Editing Apollo (section)

==Mythology==
{{Main|Greek mythology}}
In the myths, Apollo is the son of [[Zeus]], the king of the gods, and [[Leto]], his previous wife<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D21%3Acard%3D468 21.499]</ref> or one of his mistresses. Apollo often appears in the myths, plays and hymns either directly or indirectly through his oracles. As Zeus' favorite son, he had direct access to the mind of Zeus and was willing to reveal this knowledge to humans. A divinity beyond human comprehension, he appears both as a beneficial and a wrathful god.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Birth===
[[File:Arte romana, latona in fuga con artemide e apollo, 350-400 dc ca. (kunstsien stichting).jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Leto fleeing with Artemis and Apollo, AD 350–400, in Kunstsien Stichting]]

====''Homeric Hymn to Apollo''====
Pregnant with the offspring of Zeus, Leto wandered through many lands wanting to give birth to Apollo. However all the lands rejected her out of fear. Upon reaching Delos, Leto requested the island to shelter her, and that in return her son would bring fame and prosperity to the island. Delos then revealed to Leto that Apollo was rumoured to be the god who will "greatly lord it among gods and men all over the fruitful earth". For this reason, all the lands were fearful and Delos feared that Apollo would cast her aside once he is born. Hearing this, Leto swore on the river Styx that if she is allowed to give birth on the island, her son would honour Delos the most amongst all the other lands. Assured by this, Delos agreed to assist Leto. All goddesses except Hera also came to aid Leto.<ref name=":0" />

However, Hera had tricked [[Eileithyia]], the goddess of childbirth, to stay on Olympus, due to which Leto was unable to give birth. The goddesses then convinced Iris to go bring Eileithyia by offering her a necklace of amber 9 yards (8.2 m) long. Iris did accordingly and persuaded Eileithyia to step onto the island. Thus, clutching a palm tree, Leto finally gave birth after labouring for nine days and nine nights, with Apollo "leaping forth" from his mother's womb. The goddesses washed the newborn, covered him in a white garment and fastened golden bands around him. As Leto was unable to feed him, [[Themis]], the goddess of divine law, fed him nectar and [[ambrosia]]. Upon tasting the divine food, the child broke free of the bands fastened onto him and declared that he would be the master of [[lyre]] and archery, and interpret the will of Zeus to humankind. He then started to walk, which caused the island to be filled with gold.<ref name=":0">"Homeric hymn to Delian Apollo"</ref>

====Callimachus' ''Hymn to Delos''====
The island Delos used to be [[Asteria]], a goddess who jumped into the waters to escape the advances of Zeus and became a free-floating island of the same name. When Leto got pregnant, Hera was told that Leto's son would become more dear to Zeus than Ares. Enraged by this, Hera watched over the heavens and sent out Ares and Iris to prevent Leto from giving birth on the earth. Ares, stationed over the mainland, and Iris, over the islands, threatened all the lands and prevented them from helping Leto.<ref name=":1" />

When Leto arrived at Thebes, fetal Apollo prophesied from his mother's womb that in the future he would punish a slanderous woman in Thebes ([[Niobe]]), so he did not want to be born there. Leto then went to Thessaly and sought the help of the river nymphs who were the daughters of the river Peneus. Though he was initially fearful and reluctant, Peneus later decided to let Leto give birth in his waters. He did not change his mind even when Ares produced a terrifying sound and threatened to hurl mountain peaks into the river. But Leto herself declined his help and departed, as she did not want him to suffer for her sake.<ref name=":1" />

After being turned away from various lands, Apollo spoke again from the womb, asking his mother to take look at the floating island in front of her and expressing his wish to be born there. When Leto approached Asteria, all the other islands fled. But Asteria welcomed Leto without any fear of Hera. Walking on the island, she sat down against a palm tree and asked Apollo to be born. During the childbirth, swans circled the island seven times, a sign that later on Apollo would play the seven-stringed lyre. When Apollo finally "leapt forth" from his mother's womb, the nymphs of the island sang a hymn to Eileithyia that was heard to the heavens. The moment Apollo was born, the entire island, including the trees and the waters, became gold. Asteria bathed the newborn, swaddled him and fed him with her breast milk. The island had become rooted and was later called Delos.<ref name=":1" />

