Ancient Greek mythology: Apollo – God of sciences and arts. Myths and Legends * Apollo Apollo god of ancient Greece for children

Regarding the Second World War, you are again silent about the most important things. June 26 is de jure, but de facto Finland already occupied the demilitarized Aland Islands on the 21st (!) and on the 22nd, together with the Germans, laid mines in the Gulf of Finland. No one will start a war right away, ours also bombed Stockholm, but the Swedes did not want to fight, and the incident was hushed up through diplomatic channels. Yes, and you need to understand - according to the laws of war, if there is an army of one of the parties on your territory (and the Germans were in Lapland), you are no longer neutral and have the right to strike on your territory. The Finns did not storm Leningrad because, firstly, they well understood that KaUR was a tougher nut to crack than LM, and their forces were not the same. Secondly, Finland was a poor and sparsely populated country, not ready for a long war; as soon as it became clear that there would be no blitzkrieg, they were forced to demobilize part of the army and stop all activity, otherwise they would simply face hunger and cold. And thirdly, by the fall the USSR had secured the support of other great powers, who “showed a big fist” to Finland and hinted that they should not annoy our respected ally in order to avoid future troubles. As for the shelling of Leningrad, it is again not a matter of good nature - all of Finland’s large-caliber artillery was inherited from the Russian Empire, and they did not know how to produce shells. Therefore, we placed the guns where it was most necessary - along the coastal batteries and fired shots only when our ships approached.

Alexander - Why Russia lost wars to small states

Timofey, your answer is also in the spirit of agitprop, although not Soviet. If we limit our consideration to the narrow framework of the Karelian Isthmus in 1939, it seems to be so. What if we push the boundaries in space and time? There is a war going on in Europe, Germany and the Anglo-French coalition are fighting. How long Finland will remain neutral and whose side it will take, with whom the USSR will have to fight, is unknown. And the border is here - 30 km away. Even if it remains neutral, anyone will occupy it in a matter of days (there are no “Mannerheim lines” on other sides!) and strike Leningrad. Why Stalin, the question first came up in 1913, when Finland was still under Russian protectorate. Vel. book Nikolai Nikolaevich (future commander-in-chief in WWI) then wrote a letter to Minister of War Sukhomlinov indicating a military threat from this direction and a proposal to return the Vyborg province to Russia. Further, cadet B.E. Nolde, a member of the legal council under the Provisional Government of Lvov, stated: “Russia needs Finland as a springboard and base for the Russian fleet. From a strategic point of view, it is completely unthinkable to have a border 30 miles from the capital... Pacifist ideals of eternal peace are still too unrealizable.” Lenin, in his decree on the independence of Finland, demanded as a second point the creation of a joint commission to resolve controversial issues, and this commission also discussed the issue of the border. But it didn’t work out then; Finland felt able to wage a war against the RSFSR, which had numerous more serious problems, and not only remained with its own people, but also received gains as a result of the war.

Max - Where did the Jews live before Israel?

After all, Terah, Abrasha’s father, was from the city of Ur (Sumerian, Chaldean)...? Is not it so? I lived there with Abrash. And he was none other than the carver of idols at the temple, he carved the idols of Baal, related to the most sworn and hated enemy of the Eurogod, Yahweh of Hosts (aka Aten in Egypt). Terah, in his position at the temple, was quite wealthy and happy, had access to the sacred vaults of the priests of Bhaal. And he found something there that abruptly and secretly from everyone lifted his ass from his warm place and threw him out onto the road to Harran (originally he went to Canaan), to the market of sacred swag. He took Abrasha and company with him.

Apollo, or Phoebus, was the son of Zeus and Leto, brother of Artemis. Homer calls Phoebus the favorite son of Zeus.

Apollo, unusually for Hellenic gods, is loyal to his family - his mother and sister. They act on the same side in the Trojan War, the twins kill the children of Niobe, who insulted their mother, and shoot Tityus, who tried to take possession of her. Apollo, fearing that Artemis will not resist the beauty of Orion, arranges his death, etc.

Appearance, character, attributes

There is a stable definition of Apollo as the most beautiful of the gods. Slender, light-eyed, with blond hair - these indications of appearance are drawn from the epithets of Apollo. Two characteristics of Phoebus are long hair and no beard.

The sculptures depict him as either slender or plump (late, respectively), with full lips and feminine features.

The character of Apollo depends on when a particular myth was created. For example, in the myths of an earlier period, Apollo is prone to rash actions, quick to kill; in the myths of a later period, he is the very prudence, harmony, creation (remember his principles: “Know yourself,” “Nothing in excess”).

The Greeks depicted Apollo either naked or wearing a long tunic. Attributes - kithara (or lyre), bow and arrows; Apollo also owned a golden sword.

Attributes and epithets, cult

Epithets: Paean and Peon ("Resolver of Diseases"), Musaget (driver of the muses), Moiraget ("driver of fate"), Phoebus ("Radiant" - indicates purity, brilliance and divination), Smintheus (Mouse), Alexikakos ("Disgusting" evil"), Apotropaeus ("Abominer"), Prostatus ("Protector"), Akesius ("Healer"), Nomius ("Shepherd"), Daphnius ("Laurel"), Drimas ("Oaky"), Lycean ("Wolf") "), Letoid (on behalf of the mother), Epicurius ("Trustee")

Associated plants and animals: laurel, oak, cypress, palm, olive; wolf, raven, swan, hawk, snake, mouse, ram and grasshopper.

