Apollo

Sculptures from the temple of Zeus pediment in ancient Olympia.

This god of the sun held many religious facets; he was the God of Light, a symbol that existed concomitantly with the idea of purity, and so he was also the God of Truth.

His byname Phoebus means “bright” and “shining”. In a more domestic sense, Apollo was a master musician when he played his golden lyre as well as the god of crops and herds. Apollo is dubbed the most Hellenic of the Olympian gods and has been widely and influential in legends of Greek mythology.

Rivaling Zeus in reverence, Apollo gained such religious significance by communicating to mortals through prophets at his oracles—the most notable being the Oracle of Delphi. 

His oracles were the epitome of prophecy and piety: a direct link between gods and men where priests interpreted the future. 

Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, born on the tiny island of Delos with his twin sister Artemis. 


Related Pages