Who is Apollo in ancient Greece? Apollo

The god Apollo is one of the most controversial creatures of the ancient Greek pantheon. The god of beauty, whom women fear for some reason. Patron of healing, sent...

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The Pantheon of Ancient Greece consisted of a huge number of supernatural beings, one way or another influencing the fate of man, and the twelve Olympians were especially revered, including the patron of sciences and arts - the god Apollo.

Origin

According to ancient Greek myths, Apollo's parents were the thunderer and ruler of Olympus Zeus and the titanide Leto. Along with his sister Artemis, Apollo was born on the secluded island of Asteria, floating in the ocean. The reason for this was the jealousy of Hera, the legal wife of Zeus. Having learned about her husband’s next betrayal, the goddess forbade Leto to touch solid ground with her feet and even sent a monster named Python to her.

The birth of Apollo and Artemis was a real miracle: the entire island was illuminated with light. In memory of this, Astraea was renamed Delos (in Greek diloo means "I manifest"). This place immediately became sacred, like the palm tree under which the future sun god was born. Apollo grew very quickly and from childhood had remarkable strength. So, while still a child, he killed Python, who had haunted his mother for so long.

Delphic Oracle

Apollo is known as the patron of soothsayers. At the place where, according to legend, Python was killed, the Delphic Oracle arose - one of the most revered sanctuaries of Ancient Greece. Many famous people of antiquity turned to Apollo and the keeper of the oracle - the Pythia - for advice. Especially famous is the prediction of the god Apollo, told by Herodotus, about King Croesus. He, fearing the growing power of the Persians, sent an envoy to the Pythia, who asked whether it was worth going to war against such a rival. Apollo, through the Pythia, replied that if Croesus entered into battle with the Persians, he would destroy the great kingdom. Encouraged, the king immediately attacked his enemies and suffered a crushing defeat. When he, indignant, sent an ambassador again demanding an explanation, the Pythia replied that Croesus had misinterpreted the prophecy. Apollo meant that it was the kingdom of Croesus that would be destroyed.

In addition to the Delphic Oracle, under the patronage of Apollo there were sanctuaries in various cities of Italy and Asia Minor, for example, in Cumae, Claros and Colofna. Some of Apollo's children inherited their father's prophetic gift. The most famous and revered among them was the Sibyl.

Apollo and Cassandra

Like his father, Apollo was distinguished by his love of love. Among his lovers were not only goddesses, but also mortal women, as well as some young men. It is surprising that although Apollo is the god of beauty, he was often rejected by women. This, for example, happened when he fell in love with Cassandra, the daughter of the Trojan king Priam. Wanting to charm the girl, he endowed her with the gift of prediction. However, not having met reciprocity, God severely punished her, commanding that all of Cassandra’s predictions be true, but no one would believe them. And so it happened. Several times Cassandra foretold the destruction of Troy, but everyone remained deaf to her prophecies.

Trojan War

But such punishment for Cassandra was rather an exception to the rule. During the Trojan War, when all the gods were divided into two camps, Apollo, along with his sister Artemis, sided with the Trojans. Moreover, his role was significant. It was he who guided Hector's hand when he killed Paris, and it was he who helped Paris hit the heel - the only weak spot - of Achilles. With his arrows he once sent a plague to the Greek camp. The reason for such sympathy for the Trojans may be vague memories of the origin of this ancient god. Apollo is believed to have first begun to be revered in Asia Minor.

Dark Side

According to myths, perhaps the main activity of the gods is fun. Apollo was considered one of their most sophisticated organizers. However, even this seemingly harmless deity has a dark side.

Apollo was considered the patron of the sciences and arts, especially music. The lyre is one of his attributes. But there is a curious myth according to which one of the satyrs (creatures whose upper body is human and the lower part of the body is goat) named Marsyas achieved such perfection in playing the flute that he dared to challenge Apollo to a musical duel. God accepted the challenge. His performance on the lyre delighted all the judges so much that they unanimously gave him the victory. However, this was not enough for the vengeful god. He ordered the unfortunate satyr to be caught and flayed alive.

Another unsightly act of Apollo was caused by such a noble feeling as sons' love. One woman named Niobe was extremely fertile and gave birth to 50 children. Proud of herself, she decided to mock Leto, reproaching her for being able to give birth to only a son and a daughter. Apollo and Artemis decided to stand up for their mother in a unique way. Armed with bows and arrows, they shot all of Niobe's children. The mother turned to stone out of grief.