Cities: Delphi, Delos, Tenedos, etc. The cult of Apollo was widespread everywhere. The center of veneration was the Delphic Temple with the oracle of Apollo. The ambiguous nature of the predictions, which allowed the widest interpretation, allowed the college of Delphic priests to influence all Greek politics. Temple of Apollo on the island. Delos was the religious and political center of the union of Greek city-states; here the treasury of the union was located and meetings of its members took place.

Celebrations and festivals: Delia, Theophany, Theoxenia, Pythian Games (second only to the Olympic Games)

Conflict of functions

Apollo's functions are very contradictory. On the one hand, he is the driver of the muses, Musaget, the patron of the arts, poetry and music.

He is the father of the god of healing Asclepius (whose mother is Coronis), and is himself associated with healing both the body, like his son, and the spirit (like the god of the arts).

But at the same time, with his arrows he brings the plague (remember the beginning of the Iliad). By the way, there are references to the fact that Apollo was not averse to hunting with his sister.

Apollo, the god of prophecy and providence, is capable of endowing mortals with this gift (Cassandra, for example).

Later, Apollo is identified with Helios, the god of the sun and light (Phoebus - “radiant”). Apollo is a shepherd and guardian of flocks. Founder and builder of cities, and ancestor of tribes.

Childhood

They say that Leto, the mother of Apollo, gave birth to him at seven months old after nine days of labor on the floating island of Asteria (or Delos - “I manifest”), which, after the birth of the boy, was fixed at the bottom; they also say that Artemis, who was born shortly before, helped the mother during childbirth. Ortygia, however, most likely Artemis was born at the same time as her brother.

Themis fed Apollo nectar and ambrosia, and by the end of the fourth day he demanded a bow and arrow. Having received the weapon, Apollo went in search of the serpent Python, who, on the orders of Hera, was chasing Leto. Having found the monster on Mount Parnassus, he began to pursue it and did not stop even when Python tried to hide in the sanctuary of mother earth in Delphi.

Killing the serpent in the temple was outrageous. The father demanded that Apollo receive purification in the Tempean Valley, and also that he establish the Pythian Games in honor of the shot snake, but Apollo did not listen to the order, although he underwent a purification ceremony, although not at all where his father ordered.

There are at least two more legends about Apollo's childhood. But they are at odds with the classic idea that on the 7th day Apollo became able to firmly hold a weapon.

According to one legend, Apollo, when he was only 4 years old, built a horn altar on the island of Delos, adding the horns from only one side of goats shot by Artemis.

Another legend tells that when Summer was carrying the twins in her arms in search of water to drink, she met drunken mortals near a clean pond. They began to shower her with insults and muddy the waters, and in anger, Summer turned them into frogs. (AND 2)

Love and friendship

Apollo, like other young gods, decided not to tie the knot. Nevertheless, he had many children, whose mothers were both goddesses and mortals. So, Apollo secretly lay down on the bed with Erechtheus’s daughter Creusa, the wife of Xuthus, and subsequently became the father of Ion. Another time Apollo lay down with Chione, who was later visited by Hermes that same day; and it so happened that the father of one of the children, Autolycus (the great thief), was Hermes, and the other, Philammon (the singer), was Apollo. Muse Thalia gave birth to the Corybantes from him. And Cyrene, the famous huntress, became the mother of Aristaeus. However, the most famous myths are about Apollo's failures in love.

Daphne . “Another time he “chased the mountain nymph Daphne, who was the priestess of Gaia the earth and the daughter of the god of the river Peneus in Thessaly. However, when he overtook her, she prayed for help to Gaia-earth, and she in the blink of an eye transported her to Crete, where Daphne became known as Pasiphae. In its place, Mother Earth left a laurel tree, from the leaves of which Apollo, in search of consolation, made a wreath. It must be added that Apollo’s feeling for Daphne was not accidental. He loved her for a long time and caused the death of his rival Leucippus, son of Oenomaus, who, disguised as a girl, joined Daphne’s cheerful company in the mountains. Apollo, having learned about this from fortune telling, advised the mountain nymphs to swim naked and thereby make sure that there were no men among them. Leucippus's deception was immediately discovered, and the nymphs tore him to pieces." [I4]

Cassandra . “One day Cassandra fell asleep in the temple, Apollo appeared to her and promised to teach her the art of clairvoyance if she shared a bed with him. Cassandra, having accepted the gift from him, refused the rest. Apollo persuaded her to give one kiss, and when she kissed him, he spat in her mouth and thereby made it so that no one ever believed her prophecies" [I4]

Marpessa . “The son of Ares Even married Alcippe, and she bore him a daughter, Marpessa. Wanting to preserve his daughter’s virginity, he invited all her suitors to measure their strength with him in chariot races, and promised Marpessa to the winner, and cut off the head of the losers. Soon the walls of Even’s house were many heads were nailed, but Apollo, who fell in love with Marpessa, expressed his displeasure at such a barbaric custom and said that he would soon put an end to it, challenging Even to a competition. But Idas’s heart was also not indifferent to Marpessa, and he begged a winged chariot from his father Poseidon. Before Apollo managed to do something, he went to Aetolia and took Marpessa away, kidnapping her while she was dancing in a round dance. Even gave chase, but could not catch up with Idas, and he was overcome by such grief that he first killed all his horses, and then he threw himself into the river Likorman and drowned, and the river has since been called Even. When Idas reached Messenia, Apollo tried to take Marpessa away from him. They fought in a duel, but Zeus separated them and ordered that Marpessa herself decide who she should marry. married Fearing that Apollo would abandon her when she grew old, as he abandoned many of his other lovers, Marpessa chose Idas as her husband." [I4]

