent to match the whims of those in authority—it is also very disturbing. The prospect of free will seems rather remote, and even acts of great valor and bravery seem completely useless. The myths provide an interesting counterpoint to this uselessness, however. In virtually all the stories in which a character does everything in his power to block a negative fate, and yet falls prey to it,...

Words: 2346 - Pages: 10