It is assumed that cruelty was the main component of the image of Apollo in the archaic period. Evidence has been preserved according to which this god was remembered in those days as a demon of murder, death and destruction. Human sacrifices were even made in honor of Apollo.

Apollo as protector

The complexity of Greek mythology often manifests itself in the fact that the same god is both the source of trouble and the pacifier and protector. This versatility is especially noticeable in the classical period. As follows from his nicknames (Alexikakos, Akesius, Prostatus, Epicurius, Apotropaeus, translated as “abominator of evil,” “healer,” “intercessor,” “trustee,” “abominer,” respectively), people in difficult situations could count on the support of the sun god .

From the nymph Coronis, Apollo had a son named Asclepius. He inherited the gift of healing from his father. And although Asclepius acted as an independent god, the thought always remained in the minds of the ancient Greek that this was happening by the grace of Apollo.

This change in image also required correction of ancient legends. The Greeks accepted that Apollo killed Python, even if it was for good reasons. But such deeds were no longer associated with the radiant god of the sun and beauty. This is where the disagreement in the history of the Delphic Oracle comes from. According to some legends, it actually arose at the site of the death of Python, while others claim that the sanctuary existed before, and Apollo came there to receive cleansing from the murder. When such a service was provided to him, God took the oracle under his protection.

Apollo in service

Obviously, the most ancient features of the image of Apollo were not eradicated immediately and with difficulty. At least his willfulness remained unchanged. Zeus, wanting to humble his disobedient son or punish him for yet another trick, often deprived Apollo of his divine power and sent him as a mere mortal to serve some earthly king. Apollo obeyed, but in such cases he preferred to hire himself as a shepherd.

Once he found himself at the court of the king of the already mentioned Troy, Laomedon. He dutifully served for the agreed period, and at the end of it he demanded payment of his salary. Laomedont, not suspecting who he was dealing with, drove the shepherd out and promised him after him that if he did not lag behind, then he, the king of Troy, would order his ears to be cut off and sell him into slavery. Zeus turned out to be fairer than Laomedon, and returned all his strength to Apollo, who had served his sentence. The vengeful god did not hesitate to settle accounts with the Trojan king: he sent a plague epidemic to Troy.

In another case, Apollo was more fortunate. When he hired himself as a shepherd to Admit, the king of Thessaly, he, being a quick-witted man, realized that the young man standing in front of him was too beautiful to be a mere mortal. Admit gave up his throne to the would-be shepherd. Apollo refused, explaining his situation. Upon returning to Olympus, God did not forget to repay the Thessalian king with good for good. His state became the richest, and farmers harvested crops twice a year.

Attributes of Apollo

Among the many surviving Greek statues, Apollo can be recognized by several items that he always carries with him. In particular, this was a laurel wreath. According to legend, Apollo fell in love with the nymph Daphne, but for some reason she disliked him so much that she chose to turn into a laurel tree.

Other frequent attributes of the ancient Greek god Apollo are a bow and arrows, which send not only plague, but also bestow the light of knowledge, as well as a lyre and a chariot. In addition, the palm tree under which he was born, a swan, a wolf and a dolphin were associated with the cult of this god.

Appearance

The animals listed are clearly relics of the totemic beliefs of the ancient Greeks. In the archaic period, Apollo could be depicted as one of these creatures. With the final design of the Olympic pantheon, the attractive appearance of Apollo becomes part of the canon. The gods of Greece were bearers of certain ideal traits that every mortal should strive for, and Apollo is no exception in this regard. He appeared to be a handsome beardless young man with lush golden curls and a courageous figure.

Among other deities

If you follow the myths, Apollo showed vindictiveness and malice only towards mortals or lower spirits like the satyr Marsyas. In his relationships with other Olympians, he appears as a calm and reasonable deity. Having killed many heroes in the Trojan War, Apollo categorically refuses to fight with other Greek gods.

Apollo did not show his usual vindictiveness when Hermes decided to play a trick on him. When Apollo worked as a shepherd for yet another offense, Hermes managed to steal a whole herd from him by deception. The sun god managed to find the loss, but Hermes charmed him so much with his playing of the lyre that Apollo left the animals to him in exchange for this instrument.