Coronida . Coronis is the daughter of the Lapith king Phlegias. “Her lover was Apollo, who, having once gone to Delphi, left her under the supervision of a white crow. However, in her soul Coronis had long kept a secret passion for Ischius, the son of the Arcadian Elatus, and in the absence of Apollo invited him to share her bed, although in addition By the time she had already conceived from Apollo. Before the indignant crow had time to go to Delphi to inform Apollo about such scandalous behavior of his beloved and receive a reward for his vigilance, Apollo already knew from fortune telling that Coronis was unfaithful to him. He cursed the crow for she did not peck out the eyes of Ischius when he approached Coronis; and the crow became black from that curse, and its descendants have been born black ever since. When Apollo complained to his sister Artemis about the insult inflicted on him, Artemis, in revenge, released a whole quiver at Coronis arrows. Pity gripped Apollo at the sight of the corpse of Koronida, but he could no longer revive her. Then Apollo turned to Hermes, and he, by the light of the fire, removed the still living child from the womb of Koronida. It was a boy whom Apollo named Asclepius and carried to the cave of the centaur Chiron. There the boy learned the arts of medicine and hunting. As for Ischias, who is also called Chilus, some say that Zeus struck him with lightning, while others claim that Apollo himself killed him" [I4]

Dryope . “He also seduced the nymph Dryope, who was tending her father’s flocks on the slope of Mount Eta in the company of her Hamadryad friends. Apollo turned into a turtle, with which they all amused themselves, but as soon as Dryope put it in her bosom, Apollo turned into a hissing snake, which frightened the Hamadryads, and he knew Dryope. She bore him Amphis, who founded the city of Eta and built a temple in honor of his father, in which Dryope remained a priestess until the Hamadryads kidnapped her, leaving a poplar tree in her place." [I4]

Hyacinthus . “Not only the singer Thamirid fell in love with this Spartan prince - the first of the people to be inflamed with passion for a representative of the same sex, but also Apollo himself, who turned out to be the first of the gods to be overwhelmed by the same passion. In the person of Thamirid, Apollo did not meet a serious rival. Having overheard, as he boasts that he can surpass the muses in chants, Apollo not without intent told them about this, and the muses at the same hour deprived Thamirides of his sight, voice and ability to play the cithara.However, Zephyr suddenly felt an attraction to Hyakinthos, and such a feeling arose in him jealousy of Apollo, who taught the young man how to throw the discus, that he intercepted the discus in flight and sent it to the head of Hyakinthos, causing him to fall dead. From his blood a hyacinth flower grew, on which his initials are still visible" [I4]

Cypress . The king's son, a young man from the island of Keos. Having accidentally killed a tame deer while hunting, Cypress, Apollo's favorite, could not forget his grief, and Apollo turned him into a tree.

Relationship with father

The independent Apollo was probably one of Zeus's favorite sons, but there was a time when the Thunderer almost exiled his son to Tartarus forever. There are two known cases when Apollo went against his father.

As you know, Zeus was capricious, unfaithful, arrogant - in a word, his large family had reasons to dislike the king of the gods. Once Zeus became so unbearable that Hera, Poseidon and Apollo (according to Homer - Athena took part in the conspiracy instead of Apollo), together with other gods except Hestia, entered into a conspiracy and, when Zeus was sleeping, tied him with a hundred knots to the throne, and they themselves, having retired to feast, began to decide who should succeed Zeus. At this time, Thetis (the same one who was destined to become the mother of Achilles in the future) called on the hundred-armed Briareus for help, and he freed Zeus. Of course, civil strife on Olympus was prevented, but Zeus immediately took a number of preventive measures. Hera, the head of the conspiracy, was crucified by Zeus, chaining her hands to the sky and tying anvils to her feet. Hera screamed so pitifully that in the end Zeus finally relented and promised to let his wife go if all the gods swore an oath never to challenge his power. After a proper ceremony, he actually released Hera, but the “repression” did not end there: Poseidon and Apollo were exiled as slaves to the king of Troy, Laomedon, for whom the gods rebuilt the city walls (some say the whole city). Generally speaking, Laomedon promised the gods rich gifts as a reward, so they had an incentive to build walls and herd herds, but after finishing the work, Laomedon drove the gods away, promising to cut off the ears of the insolent people if they did not go home. The gods, justly indignant, did not abandon this matter: Poseidon set a sea monster on the city, and Apollo sent a pestilence.

Another time, in revenge for the fact that Zeus killed his son Asclepius, Apollo showed up at the forge where the Cyclops were forging lightning for Zeus, and blinded them (or killed them).

The Thunderer's anger was so great that he almost exiled his son to Tartarus, but Leto intervened in time, and Zeus commuted the punishment. Now Apollo had to serve for a year with the king of the city of Fer Admet. Heeding his mother’s advice, Apollo not only endured the punishment, but also helped Admetus in many ways.

