Apollon
Apollo is the god of Light and Darkness, of Healing and Plagues, Redemption, Inspiration and Oracles. He was considered one of the most powerful Gods and was both a helper in times of need and the goal of excellence for every men.
Jump to: Blessings – God Of – Primary Cult Centers – Epithets – Symbols –Animals – Sacrifices – Festivals – Honors – Articles – Sources – Links
Blessings
Apollon’s blessings are beauty, healing, justice, strength, artistic and athletic skill, as well as prophecy. He helps people to find ways to become better than they are. He heals all ailments – spiritual as well as physical. He punishes unjust acts, yet helps those who have committed them to find redemption and purification. He inspires the best work by poets and sculptors, athletes and scientists. He communicates to Man the will of his father, Zeus, making known what was hidden. Above all he preaches the Hellenic ideal of moderation and nothing to excess.
God Of
- Light and the Sun
- Purification, Redemption, Healing and Plagues
- Music, Poetry, Arts and Sciences
- Prophecy and Oracles
- Youth, Protector of Young Boys
- Perfection, Beauty, and Moderation
- Death, Darkness and Destruction
- Protector of the House
- Protector of Sailors
- Sports, Archery, Competitions, Victory and the Laurel
- Philosophy and Meditation
- Colonies, Foreign Countries, Civilization
- Herdsmen, Wolfs and Shamanism
- Earth and Life
Primary Cult Centers
- Delos
- Delphi
- Dydima
Epithets
- Agonios – Who helps in contests/struggles
- Agreus – Hunter
- Aguieus – Protector of streets and public places
- Aigletes – Radiant
- Akersekomes – Of beautiful unbound hair
- Akesios – Averter of evil
- Akestor – Of healing arts or Averter of evil
- Aktios – Of the foreshore
- Alexicacus – Averter of healing or plague healer
- Amazonios – Of the Amazons
- Aphertoros – God of the Bow
- Apotropaios – Averter of evil
- Argurtoxos – With the silver bow
- Aristaios – The Best
- Arkhegetes – Leader of Colonies
- Boedromios – Who Helps/Saves in War
- Chrusaor – Of the Golden Harms, Of Golden Sword
- Coelispex – He Who Watches the Heavens
- Daphnaios – Of the Laurel
- Daphnephoros – Bay-Bearer
- Deiradiotes – Of the Ridge
- Dekatephoros – To Whom a Tenth of the Booty Belongs
- Delphinius – Of Delphi, of the Dolphins
- Dionysodotes – Who Gives Dionysus
- Epibaterios – Who Conducts Men Aboard a Ship
- Epikourios – Helper, Ally, or Healer
- Eruthibios – Of the Mildew
- Genetor – Begetter or Ancestor
- Hebdomagetes – Leader of the Seven
- Hekatos – Who Shoots from Afar
- Hersos – New Bord, Divine Child
- Horios – Of the Boundaries
- Hyperborean – Of the Hyperboreans
- Iatros – Doctor
- Intonsus – Unshorn, Of Eternal Youth
- Isodetes – Who Binds All Equal
- Karneios – Of the Karneia
- Kataibates – Who Grands a Happy Return
- Kitharodos – Singer to the Lyre
- Klarios – Distributing by Loot
- Kledones – Of Omens in Sound and Words
- Kourotrophos – Protector of Youth
- Kynthios – Of Mount Cynthus
- Kyrios – Lord
- Latoios – Son of Leto
- Leukatas – Of the Light
- Loimios – Deliverer from Plague
- Loxias – The Obscure, Of Oblique Oracles
- Lukegenos – Born in the Light of Lycia
- Lukeios – Of the Wolf, Of the Light, or Destroyer
- Maleatas – Healer
- Marmarinos – Of the Marble
- Meliai – Of the Ash Trees
- Moiragetes – Leader of the Moiroi
- Musagetes – Leader of the Muses
- Nomios – Wanderer
- Nymphegetes – Leader of the Nymphs
- Oulios – Of Formidable Health
- Paian – Healer
- Parrastos – The Helper
- Paruopios – Grasshopper/Locust
- Patroos – Ancestral
- Phoibos – Shinning One
- Phuzios – Protector of Fugitives
- Platonistios – Of the Plane Tree
- Proopios – Foreseer
- Prostaterios – Standing Before the Entrance
- Pythios – Slayer of the Python
- Smintheus – Mouse Catcher
- Spodios – Of the Ashes, Who Receives Great Sacrifices
- Thearios – Of the Oracle
- Theoxenios – Of the Theoxenia, Protector of Strangers
- Thermios – Of the Lupine Flowers
Symbols