Veneration of Apollo

Regular Pythian games were held in the Delphic oracle, which became the center of worship of Apollo. Participants competed in strength, agility and endurance. However, the main temple to the glory of the sun god was still located on Delos - the place of his birth. Only minor remains of the huge temple have survived to this day, but even those, such as the Terrace of the Lions, amaze the imagination. The ruins of a monumental sanctuary in Corinth have also been preserved, which even the Romans could not completely destroy.

A special temple to Apollo was erected in the Peloponnese. It is designed in such a way that it rotates with the Earth around its axis in the rhythm and direction of the North Star. Thanks to this, the sanctuary can be used as a compass, since it is oriented exactly from north to south.

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Was he rejected? Guardian of light, sciences and arts, god-healer, patron of muses, travelers and sailors, predictor of the future served as an ordinary shepherd... and defeated the titans.

Apollo, Phoebus (“radiant”) - in Greek mythology, the golden-haired, silver-bowed god is the guardian of herds, light (sunlight was symbolized by his golden arrows), sciences and arts, a healer god, leader and patron of the muses (for which he was called Musaget), roads, travelers and sailors, a predictor of the future, and Apollo also cleansed people who committed murder. He personified the Sun (and his twin sister Artemis - the Moon).

Apollo was an excellent musician; he received the cithara from Hermes in exchange for his own cows. God was the patron of singers, was the leader of the muses, and severely punished those who tried to compete with him. Once Apollo defeated the satyr Marsyas in a musical competition. But after the competition, Apollo, enraged by the slander and insolence of Marsyas, flayed the unfortunate man alive. He struck with his arrows the giant Tityus, who was trying to insult Leto, and the Cyclopes, who were forging lightning for Zeus; He also took part in the battles of the Olympians with giants and titans.

The cult of Apollo was widespread in Greece, and the Delphic temple with the oracle was considered the main center of his veneration. In ancient times, magnificent festivities and competitions were held in Delphi, not much inferior to the glorious Olympic Games. In the spring and summer he lived in Delphi, in the fall he flew away in his chariot drawn by snow-white swans to Hyperborea, where the goddess Summer was born. At the Olympic Games, Apollo defeated Hermes in a race, and defeated Ares in a fist fight. Apollo sang on the lyre at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Transformed into a hawk and a lion. Along with destructive actions, Apollo also has healing actions; he is a doctor and healer, a protector from evil and disease, who stopped the plague during the Peloponnesian War. He was the first to heal his eyes.

In later times, Apollo was identified with the sun in all the fullness of its healing and destructive functions. The epithet Apollo - Phoebus - indicates purity, brilliance, prophecy. The combination in the image of Apollo of rational clarity and dark elemental forces is confirmed by the closest connections between Apollo and Dionysius, although these are antagonistic deities: one is primarily the god of the light principle, the other of dark and blind ecstasy; but after the 7th century. BC the images of these gods began to come closer together - in Delphi, they both had orgies on Parnassus, Apollo himself was often revered as Dionysius and wore the distinctive sign of Dionysius - ivy. Participants in the festival in honor of Apollo decorated themselves with ivy (as at the Dionysus festivals).

In honor of Apollo himself, the first temple in Greece was built according to the design of Apollo himself: wonderful bees brought a sample molded from wax and it hovered in the air for a long time until people understood the plan: the main beauty was to be created by slender columns with beautiful capitals in the Corinthian style. Thousands of people from all over Ancient Greece flocked to Delphi, the foothills of Mount Parnassus, home of Apollo and the Muses, to ask the god about their future and the future of the city-states located in Hellas. The priestess, the Pythia, as she was called by the name of the snake Python, whose remains were smoldering in the gorge, entered the inner part of the temple of Apollo, she sat on a tripod and fell into oblivion from gas vapors that escaped from the crevice of the rock located under the temple.

Artemis was in love with Orion. One day he was swimming in the sea, and the jealous Apollo pointed to a “point” far in the waves and said that his sister would not hit it with an arrow. Artemis fired, and when she realized what she had done, it was too late. She mourned her lover and took him to heaven, making him a constellation.

The priest approached the gate, behind which there was a Pythia, and conveyed the question of the next pilgrim. The words barely reached her consciousness. She answered in abrupt, incoherent phrases. The priest listened to them, wrote them down, giving them coherence, and announced them to the questioner. In addition to the oracle, the Greeks were attracted to bright and joyful services to God. A huge number of hymns were composed and performed by kifareds (playing the cithara) and choirs of boys and young men. A beautiful laurel grove grew around the temple, which was liked by pilgrims. Apollo and those Greeks who won in singing anthems and in the Olympic Games were decorated with a laurel wreath, because the beautiful Daphne, whom Apollo fell in love with, turned into a laurel.