Apollo and mortals

There are an incredible number of myths about the relationship between Apollo and mortal heroes. For example, Hercules entered into battle with Apollo... however, the hero fought with almost all the Olympians. Apollo's most famous intervention in human affairs is the Trojan War (see "Trojan Cycle"). Also, according to some legends, it was Apollo who shot the Aloads Ott and Ephialtes, when one wanted to become the husband of Hera, the other - Artemis, although there is a more complex option (see "Ares").

Above, I already noted how Apollo dealt with mortals if they stood in his way, especially in matters of love. A couple of examples.

Tityus . Tityus, the son of Zeus, tried to take possession of Leto; Apollo and Artemis came running to his mother’s screams and shot the rapist.

Niobe . This queen, to her own misfortune, was indignant at the fact that Leto, who gave birth to only two, was given honor, but she, the mother of 7 sons and 7 daughters, was given almost none. Summer was offended and complained to her children. Ultimately, Niobe's children suffered - they were all shot. Although in fairness, it must be said that if they had prayed to Artemis and Apollo, the gods might have spared them, because it was not for nothing that Artemis regretted killing the younger man. Niobe's daughter when she prayed to her (but it was too late). Out of grief, the mother could not find a place for herself and the gods turned her into stone.

Hercules . Apollo entered into a duel with Hercules when he tried to take possession of the Delphic tripod. Zeus interrupted the fight by striking lightning between his sons.

When Hercules won all types of competitions at the Olympic Games, each of the Olympian gods presented the hero with a gift; Apollo gave the bow, although Hercules preferred to use his own. There is also a version according to which the Olympic Games were founded by Zeus; At the first games, Apollo defeated Hermes in running and Ares in wrestling.

Trojan War . Apollo took the side of the Trojans. It is generally accepted that it was he who invisibly participated in the murder of Patroclus by Hector and Achilles by Paris.

Children

Of course, I cannot list all the children; I have already named many of them before.

Kikn . The son of Apollo and Thyria (or Hyria), a handsome hunter who lived in the vicinity of Calydon. Many young men sought his friendship, but Cycnus repelled everyone with his arrogance and bad temper. When his last friend abandoned him, he and his mother threw themselves into the lake (Lake Canopus), and Apollo turned both of them into swans.

Name (plus functions)

Plato's interpretation of the name "Apollo" given here does not stand up to criticism from a scientific point of view, but they well reflect the main functions of Apollo. (A. Taho-Godi) (This is the trace - I3)

Socrates: The name... while remaining unified, corresponds perfectly to the four abilities of this god, so that it affects and somehow expresses them all: (the ability to music, to prophecy, to heal and archery...

There is wonderful harmony in it, as befits the name of the god of music. First of all, after all, purification rites and cleansing sacrifices, as is customary among doctors and soothsayers, as well as fumigation with healing and various magical potions during divination, and, in addition, washing and sprinkling in both cases - all this probably has one goal: for a person to become pure both in body and soul...

Is it not possible to say that this cleansing god, as it were, rinses out a person’s soul and rescues him from the captivity of all kinds of evils... So from this rinsing and rescue, healing from all such troubles, it would be correct to call it “Vypolon”, but according to to his prophetic art, for the truthfulness and authenticity of his prophecies, it would be more correct to call him as the Thessalians call him: after all, all Thessalians call this god “Aplun”. And because he has the power to constantly send arrows, then in relation to his art of archery he should be called “eternally sending arrows” (in Greek this is consonant with Apollo). As for music, you need to keep in mind that alpha [at the beginning of a name] can often mean the same thing as “with”, “co-”, as for example in the word “companion” or “solo-wife”; so here, it can mean the joint rotation in the sky of what we call the celestial poles, and in song harmony - consonance. All this, according to subtle experts in astronomy and music, rotates together in a certain harmony, and this god oversees the harmony, carrying out the universal rotation of both gods and people. And just as in the words “companion” and “wife” we added alpha in the meaning of “together”, we also call this god Apollo instead of “Odnopol”, adding to the same a second lambda, for otherwise the name will sound exactly like a painful word "destroyer"...

Symbol

The name Apollo is associated with rationalism, motivation, limitation.

Rome

The cult of Apollo became widespread in Rome in the 5th century. BC. The source is, of course, Greece; Apollo was also worshiped by the Etruscans, who called him Apulu. The heyday of the cult dates back to the reign of Augustus, who considered Apollo his patron. At first, Apollo was considered only a healing god, but later he fully accepted his “Greek” functions. Construction of the Temple of Apollo in Rome - 432 BC. This temple, near the Palatine, was one of the richest in Rome.

The myth of Apollo

The mysteries of ancient Greece date back at least 20,000 years. Greek mythology is apparently a reflection of certain events of the very distant past. This mythological Greek story of the gods is taken possibly from Atlantis. The myth of Apollo is instructive in many ways. In Apollo there is something from another distant world - a certain quality, apparently due to his connection with the mysterious country of the Hyperboreans. Surprisingly, his name coincides with the name of the Angel of the Abyss Apollyon in the Revelation of John the Theologian (Apocalypse).

The Titanide Leto became involved with the already married god Zeus. They made love in the form of a quail and a quail, as a result of which Summer became pregnant. But she could not give birth, because the legal wife of Zeus, Hera, deliberately kept the goddess of childbirth, Ilithyia, near her. So Leto wandered pregnant until she reached the island of Delos, where she was delivered of her child first by her daughter Artemis, then, with the help of Ilithyia, by her son Apollo. The goddess Themis fed little Apollo with nectar and ambrosia, and Hephaestus gave him a bow and arrows.