Hera was no longer angry, as Zeus had managed to calm her down; and she held no grudge against Asteria, since Asteria had rejected Zeus in the past.<ref name=":1">"Callimachus, ''Hymn to Delos''"</ref>

[[File:Metropolitan Richart Latona.jpg|thumb|Leto with her children, by [[William Henry Rinehart]]|left]]

====Pindar====

Pindar is the earliest source who explicitly calls Apollo and Artemis as twins. Here, Asteria is also stated to be Leto's sister. Wanting to escape Zeus' advances, she flung herself into the sea and became a floating rock called Ortygia until the twins were born.<ref>Pindar, ''Pa. VII b''</ref> When Leto stepped on the rock, four pillars with adamantine bases rose from the earth and held up the rock.<ref>Pindar, ''Processional Song on Delos''</ref> When Apollo and Artemis were born, their bodies shone radiantly and a chant was sung by Eileithyia and [[Lachesis]], one of the three [[Moirai]].<ref>Pindar, ''Pa. XII''</ref>

====Hyginus====

Scorning the advances of Zeus, Asteria transformed herself into a bird and jumped into a sea. From her, an island rose which was called Ortygia.<ref>Pseudo-Hyginus, ''Fabulae 53''</ref> When Hera discovered that Leto was pregnant with Zeus' child, she decreed that Leto can give birth only in a place where sun does not shine. During this time, the monster Python also started hounding Leto with an intent of killing her, because he had foreseen his death coming at the hands of Leto's offspring. However, on Zeus' orders, [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]] carried away Leto and entrusted her to [[Poseidon]]. To protect her, Poseidon took her to the island Ortygia and covered it with waves so that the sun would not shine on it. Leto gave birth clinging to an olive tree and henceforth the island was called Delos.<ref>Pseudo-Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' ''140''</ref>

[[File:Latona with the infants Apollo and Artemis, by Francesco Pozzi, 1824, marble - Sculpture Gallery, Chatsworth House - Derbyshire, England - DSC03504.jpg|thumb|Leto with Apollo and Artemis, by [[Francesco Pozzi]]]]

==== Other variations ====
Aside from those mentioned above, more variations on the story of Apollo's birth include:

Aelian states that it took Leto twelve days and twelve nights to travel from Hyperborea to Delos.<ref>Aelian, ''Characteristics of Animals 4. 4''</ref> Leto changed herself into a she-wolf before giving birth. This is given as the reason why Homer describes Apollo as the "wolf-born god".<ref>Aelian, ''Characteristics of Animals 10. 26''</ref><ref>Homer, ''Iliad''</ref>

Libanius wrote that neither land nor visible islands would receive Leto, but by the will of Zeus Delos then became visible, and thus received Leto and the children.<ref>Libanius, ''Progymnasmata 2.25''</ref>

According to Strabo, the [[Curetes (tribe)|Curetes]] helped Leto by creating loud noises with their weapons and thus frightening Hera, they concealed Leto's childbirth.<ref>Strabo, ''Geography 14. 1. 20''</ref>

Theognis wrote that the island was filled with ambrosial fragrance when Apollo was born, and the Earth laughed with joy.<ref>Theognis, ''Fragment 1. 5''</ref>

In some versions, [[Artemis]] was born first and subsequently assisted with the birth of Apollo.<ref>Servius, ''Commentary on Virgil's Aeneid 3.7''</ref><ref>Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.21</ref>