He was also glorified by his own famous children: Asclepius - with the art of healing and Orpheus - with wonderful singing. On the island of Delos, the birthplace of Apollo, festivals were held once every four years, in which representatives of all the cities of Hellas participated. Wars and executions were not permitted during these festivities. Apollo was honored not only by the Greeks, but also by the Romans. A temple named after him was built in Rome and gymnastic and artistic competitions were established, centuries-old games held in Rome once every 100 years, which lasted 3 days and 3 nights.

We all heard legends about the Greek gods as children. Today there is an opportunity to get acquainted with one of them - Apollo.

Who is Apollo?

Apollo(or another name Phoebus, which means “radiant”) is a God in Greek mythology: a golden-haired god with a silver bow, who is the keeper of herds, light (after all, sunlight was symbolized by his golden arrows), the god of science and art, the healer god , head and patron of muses.

Apollo was also a harbinger of the future, the patron of roads, travelers and sailors. In Greek mythology, he personified the Sun (and his twin sister Artemis the Moon).

Apollo is the son of Zeus and the nymph Leto, the brother of Artemis, the Olympian god, who combined in himself the classical image of archaic and chthonic figures of the pre-Greek and Asia Minor periods of development (this explains the variety of his functions - both destructive and charitable, as well as the combination in Apollo of dark and bright sides).

Apollo was born on a floating island called Asteria, on which Zeus and the nymph Leto met secretly, whom Zeus's jealous wife Hera forbade to set foot on solid ground. The island on which two divine twins were born, Apollo and Artemis, later became known as Delos, and the palm tree under which Leto gave birth became sacred, like the very birthplace of the god Apollo.

Apollo had many talents. He became famous as the founder and builder of cities, the ancestor and patron of tribes. He is a good musician. The golden-haired Apollo received his cithara from the god Hermes in exchange for cows. The son of Zeus is considered the patron saint of singers and musicians, for which he received the nickname Musaget. He severely punishes those who try to compete with him in music. And he generously rewards those who worship him.

God Apollo

Prophetic gift of Apollo. None of the immortals can compare in beauty with Apollo! He is forever young - a tall, slender, golden-haired god; his penetrating, clear eyes see everything that happens on earth and what is destined to happen in the future. [None of the gods, as the Greeks thought, knew the future better than him, so the inhabitants of Hellas built many temples of Apollo with oracles - special places where anyone could receive a prediction. The most revered was the oracle in the sacred city of Apollo - Delphi. This is what they said about its foundation.]

Apollo and Python. When Apollo grew up and gained strength, he decided to take revenge on the snake Python for his mother. Finding him on the spurs of Mount Parnassus, the golden-eyed Apollo pelted him with his sparkling arrows. Fleeing from the formidable god, Python fled. Apollo pursued him to the most sacred Delphi, where Python tried to elude him into the sanctuary of Mother Earth. However, the formidable god entered there too and struck his enemy to death right at the edge of the sacred chasm. Of course, there was no need to kill the snake in the sanctuary - it was a religious crime, and it was necessary to cleanse oneself of its filth. Apollo underwent purification on the island of Crete, and then returned to Delphi. [To atone for Apollo’s guilt in desecrating the sanctuary, the Pythian Games were established here, in which all free Hellenes participated.] And in the temple, Apollo, having learned from Pan the art of predicting the future, founded an oracle.

Terpsichore. Roman
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Priestess Pythia.

He gave answers to the questioners here through the Pythia priestess. She sat on a special tripod over a crevice from which vapors rose, and inhaled them. Having entered a state of frenzy, she began to shout out fragmentary incoherent words, which were carefully recorded by the Delphic priests. Then a poetic answer was composed from these words and given to the questioner. In the entire history of the Delphic Oracle, not a single incorrect prediction is known! Of course, this is explained not so much by the prophetic gift of the Pythia as by the dexterity of the priests. All answers given to the question were designed in such a way that several opposing interpretations could be given. For example, the Lydian king Croesus, who asked whether he should start a war against the Persians, was told that by starting it he would destroy a great kingdom. At the same time, of course, it was not specified which kingdom was meant. If Croesus defeats the Persians, that means the prediction has come true; If the Persians defeat Croesus, it means that he misunderstood the prediction: he was promised that he would destroy the great kingdom, but not the Persian one, but his own.