The Goddess Leto is the image of a mother “glorious with her children.” This is her main achievement. She was called "eternally sweet" and "eternally meek." It was only thanks to her children that she took an honorable place on Olympus. Her son was traditionally called not by his patronymic, but by his mother's name - Letoid, which is considered a confirmation of his matriarchal preferences. Leto's son, together with his sister, killed the Titan Titius, who was harassing his mother. (No other mother in Greek mythology was so protected.)

While still very young, Apollo killed the serpent Python (Dolphinius), the brainchild of Hera, who was devastating his native island and pursuing his mother. Then he cleansed himself of the taint of murder in Thessaly and, returning, established the Pythian Games in his native Delphi. God Pan taught Apollo divination and he established his temple in Delphi with Pythian priestesses, who predicted the future in a trance. Apollo was generally revered as an oracle and prophet; he was called the “driver of fate” (Moiraget).

Later, Apollo, Artemis and Leto acted as a united family front in all Olympic and earthly feuds (the only exception was the rivalry between Artemis and Apollo). ...

Apollo became the Sun God at a rather late time. Particularly interesting is the late ancient work - the speech of the Roman emperor and mystic Julian the Worshiper of the Son “To King Helios”.

In the Christian Middle Ages, artists loved to depict Mount Parnassus with Apollo and the Muses; him as the sun god driving a chariot; in company with his sister Artemis; Apollo in love and Daphne rejecting him; as well as the competition between Apollo and Marsyas. This is understandable - people of art preferred to portray him for the most part as a patron of the arts and a jealous rival in creativity, as well as a lover rejected by a girl. These, apparently, were subjects that were emotionally close to them.

Bednenko G.B., 2004

Among the numerous solar deities, one attracts attention with its extreme ambiguity, which has absorbed all the characteristics of the Luminary itself - Apollo . Not a single people, except the Greeks, and not the early, bright ones, but the later ones, who came into contact with Egypt and Chaldea and burned by their wisdom, so accurately captured the Spirit of the Daylight, illuminating, mercilessly revealing secrets, burning and self-sufficient in its perfection. ...

Apollo is one of the most ancient gods of Greece. It is believed that his name comes from the Greek. àπελάω " disgusting", or from απέλλα " meeting" His name does not appear in Crete-Mycenaean texts. It is believed that Apollo was originally a pre-Greek deity, probably of Asia Minor. Its deep archaism is manifested in its close connection and even identification with the flora and fauna. In the myths of the earlier period, Apollo is prone to rash actions, quick to kill, in the myths of the later period - he is the very prudence, harmony, creativity, from which, however, the coldness of perfection emanates. Apollo is the second most important god in the Greek pantheon, second only to Zeus. He is the god of the sun, the arts (especially music), prophecy and archery. He is a legislator and a punisher; the patron of medicine, who can also send diseases; protector of the shepherds. ...

Epithets Apollo are numerous and varied: Paean and Peon (“Resolver of Diseases”), Musaget (driver of the muses), Moiraget (“driver of fate”), Phoebus (“Radiant” - indicates purity, brilliance and divination), Smintheus (Mouse), Alexikakos (“Abominator of Evil”), Apotropaeus (“Abominator”), Prostatus (“Protector”), Akesius (“Healer”), Nomius (“Shepherd”), Daphnius (“Laurel”), Drimas (“Oaky”), Lycean (“Wolf”), Letoid (on behalf of the mother), Epicurius (“Guardian”)…

Well known and deeds Apollo. The most famous is the serpent-fighting hypostasis of this god. Apollo matured early and, while still very young, killed the serpent Python (Delphinius), who was pursuing Leto and devastating the surrounding area of ​​Delphi. In Delphi, on the site where the oracle of Gaia and Themis once stood, Apollo founded his oracle. Apollo also struck with his arrows the giant Tityus, who was trying to insult Leto, the Cyclopes who forged lightning for Zeus, and also participated in the battles of the Olympians with the titans and giants. Already in these myths, the punishing nature of Apollo is obvious. ...

Functions Apollo is very contradictory. On the one hand, he is the driver of the muses, Musaget, the patron of the arts, poetry and music. But at the same time, with his arrows he brings death, destruction and plague (for example, at the beginning of the Iliad). There are references to the fact that Apollo was not averse to hunting with his sister, and this hunt was terrible and merciless. His image is outwardly noble, his clothes exude magical light and aroma, he plays an elegant instrument that produces a gentle, measured sound. Beautiful as a white swan, Apollo could be cruel and destructive like a wolf. Therefore, he was also called “Wolf” and those animals that these four-legged destroyers of herds preferred were sacrificed to him. ...

In Apollo there is something from another distant world - a certain quality, apparently due to his connection with the mysterious country of the Hyperboreans. When, after the birth of his son, Zeus gave him a chariot drawn by swans, Apollo went on it not to Delphi, but to the Hyperboreans, with whom he stayed for a whole year. Subsequently, he retired annually for some time to this “blessed land of light.”

The golden-haired god of the sun, light (sunlight was symbolized by his golden arrows), art, healer god, leader and patron of the muses (Musaget), patron of sciences and arts, predictor of the future, guardian of herds, roads, travelers and sailors, and also purified people, who committed murder. He personified the Sun (and his sister Artemis - the Moon).