Golden lyre, Silver bow, Tripod, Sun, Golden sword, Golden ribbons, Laurel crown, Eiresione (olive branches with fruits, olive oil pots and wool hanging from it)
Animals
Crow, Wolf, Dolphin, Mouse, Locust, Grasshopper, Lion, Falcon, Rabbit, Reindeer, Deer, Ram, Snake
Sacrifices
Bay, Laurel, Vine, Rush, Sunflower, Amber, Hyacinth, Frankincense, Olibanum, Aloe, Plane tree, Ash tree, Cypress, Locks of hair, Honey, Lupine flowers, Goats, Goat horns, Donkey
Festivals
- Boedromia (7 Boedromion (September-October)) A celebration of Apollon as a God of battle and who helps in battle
- Daphnephoria (Unknown) Held every nine years at Thebes, a celebration of Apollon Daphnephoros with a majestic procession
- Delphinia (6 Mounikhion (April-May)) Opening of the sailing season, celebration of Apollon as a God with influence over the sea, saviour of sailors and of Theseus
- Hyakinthia (Hekatombaion (July-August)) Celebration of the hero/God Hyakinthos
- Karneia (7-15 Metageitnion (August-September)) Celebration of Apollon of the ram and of colonization
- Metageitnia (7 Metageitnion (August-September)) Celebration of Apollon as a God of politics and foreign affairs
- Nymphegetes (8 Gamelion (January-February)) Festival of Apollon and the Nymphs
- Philokhoria (Modern observance – Summer Solstice) A joint festival of Artemis and Apollo based on an obscure passage in Callimachus’ hymn to Artemis
- Puanepsia (7 Puanepsion (October-November)) Festival of purification and protection
- Pythian Games (Metageitnion, 3rd year of the Olympiad) Pan-Hellenic games in honor of Apollon of Delphi, slayer of the Python
- Seventh (7th of the month) Held to be Apollon’s birthday
- Thargelia (6-7 Thargelion (May-June)) Birthday of Apollon and Artemis, first fruit offerings and purification festival
Ways to honor
Put your core values into practice: don’t just preach it, live it. Live life to its fullest. Cultivate the arts; write, draw, paint, dance, play an instrument, sculpt or support those who do. Read philosophy, and try to think outside the box. Learn and practice a form of divination. Meditate. Live healthily. Exercise regularly. Take an interest in what you eat and how it affects your body. Visit the sick. Donate time, or money if unable, to causes dealing with illnesses.
More…
Articles
- Analysis of the Homeric Hymn 21 by Miguel
Ancient Hymns and Texts
- No Ancient Texts yet… Do you know one? Contact the member responsible for this page by clicking his name on the sidebar.
Modern Hymns and Devotions
- To Apollon by Xaphriel
- Hymn to Pythios by Lykeia
- Hymn of Morning by Lykeia
- To Apollon, God of Light by Lykeia
Primary Sources
- Aeschylus’ Agamemnon 1202-1212
- Aeschylus’ Eumenides
- Apollondorus’ Library 1.3.2-4, 1.4.1-2, 1.7.8-9, 1.9.15, 2.5.9, 2.6.2, 3.10.1-4, 3.12.5
- Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautica 2.500-520, 2.946-953, 4.6.11-618
- Euripides’ Orestes, Electra, Iphigeneia among the Taurians, Ion
- Hesiod’s Catalogues of Women 63-64, 83, 88-93, 98
- Hesiod’s Shield of Heracles 68-69, 477-480
- Hesiod’s Theogony 94-95, 346-348
- Homer’s Iliad 1.10, 1.33, 5.430, 7.270, 7.445, 21.435, 22.200,
- Homer’s Odyssey 8.226-228, 15.243-253
- Homeric Hymn to Apollon 3a, 3b, 21, 25
- Homeric Hymn to Hermes 4
- Hyginus’ Fabulae 9-10, 28, 32, 49-51, 107, 135, 140, 165, 191, 200,
- Ovid’s Metamorphoses 1.438-567, 1.750-2.400, 2.535-632, 6.204-266, 6.382-400, 11.153-171, 11.303-345, 14.129-153, 10.162-219, 10.106-142
- Papyri Graeci Magicae 1.262-347, 4.1-47
- Pausanias’ Description of Greece 1.30.3, 1.42.2, 1.43.7-8, 2.26.4-7, 2.30.3, 2.33.2, 2.7.7, 5.14.8, 7.23.8, 8.20.4, 8.30.3-4, 9.10.5-6, 10.5.6, 10.6.7,
- Pindar’s Pythian Odes 3, 5, 9
Links
- Kyklos Apollon
- Wildvine – Apollon
- About Apollon by El Sharra
- Temple of Apollwn
- God of Sunlight and Music
- Encyclopedia Mythica
- Apollon and Musical Compositions
- Etymology of Apollon
- Thiasos Apollon
- Temple of Apollon
- Apollon and Lycia
- Experiences at Bassai
- Didyma
- HTAZP
- Temple of Apollon and Asklepios
Modern Books
- Apollo by Fritz Graf