Apollo and the Muses. Parnassus. The golden arrows of Apollo's quiver are like the sun's rays; radiance spreads wherever he appears. Therefore, they also call him Phoebus, that is, radiant, clear. He is a wonderful musician, enchanting everyone with the sounds of his cithara. That's why they call him Kifared. On earth, Apollo is the inspirer of the arts. He is always accompanied by the daughters of Zeus, the goddess-muses. There are nine of them, and each patronizes its own art or science. Melpomene - tragedies, Terpsichore - dancing, Clio - the science of history, Urania - astronomy, Erato - love songs, Polyhymnia - solemn poetry, Calliope - knowledge and poetry recounting heroic events, Euterpe - lyric poetry, Thalia - comedy. Since Apollo leads their choir, he received the name Musagetes ("Leader of the Muses"). The favorite place of Apollo and the muses is Mount Parnassus. On the slopes of this mountain flowed the famous Kastalsky spring - a source of inspiration for poets and, in general, all people who are involved in the musical arts.

Apollo is the destroyer and the healer. Apollo holds a bow in his hands, with arrows from which he strikes all his enemies. These arrows bring with them pestilence, epidemics, death to dozens of people, and therefore Apollo was called Apollo the Destroyer. But by sending diseases, Apollo can heal them, which is why he was called Apollo the Healer.

Asclepius. Roman
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Asclepius and his descendants. The son of Apollo was Asclepius, the most skillful of doctors, who healed any illnesses and wounds and even tried to disrupt the world order, intending to resurrect the dead. Of course, the gods could not allow this, and Zev incinerated Asclepius with his lightning. However, then, heeding Apollo’s pleas, the Thunderer resurrected the doctor and accepted him to Olympus. So Apollo's son Asclepius became the god of healing. The sons of Asclepius became skilled healers, and from them came the family of Asclepiad doctors on earth; his daughter Hygieia became the goddess - the giver of health [we still use her name in the word "hygiene"], and Panacea (Panacea) sent people healing from all pains. Apollo, the father of Asclepius and a healer of diseases, was called by many honorary nicknames, including Alexikakis (“Abominator of Evil”), Prostatus (“Intercessor”), Paean (“Resolver of Diseases,” “Helper in Trouble”).

Apollo is the patron saint of farmers and shepherds. Apollo is one of the most powerful gods, so when he enters the assembly of gods on Olympus, everyone stands before him respectfully and even with some fear. However, in addition to all the listed functions and epithets, Apollo had some others, not so high. The farmer also honored him, calling him Sminfey (“Mouse One”), since he protects grain from mice; the shepherds called him Apollo of Lyceum ("Wolf"), as he protects the flocks from wolves. So it turned out that most people in Greece considered Apollo their patron under different names.

Apollo and Hyakinthos. Apollo is the most beautiful of the gods, but there are matters in which he is unlucky, and these are matters of love. More often than not, God's good attitude turned into a tragedy for the one who experienced it. Apollo's friend was the beautiful young man Hyakinthos, but the god of the west wind Zephyr (who himself wanted to be friends with the young man and therefore envied Apollo) made it so that Apollo accidentally hit him with a discus, in throwing which he competed with Hyakinthos, and killed him. From the blood of the young man arose a flower that immortalized his name in human memory - hyacinth.

Apollo playing
on the cithara

Apollo and Daphne. Apollo's love for the beautiful nymph Daphne also ended sadly. Aphrodite has a son - a cheerful, fast, playful, insidious boy, Eros. He flies on golden wings over the world, over lands and seas; in his hands he has a small golden bow. No one is protected from the arrows of the naughty Eros; they can even hit the thunderer Zeus. Without pain, arrows pierce into hearts, and the flame of love flares up in them. These arrows do not always bring joy and happiness; they often bring suffering, the torment of love, and even death. People suffer, and gods suffer too.

Once the golden-haired Apollo laughed at Eros’s small bow; the boy was offended and sent two arrows: one, exciting love, into the heart of Apollo, and the other, killing love, into the heart of the nymph Daphne.