Son of the goddess Latona (Leto) and Zeus, twin brother of Artemis, grandson of the titans Kay and Phoebe. He was born on the island of Delos (Asteria), where his mother Leto ended up by accident, driven by the jealous goddess Hera. When Apollo was born, the entire island of Delos was flooded with streams of sunlight.

Father of Aristeas (from the nymph Cyrene), Lapitha, Phemonoi, Orpheus and Linus (from the muse Calliope), Asclepius (from Coronis, whom he killed for treason with a mortal), Yama. Bringing natural death to men. At the same time he was a god - the arrowhead, sending death and disease.

Among his victims are the sons of Niobe, Python, the satyr Marsyas, and the sons of Aloe Othos and Ephialtes.

For mocking the young god of love, Eros was punished by unrequited love for the nymph Daphne.

Victoria Zyryanova AKA Caroline

The cult of Apollo became widespread in Rome in the 5th century. BC. The source is, of course, Greece; Apollo was also worshiped by the Etruscans, who called him Apulu. The heyday of the cult dates back to the reign of Augustus, who considered Apollo his patron. At first, Apollo was considered only a healing god, but later he fully accepted his “Greek” functions. Construction of the Temple of Apollo in Rome - 432 BC. This temple, near the Palatine, was one of the richest in Rome.

As the bright god of the sky, who hates everything unclean and wicked, Apollo, soon after his birth, sets out to exterminate the evil forces of darkness. He kills with his arrows the great Tityus and the dragon Python, a monster who lived in the narrow valley of Pleistos near Delphi and destroyed people and livestock. All myths about Apollo are nothing more than a glorification of the victorious power of the spring sun over the dark forces of winter.

Apollo, on the one hand, is a fighter against all evil and everything unclean, but, on the other hand, ancient legends represented him as a terrible god of death, striking people and animals with his far-reaching arrows. Such tales are easily explained by the elemental meaning of this god. After all, although the sun’s ray drives out the icy winter, at the same time, with the increasing summer heat, it scorches and destroys...

But Apollo received his main significance in Greece as an oracle god, whose predictions had a strong influence until later times on the politics of states, the fate of people and families. Not being able to see the future himself, he proclaims the decisions of Zeus as a prophet. For the most part, women and girls - Sibyls - predicted on behalf of God. All soothsayers were overshadowed in the course of time by the oracle at Delphi, whose decisions, during a long period of Greek history, had, especially among the Dorian tribes, almost omnipotent power.

Delphi was the main site of the cult of Apollo. The magnificent temple located there was rebuilt during the time of the Pisistratids after a fire and, thanks to all kinds of offerings, its wealth steadily increased. An equally famous place for the cult of Apollo was the island of Delos, his homeland. The sacred places were located at the foot of Mount Kinthos, however, the entire island was dedicated to God, and it was forbidden to bury the dead here. In honor of God, solemn games were celebrated every four years, which, according to legend, were established by Theseus.

The Roman Apollo moved to Rome from Greece, because there was also a strong need for a diviner god. The Roman gods, although they made hints about the future, limited their answers to one “yes” or “no.” At the same time, the idea of ​​a healing god penetrated into Rome. The cult of Apollo received a particularly brilliant development thanks to the emperor Augustus, who attributed his victory at Actium mainly to the help of this god and therefore erected a magnificent temple to him on the Palatine, decorating it with the famous statue of Scopas, depicting Apollo Cyfared.

The most famous of all Apollo statues is without doubt the Apollo Belvedere in the Vatican, found in 1503 near Nettuno, ancient Actium. The most important divine attributes of Apollo: bow, spear, quiver, laurel wreath, forminga.

The embodiment of youth and beauty, the source of life and healing, the patron of art, as well as bright like the Sun itself... All this is about him, the one who was one of the most beloved Olympians for the ancient Greeks. His name has become a household name and is used in relation to men of unearthly beauty. This Greek god Apollo (Απόλλων)— many myths are associated with his name; holidays were held in his honor and temples were built. What was this god like and what remains of his cult in modern Greece?

Greek god Apollo - golden-haired Phoebus

Photo www.art-book.gr/

In ancient Greek mythology, Apollo was nicknamed Phoebus (radiant). In Greek this name looks like this: Φοίβος ​​[phivos], it is quite popular now. He was considered the patron of the arts, sciences and muses, was the personification of the Sun and one of the most revered gods of the Pantheon, second only to Zeus. His duties also included predicting the future and cleansing murderers of their sins.

Birth of Apollo

Apollo appeared as a result of the love of Zeus and one of his many lovers - the Titanide Leto ( Λητώ , read LitO). He was the brother of Artemis, who became the personification of the Moon. Hiding from Hera (the jealous wife of Zeus), Leto wandered around the world, pursued by the monster Python, whom Hera sent to prevent Leto from finding peace. Eventually Poseidon raised the dry, barren island to the surface. Ορτυγία (partridge island), which was not afraid of Hera's wrath and swam on the sea. There Leto spent nine days in the throes of childbirth, since she could not give birth without the divine midwife Ilithyia, and she was kept by Hera. Only after 9 days was Ilithyia able to reach Leto, and Artemis (Άρτεμις) was born first, and then Apollo. After the birth of the gods, the island was given the name Delos ( Δήλος , reads DILOS), and Zeus fixed the island in place forever.