While in some accounts Apollo's birth itself fixed the floating Delos to the earth, there are accounts of Apollo securing Delos to the bottom of the ocean a little while later.<ref>Virgil, ''Aeneid'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0052%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D69 3.80]</ref><ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca''</ref> 
This island became sacred to Apollo and was one of the major cult centres of the god.
Apollo was born on the seventh day ({{lang|grc|ἑβδομαγενής}}, ''hebdomagenes'')<ref>{{LSJ|e(bdomagenh/s|ἑβδομαγενής|shortref}}.</ref> of the month [[Attic calendar#Festival calendar (lunisolar)|Thargelion]]—according to Delian tradition—or of the month [[Hellenic calendars#Delphic|Bysios]]—according to Delphian tradition. The seventh and twentieth, the days of the new and full moon, were ever afterwards held sacred to him.{{sfn|Freese|1911|p=184}}

===Hyperborea===
[[File:Antalya_Museum_06022022_009.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Apollo head in the [[Antalya Museum]], [[Turkey]]]]

[[Hyperborea]], the mystical land of eternal spring, venerated Apollo above all the gods. The Hyperboreans always sang and danced in his honor and hosted [[Pythian games]].<ref>Pindar, Pindar, Olympian Ode</ref> There, a vast forest of beautiful trees was called "the garden of Apollo". Apollo spent the winter months among the Hyperboreans,<ref>[[Apollonius Rhodius]], ''[[Argonautica]]'', [https://archive.org/details/argonautica00apoluoft/page/148/mode/2up?view=theater 2. 674].</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/> leaving his shrine in Delphi under the care of Dionysus. His absence from the world caused coldness and this was marked as his annual death. No prophecies were issued during this time.<ref name="ReferenceC">Joseph Eddy Fontenrose, ''Python: A Study of Delphic Myth and Its Origins''</ref> He returned to the world during the beginning of the spring. The ''Theophania'' festival was held in [[Delphi]] to celebrate his return.<ref>Plutarch, ''de his qui sero a num. pun.'' p. 557F</ref>

However, Diodorus Silculus states that Apollo visited Hyperborea every nineteen years. This nineteen-year period was called by the Greeks as the 'year of Meton', the time period in which the stars returned to their initial positions. And that visiting Hyperborea at that time, Apollo played on the cithara and danced continuously from the vernal equinox until the rising of the [[Pleiades (Greek mythology)|Pleiades]] (constellations).<ref>Diodorus Siculus, ''Library of History'' 2. 47. 1 – 6</ref>

Hyperborea was also Leto's birthplace. It is said that Leto came to Delos from Hyperborea accompanied by a pack of wolves. Henceforth, Hyperborea became Apollo's winter home and wolves became sacred to him. His intimate connection to wolves is evident from his epithet ''Lyceus'', meaning ''wolf-like''. But Apollo was also the wolf-slayer in his role as the god who protected flocks from predators. The Hyperborean worship of Apollo bears the strongest marks of Apollo being worshipped as the sun god. Shamanistic elements in Apollo's cult are often liked to his Hyperborean origin, and he is likewise speculated to have originated as a solar shaman.<ref>Anna Afonasina, ''Shamanism and the Orphic tradition''</ref><ref>Fritz Graf, ''Apollo''</ref> Shamans like [[Abaris]] and [[Aristeas]] were also the followers of Apollo, who hailed from Hyperborea.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In myths, the tears of amber Apollo shed when his son Asclepius died mixed with the waters of the river Eridanos, which surrounded Hyperborea. Apollo also buried in Hyperborea the arrow which he had used to kill the [[Cyclopes]]. He later gave this arrow to Abaris.<ref>[[Apollonius Rhodius]], ''[[Argonautica]]'', [https://archive.org/details/argonautica00apoluoft/page/334/mode/2up?view=theater 4. 594].</ref>

===Childhood and youth===

Growing up, Apollo was nursed by the nymphs Korythalia and [[Veritas|Aletheia]], the personification of truth.<ref>Plutarch, ''Moralia'' 657e</ref> [[Phoebe (Titaness)|Phoebe]], his grandmother, gave the oracular shrine of [[Delphi]] to Apollo as a birthday gift.<ref name="ReferenceG">[[Aeschylus]], ''[[The Eumenides|Eumenides]]''</ref>