Apollo met a beautiful nymph and fell in love with her. But as soon as Daphne saw the golden-haired god, she began to run with the speed of the wind. “Stop, beautiful nymph! - Apollo called to her. “Why are you running away from me, like a lamb pursued by a wolf?” After all, I am not your enemy! Look, you hurt your feet on the thorny grass. Don’t run so fast, because love makes me rush in your footsteps!” But Daphne ran faster and faster.

When her strength began to leave her and she realized that her loving god was about to overtake her, Daphne prayed to her father, the river god Peneus: “Help me, father! Take this image away from me - it only causes me suffering!” As soon as she said this, her body became numb, bark covered it, her hair turned into leaves, and her hands into branches. Daphne became a laurel. For a long time the saddened Apollo stood next to the tree, for a long time he heard the beating of Daphne’s heart under the tree bark, and finally he said: “May your greenery never wither, oh laurel! Stay forever green! It happened as the great god said. And Apollo himself from then on wore a laurel wreath and decorated his lyre and quiver with arrows with laurel greens.

Apollo in ancient Greek mythology, the god of light, patron of the arts, leader and patron of the muses, predictor of the future, god-healer, patron of settlers and the founding of ancient Greek colonies. Purified people who committed murder. One of the most revered gods. Apollo is an Olympian god who included in his classical image the archaic and chthonic features of pre-Greek and Asia Minor development (hence the variety of his functions - both destructive and beneficent, the combination of dark and light sides in him).

Family and environment

Homer reports that after the discovery of the conspiracy of Hera, Poseidon and Apollo against Zeus (according to the Iliad, Athena took part in it instead of Apollo), Apollo and Poseidon in the form of mortals served with the Trojan king Laomedon and built the walls of Troy, which they then destroyed, angry at Laomedon, not who gave them the agreed payment.

Apollo struck with his arrows the giant Titius, who was trying to insult Leto.

Classical Apollo is the god of the heroic time, which among the Greeks was always contrasted with the previous chthonic period, when man was too weak to fight the powerful forces of nature and could not yet be a hero. The two greatest heroes, Hercules and Theseus, were associated with the mythology of classical Apollo. If, according to some myths, Apollo and Hercules fight each other for the Delphic tripod, then in other myths they found a city and even together received purification after murder, being in slave service.

Under the patronage of Apollo, Theseus kills the Minotaur and streamlines the laws in Athens, and Orpheus pacifies the elemental forces of nature.

When the son of Apollo, the healer Asclepius, was struck by the arrows of Zeus for trying to resurrect people, Apollo killed the Cyclopes who were forging arrows for Zeus, and as punishment he was sent to serve as a shepherd for King Admetus in Thessaly, where he increased his flocks and, together with Hercules, saved the king’s wife Alcesta from death. . He made the arrow with which he killed the Cyclops into a constellation. According to Hesiod and Akusilaus, Zeus wanted to cast him into Tartarus, but Leto begged him to be given into the service of man.

The destructive arrows of Apollo and Artemis bring sudden death to old people, sometimes striking without any reason. In the Trojan War, Apollo the arrow helps the Trojans, and his arrows carry the plague to the Achaean camp for nine days. He invisibly participates in the murder of Patroclus by Hector and Achilles by Paris.

Agamemnon captured the daughter of the priest Apollo Chryses, Chryseis, in the Trojan War. The girl's father begged Agamemnon to return his daughter to him, but he refused. After the death of part of the Greek army from the arrows of the avenging Apollo, Agamemnon was forced to return Chryseis to his father.

The daughter of Tantalus and the wife of the Theban king Amphion Niobe (or Niobe) was proud of her numerous offspring (according to various estimates, from 12 to 20 children). By doing this she offended the goddess Leto. For this, Apollo and Artemis killed all of Niobe’s children with a bow, and she herself was petrified with grief.

In a musical competition, Apollo defeats the satyr Marsyas, and Apollo, enraged by his insolence, tears off the skin of the satyr. In the musical competition between Apollo and Pan, King Midas of Phrygia awarded the victory to Pan. This is where the expression “Midas judgment” arose, i.e. court of the ignorant. As punishment for this, Apollo gave Midas donkey ears. The king hid his ears under a Phrygian cap, and only the barber knew about the king’s secret. Tormented by the impossibility of telling about the secret, the barber dug a hole and whispered there: “King Midas has donkey ears.” He filled the hole with earth, but in this place a reed grew, which rustled about the secret to everyone.