Apparently, the reason why “e” is put instead of the Greek “i” in the Russian version of names is due to translation difficulties)) So for some reason the Greek letter “vita” became “beta”...

As soon as Apollo appeared to the world, all of Delos was flooded with sunlight. Subsequently, for shepherds, Apollo was the patron of the fields, for hunters - the patron of hunting, like his sister. It was also believed that he patronized competitions in fist fighting, wrestling and running. Apollo the musician, like his music itself, was associated with purity and clarity.

Like his father Zeus, Apollo is a loving young man. He entered into relationships with both goddesses and mortal women, but was rejected many times. This strange contradiction, at first glance, cannot in any way relate to a god with an ideal appearance. Among Apollo's lovers are Persephone, Cassandra, Daphne, and Hypsipyle. And among the most famous children of God are Hymenaeus, Lycomedes, Asclepius and Orpheus.

Apollo has more than 350 epithets, all of which are somehow related to his origin, deeds and virtues. However, God himself, like the Sun, which he personifies, brings not only light, but also death. The Greeks endowed the gods with many human traits, and Apollo was not always noble, but often showed vindictiveness and rancor. So, one day the satyr Marsyas, who considered himself the best flute player, offered Apollo a competition in music. Apollo won with his lyre, but Marcia was punished for his indecent impudence in his own way - the unfortunate satyr was hung by his feet and skinned alive.

Apollo and the satyr Marsyas. Greek stamp 1985

The name of Apollo is mentioned in many myths. He defeated Ares in a fistfight competition, endowed Cassandra with the gift of prophecy, and then, rejected by her, did everything to ensure that the predictions she made did not inspire people’s trust. Apollo killed the children of the arrogant Niobe, who decided to be proud of them and compare herself to Leto. Also, as the arrow god, he patronized the Trojans in the Trojan War - his arrows brought plague to the Achaean camps. And here there is clearly another contradiction, because one of the traits of God was considered to be the ability to heal. So, he stopped the epidemic in Athens.

Zeus twice deprived Apollo of his divine qualities for various sins and sent him into the world to serve some mortal. During this forced service, Apollo preferred to be a shepherd. For the first time, Zeus sent his son to the Trojan king Laomedont, who, at the end of Apollo’s service, refused to pay him his salary. When Apollo became indignant, the king threatened him that he would cut off the rebellious man’s ears and sell him as a slave. The Trojan ruler turned out to be short-sighted... When Apollo again received divine power, he sent a terrible epidemic to Troy, which claimed human lives within six months.

The second time he was sent to Thessaly, to King Admit. When Admit saw the beautiful appearance of Apollo and realized who was in front of him, he immediately offered his throne to the guest. Apollo refused, explaining the purpose of his stay with the king - to serve him as a mere mortal. However, subsequently, after the end of his sentence, having regained his strength, Apollo made the kingdom of Admita the richest and most prosperous in the country. The harvest here was harvested twice a year, and each time the cows brought not one, but two calves.

One of the most famous myths is related to the founding of the Delphic Oracle. According to legend, Apollo sought revenge on the dragon Python, who was pursuing his mother. Python sowed death around him, moved rocks with the weight of his body, kept the nymphs and all living things at bay. Having reached the dragon's gorge, Apollo killed him to the accompaniment of a victory song and the strings of the cithara, and then buried the body of the killed Python in the ground - exactly where Delphi stands today. Here he founded an oracle and a sanctuary. It is with the oracle that Apollo's function as the god of prophecies is connected.

Appearance and cult of Apollo

God was depicted as a beardless and golden-haired youth, with a strong and courageous figure, a bow and golden arrows, a lyre and a chariot - with which Apollo traveled across the sky. The indispensable attributes were a laurel wreath and an aegis, and the symbols were a palm tree, a swan, a wolf, an olive and a dolphin. It is believed that his cult was born among the Dorians. In honor of God, they held Hyacinthia and Carnea, and the last holiday was dedicated to Apollo as a military god. The cult then spread throughout Greece. Temples existed in Delos and the Peloponnese. But the most revered was the Delphic sanctuary. It is interesting that from the Greek colonies the veneration of Apollo moved to Rome - here centuries-old games were established in his honor.

Today you can see temples of Apollo in different regions of Greece. In Corinth, the ruins of the sanctuary have been preserved - although the columns remain from them, they also look quite majestic. Even the formidable Lucius Mummius could not completely destroy the temple. On Delos, where the main temple of Apollo was located, the Terrace of the Lions survived. True, the originals are on display in the Dilos Museum - they were replaced with copies. The temple of Delios was also dedicated to Apollo.

The most important shrine of the ancient world was the temple at Delphi. In one of its rooms there was the famous Delphic Oracle, whose prophecies had a powerful influence on the entire cultural, economic and political life of the Mediterranean. Outside of Greece, the Temple of Apollo in Turkish Side gained fame. What remained of it were columns decorated with floral ornaments.

Another unique temple is located in the Peloponnese, on the border of the regions of Arcadia and Messinia. This is the one of a kind temple of Apollo the Epicurean, a compass temple that always points from north to south and rotates on its foundation after the North Star. This marvel of ancient Greek engineering was built in the 5th century BC. in the town of Figalia at an altitude of 1130 meters.

Temple of Apollo Epicurean. Photo iplus.gr/

Apollo is one of the most controversial figures in the Pantheon of gods. All plots associated with it often paint completely parallel images. This was due to the long evolution of mythology and human attitudes towards life. However, for lovers of Greek myths, Apollo remained a symbol of sophistication, the personification of everything noble and bright.

