"If you want to know the past, look at your present life.
If you want
to know the future, look at your present."
- Buddha
Apollo
God of Truth and Music
Apollo is one of the twelve major Gods of Olympus. He is the son of Zeus and Leto. Zeus fell in love with the mortal girl Leto, and to protect her from Hera's jealousy, He changed Leto into a swawn. It was all for naught, because Hera found out and punished the poor mortal women with nine days of labor. Leto gave birth on the island of Delios (the only land that would allow Leto to set foot upon it) to Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. From birth, Apollo becomes one of the more powerful of the Gods. He carries the golden arrows, and His sister carries the silver. His arrows never miss and can hit any target from any distance. He is the patron of archers, and many would dedicate their bows while in His temples. His arrows could carry plague and death, but He is also the God of Medicine (it is said that He gave Hermes the staff of healing). Apollo is one of the Harsher Gods, given to revenge and unbending truth. He does not lie and that is probably the main reason He is regarded as the God of Prophesy.
On Delios today are the remains of one of Apollos greatest temples...The Oracle of Delphi. Here is where all of civilized Greece and beyond came to have the oracle Pythia answer their questions. The woman was seated over a crack in the earth and allowed to breathe the noxious fumes which caused her to go into a trance-like state and babble out seemingly nonsence words. The priests in the temple interpreted the words into a prophesy that were regarded as coming from the God Himself. One women, Cassandra, was a princess of Troy who resisted Apollos' advances. He cursed her with telling true prophesies that no one would believe. Hence, when the Greeks gave Troy the wooden horse and she told the people it was a trick; no one listened to her and Troy fell.
After the Fifth century BC, it became the belief that it was Apollo who rode the golden chariot acorss the sky when actually it was Helios (the Sun God). Apollo is also the God of music. He is known for the creation and playing of the lyre, and is the Patron God of musicians. He is also acknowedged with victory, and the leaves of his plant (the laurel) has become a well known symbol of the victor and victory. Story has it he became enthralled with a beautiful river nymph named Daphne and chased her through the woods. Just as she was about to be caught, she called upon her father (the River God) to protect her, and He changed her into a laurel tree. Not to be denied, Apollo took some of her leaves and wove them into a crown for His head so He would always be near her.
Apollo is often depicted as a nude or semi-clothed youth of extreme beauty. He is often carrying either a lute or His arrows. Sometimes He is seen with His brother Bacchas (The God of the Vine and Wine). The Laurel tree is sacred to Him.
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Brightest of Blessings