Along with destructive actions, Apollo also has healing actions. He is a doctor, a helper, a protector from evil and disease, who stopped the plague during the Peloponnesian War. He was the first to heal his eyes. In later times, Apollo was identified with the sun in all the fullness of its healing and destructive functions.

At the Olympic Games, Apollo defeated Hermes in the race, and defeated Ares in a fist fight. Apollo sang on the lyre at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis.

On the basis of the mythology of Apollo, the myth of the Hyperboreans and their country arose, where morality and the arts flourished under the sign of the wisdom of Apollo. It is believed that in the spring and summer Apollo lived in Delphi, and in the fall he flew on his chariot drawn by snow-white swans to Hyperborea, where the goddess Summer was born. Hyperborean priests founded temples and sanctuaries of Apollo. One of the priests of Apollo, the soothsayer Abaris, according to legend, went without food and flew on a magic arrow given to him by Apollo.

Name, epithets and character

His name does not appear in the Cretan-Mycenaean texts. Data from the Greek language do not allow us to reveal the etymology of the name Apollo, which may indicate a non-Indo-European origin of the image. According to a common hypothesis, his name as Appaliunas appears in the treaty of King Wilusa Alexandrus with Muwatallis. According to another etymology (Yu.V. Otkupshchikov), the name comes from ancient Greek. “disgusting” (wolves, mice, locusts - depending on the epithet); according to Plutarch and Burkert - from “assembly”, the first month of the Delphic calendar was called “appellai”.

In later times, Apollo was identified with the Sun in all the fullness of its healing and destructive functions. Apollo's epithet Phoebus (phoibos) indicates purity, brilliance, oracle.

Apollo is a prophet and oracle, he is even thought of as the “driver of fate” - his epithet is Moiraget.

Apollo is a shepherd (his epithet is Nomius) and guardian of the flocks. He is the founder and builder of cities, the ancestor and patron of tribes, the “father.” Sometimes these functions of Apollo are connected with his service to people, to which he is sent by Zeus, angry with the independent disposition of Apollo.

Apollo is a musician; he received the cithara from Hermes in exchange for cows. He is the patron of singers and musicians, his epithet Musaget is “driver of the muses” and severely punishes those who try to compete with him in music.

The image of Apollo reflected the originality of Greek mythology in its historical development. Archaic Apollo is characterized by the presence of plant functions, his proximity to agriculture and shepherding. He is Daphnius, i.e. “laurel tree”, “laurel diviner”, “laurel tree lover” Daphne. His epithet is Drimas, i.e. "oak". Apollo is associated with cypress, palm, olive, ivy and other plants.

His zoomorphism is manifested in his connection and even complete identification with the raven, swan, mouse, wolf and ram. In the form of a raven, Apollo indicated where the city should be founded. His epithet is Cycnus ("swan"), who put Hercules to flight. He is Sminfey (“mouse”), the savior of mice. Apollo of Carnea is associated with Karn (Karney) - the demon of fertility. The epithet Lycean ("wolf") refers to Apollo as a guardian from wolves and as a wolf. In the form of a dog he came to the daughter of Antenor, in the form of a turtle and a snake to Dryope.

The matriarchal features of Apollo are reflected in his name from his mother - Letoid; he constantly bears the name of the goddess Leto who gave birth to him.

The interpenetration of life and death, characteristic of primitive thinking, did not escape Apollo; at this late stage of the archaic he is a demon of death, murder, even human sacrifices sanctified by the ritual, but he is a healer, an averter of troubles: his nicknames are Alexikakos (“abominator of evil”), Apotropaeus ("abominator"), Prostatus ("protector"), Akesius ("healer"), Paean or Paeon ("resolver of diseases"), Epicurius ("caregiver").

At the stage of Olympian or heroic mythology, in this gloomy deity, with his power over life and death, a certain stable principle stands out, from which grows a strong harmonious personality of the great god of the patriarchal era. He helps people, teaches them wisdom and arts, builds cities for them, protects them from enemies, and together with Athena acts as a defender of paternal right. Its zoomorphic and plant features become only rudimentary attributes. He is no longer a laurel, but he loves Daphne, who has become a laurel tree. He is not cypress and hyacinth, but his favorites are the young men Cypress and Hyacinth. He is not a mouse or a wolf, but the lord of mice and the slayer of the wolf.