Hymn to Apollo in ancient Greek, which also lists his many epithets:

Lord of the sun, patron of musicians, talented predictor, healer, brave hero, father of many children - the Greek Apollo includes many images. The eternally young and ambitious god honestly won his own place on Olympus. The favorite of women and brave men, he ranks second in the pantheon of divine rulers.

History of creation

According to modern researchers, the image of Apollo did not originate in Greece. Myths and legends about the radiant god came to the country from Asia Minor. The unusual name of the deity confirms the theory.

The meaning of the name of God has become a mystery not only for modern scientists, but also for the philosophers of Ancient Greece. put forward the version that “Apollo” is translated as “assembly”. The theory has no basis, since the name is not mentioned anywhere in such a context.

The second proof of the theory that Apollo was borrowed from Asia is the combination of contradictory functions in one person. Apollo appears before people as both a positive character and a punishing god. Such an image is not typical for the mythology of Ancient Greece. In any case, the golden-haired god took pride of place on Olympus, second in greatness only to his own father.

The cult of Apollo began its march from the island of Delos and gradually captured the entire country, including the Italian colonies of Greece. From there the power of the sun god spread to Rome. But, despite the huge territory of influence, it was Delos and the city of Delphi that became the center of service to the deity. On the territory of the latter, the Greeks built the Delphic Temple, where an oracle sat, whose interpretation of dreams revealed the secrets of the future.

Biography and image

The Greek god was born on the shores of the island of Delos. At the same time as the boy, a twin sister was born. Children are the fruit of the love of Zeus the Thunderer and the Titanide Leto (in another version of Latona). The woman had to wander through the sky and water, since Hera, the official wife of Zeus, forbade the Titanide to set foot on solid ground.

Like all children of Zeus, Apollo quickly grew up and matured. The gods of Olympus, proud and pleased with the replenishment, presented gifts to the young deity and his sister. The most memorable gift was a silver bow and golden arrows. With the help of this weapon, Apollo will accomplish many feats.

The description of the appearance of the eternally young deity is peculiar. Unlike most heroes of Greece, Apollo did not wear a beard, preferring to reveal his face to the world around him. The metaphor "golden-haired", often used in relation to God, suggests that Apollo is blond.

A young man of average height and average build moves quickly and silently around the world, easily catching up with his athletic sister. There is no mention of the god's daunting beauty, but the number of love victories suggests that Apollo exudes magnetism and charm.

However, in the life of God there was also unhappy love. Daphne, the myth of which perfectly characterizes the youth of Apollo, became the victim of an unpleasant story. The young god, confident in his own abilities, ridiculed Eros (the god of love), for which he received a love arrow in his heart. And the arrow of disgust flew straight into the heart of the nymph Daphne.

Apollo in love rushed after the girl, who decided to hide from a persistent admirer. The sun god did not retreat, so the nymph’s father, who saw his daughter’s torment, turned Daphne into a laurel tree. The young man decorated his own clothes and quiver of arrows with laurel foliage.

The young man spends his time free from exploits and worries playing music. Apollo's favorite instrument was the cithara. The young god is proud of his own successes in music and often patronizes talented musicians. What Apollo does not tolerate is bragging.

The merry satyr Marsyas, who picked up a flute, once challenged the young god to a competition. The man underestimated the talent of the son of Zeus. Marsyas lost the competition, and the proud and wayward Apollo, as punishment for his insolence, tore the skin off the satyr.

The young god gets bored on Olympus, so Apollo often comes down to earth to chat with friends. One day a friendly meeting ended in death. The son of Zeus and Hyacinth, the son of the local king, launched a metal disk into the sky. Apollo miscalculated his strength, and the shell hit Hyacinth in the head. God's favorite died, Apollo could not save his friend. A flower bloomed at the site of the tragedy. Now every spring the hyacinth plant opens a bud, reminiscent of the friendship of God and man.

A distinctive characteristic of Apollo is his all-consuming love for his mother and sister. For the sake of the well-being of close women, the hero goes against his formidable father. Soon after his birth, Apollo kills Python, the powerful serpent pursuing Leto. For an uncoordinated act of revenge, Zeus overthrows the sun god, and Apollo must serve as a shepherd for eight years to make amends.

The second time Apollo stands up for his mother is when Leto is insulted by Queen Niobe. The friends argued which of them was more fertile. To defend their mother's honor, Apollo and Artemis shot all of Niobe's children.

Despite frequent skirmishes, Apollo retained the title of his father's favorite. This arrangement oppresses Hera, the wife of the Lord of Olympus. The goddess makes every effort to harm Apollo. However, the sun god only chuckles at the stepmother’s tricks.

The deity has a serious responsibility - Apollo, with a chariot drawn by four horses, rides across the sky, illuminating the Earth. Often the golden-haired god is accompanied on his journey by nymphs and muses.

The matured Apollo often starts affairs. Unlike his father, the man appears before his lovers in his true form. The exceptions were Antenora (who took the form of a dog) and Dryope (who came twice in the form of a snake and a turtle). Despite his impressive love life, Apollo never married. Moreover, often the beloved of God were not faithful to the man. argued that Apollo is the personification of order and light, and represents the opposite qualities in mythology. The God of Wine encourages followers to break the rules imposed by the son of Zeus.