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Apollo was the sun god, as well as the god of medicine, music and
the patron of poetry, mathematics and prophecy, being known also and Phoebus
(the bright one), King of minstrels, Prince of oracles and Lord of the
golden bow. It was his job to rise from his bed in his eastern palace every
morning, bridle his fiery stallions and drive the chariot of the sun across
the sky till he finally dips beyond the western edge of the world where
he stables his horses. As his first act, he took his golden bow and hunted
down the python that and chased his mother, Leto, on orders of a jealous
Hera, across the world and back; it fled to a cave in Delphi and Apollo
followed it in and slew it, making the cave his own and erecting a temple
there, served by oracular priestesses called Pythonesses. Apollo most closely
resembles the Greek ideal being incredibly handsome, eternally youthful
warm-hearted, and quick and cool thinker, filled with a serene wisdom and
potent in battle; he always preached moderation and doing away with excess,
even when it came to moderation itself and always had a sweet sense of
humor and mild temper. No one knows for sure which of the gods Zeus loved
best, but it was to Apollo that he gave the most significant powers.
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