The cult of Apollo was widespread in Greece everywhere, temples with the oracles of Apollo existed on Delos, in Didyma, Claros, Abachi, in the Peloponnese and other places, but the main center of veneration of Apollo was the Delphic temple with the oracle of Apollo, where the priestess of Apollo, the Pythia, sat on a tripod gave predictions. The ambiguous nature of the predictions, which allowed the widest interpretation, allowed the Delphic college of priests to influence the entire Greek politics.

In Delphi, festivities were held in honor of Apollo (theophany, theoxenia, Pythian Games, which were introduced in honor of the victory of Apollo over Python; in their brilliance and popularity they were second only to the Olympic Games). All months of the year, except three winter ones, were dedicated to Apollo at Delphi. The Temple of Apollo on Delos was the religious and political center of the Delian Union of Greek Polis; the treasury of the union was kept in it and meetings of its members took place. Apollo acquired the importance of an organizer not only in the socio-political life of Greece, but also in the field of morality, art and religion. During the classical period, Apollo was understood primarily as the god of art and artistic inspiration.

From the Greek colonies in Italy, the cult of Apollo penetrated to Rome, where this god took one of the first places in religion and mythology. Emperor Augustus declared Apollo his patron and established centuries-old games in his honor; the temple of Apollo near the Palatine was one of the richest in Rome.

Apollo's attributes are a silver bow and golden arrows, an aegis, a laurel wreath. Symbols - olive, iron, laurel, palm tree, dolphin, swan, wolf. Another distinctive feature of Apollo was the golden cithara (hence his nickname - Cyfared - “playing the cithara”) or lyre; this musical instrument personified national music, as opposed to the flute, which personified Phrygian music. Ancient Greek word kithara lives in European languages ​​in its descendant - the word guitar. And the guitar itself is nothing more than a cithara that has changed over time.

The main places of veneration are Delphi and the island of Asteria (Delos), the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, where delia (festivals in honor of Apollo, during which wars and executions were prohibited) were held every four years in late summer. The sanctuary at Delphi was known throughout the ancient world. It was there, at the site of Apollo's victory over the dragon Python who was pursuing his mother, that Apollo founded a sanctuary.

The third Vatican mythographer lists the 12 stones in Apollo's crown.

Apollo is also revered by the Gauls (according to Caesar). According to the Celtic song, after the death of Asclepius, he retired to the Hyperboreans, and his tears became amber. When the gods fled to Egypt, Apollo turned into a raven or a kite. The Egyptians dedicated hawks to Apollo (more precisely, the falcons of Horus). Apollo was revered in Tire. He was called "four-armed" and "four-eared."

The Etruscan deity Apl (Aplu, Apulu, Aplun) corresponds in many ways to Apollo. In Celtic mythology, the god Maponos (lat. Maponos) is mentioned by Roman authors, who identified him with Apollo. In West Semitic mythology, the fire deity Rashap, who sends wars and pestilence, was also identified with Apollo in the Hellenistic era.

Influence on culture and art

Among the images of Apollo are ancient Greek statues (known in Roman copies): “Apollo Killing a Lizard” (c. 370 BC, sculptor Praxiteles) and “Apollo Belvedere” (mid-4th century BC, sculptor Leochares ).

Pythagoras wrote an elegy on Apollo's tomb at Delphi, stating that he was the son of Silenus, killed by Python and mourned by the three daughters of Tripodes, hence the name Tripodus for the place where he is buried. According to Mnasei, he was struck and killed by Zeus. The I, II and XXI hymns of Homer, the II and IV hymns of Callimachus, and the XXXIV Orphic hymn are dedicated to him. The protagonist of Aeschylus' tragedy "Eumenides", Sophocles's satyr drama "The Pathfinders", Euripides' tragedies "Alcestis", "Orestes". There was a comedy by Philiscus of Kerkyra "The Birth of Apollo and Artemis".

In Nietzsche's philosophy, the Apollonian principle is one of the components of Greek culture, symbolizing order, clarity and light. The opposite principle is expressed in the image of Dionysus.

Apollo in modern times

NASA's manned space flight program, adopted in 1961, was named after Apollo.

A genus of large high-mountain daytime butterflies of the swallowtail family, Apollos, is named in honor of Apollo.

Apollo is a giant ancient impact crater, informally called the Apollo Basin, in the southern hemisphere of the far side of the Moon. The name is given in honor of the American Apollo space program, which in turn is named after the ancient Greek god Apollo.