As a four-year-old child, Apollo built a foundation and an altar on Delos using the horns of the goats that his sister Artemis hunted. Since he learnt the art of building when young, he came to be known as [[Archegetes]], (''the founder of towns'') and guided men to build new cities.<ref>Callimachus, ''Hymn to Apollo''</ref> To keep the child amused, the Delian nymphs ran around the altar beating it, and then with their hands tied behind their backs, bit an olive branch. It later became a custom for all the sailors who passed by the island to do the same.<ref name="Callimachus, Hymn to Delos">Callimachus, ''Hymn to Delos''</ref>

From his father Zeus, Apollo received a golden headband and a chariot driven by swans.<ref name="Alcaeus, Hymn to Apollo">Alcaeus, ''Hymn to Apollo''</ref><ref name="ReferenceF">Timothy P. Bridgman, ''Hyperboreans: Myth and History in Celtic-Hellenic Contacts''</ref>

In his early years when Apollo spent his time herding cows, he was reared by the [[Thriae]], who trained him and enhanced his prophetic skills.<ref>''[[Homeric Hymns|Homeric Hymn]] 4 to [[Hermes]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138%3Ahymn%3D4%3Acard%3D550 550].</ref> The god Pan was also said to have mentored him in the prophetic art.<ref>Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 1.41.</ref> Apollo is also said to have invented the lyre, and along with Artemis, the art of archery. He then taught the humans the art of healing and archery.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/5D*.html#74.5 5.74.5].</ref>

====Lycian peasants====

[[File:Joshua Cristall - Latona and the Lycian Peasants - 96.1210 - Museum of Fine Arts.jpg|thumb|Latona and the Lycian peasants, by [[Joshua Cristall]]]]

Soon after giving birth to her twins, Leto fled from Delos fearing Hera. Upon reaching Lycia, her infants had drained all of their mother's milk and cried for more to satisfy their hunger. The exhausted mother then tried drinking from a nearby lake but was stopped by some [[Lycian peasants]]. When she begged them to let her quench her thirst, the haughty peasants not only threatened her but also stirred the mud in the lake to dirty the waters. Angered by this, Leto turned them into frogs.<ref>Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 6. 313</ref>

In a slightly varied version, Leto took her infants and crossed over to Lycia where she attempted to bathe her children in a spring she found there. But the local herdsmen drove her away. After that, some wolves found Leto and guided her to the river Xanthos, where Leto was able to bathe her children and quench her thirst. She then returned to the spring and turned the herdsmen into frogs.<ref>Antoninus Liberalis, ''Metamorphoses'' 35</ref>

====Slaying of Python====

[[File:7003.Apollo mit dem getöteten Python(1752)-François Gaspard Adam-Große Fontäne-Sanssouci Steffen Heilfort.JPG|thumb|Apollo victorious over the Python, by [[François Gaspard Adam]]|left]]

[[Python (mythology)|Python]], a [[chthonic]] serpent-dragon, was a child of Gaia and the guardian of the [[Delphic Oracle]].
In the Callimachus' hymn to Delos, fetal Apollo foresees the death of Python at his hands.<ref name="Callimachus, Hymn to Delos"/>

In the Homeric hymn to Apollo, Python was a female drakon and the nurse of the giant [[Typhon]] whom Hera had created to overthrow Zeus. She was described as a terrifying monster and a "bloody plague". Apollo, in his pursuit to establish his worship, came across Python and killed her with a single arrow shot from his bow. He let the corpse rot under the sun and declared himself the oracular deity of Delphi.<ref name="Homeric hymn to Apollo">''Homeric hymn to Pythian Apollo''</ref> Other authors have Apollo kill the monster using a hundred arrows<ref>Simonides, Fragment 573</ref><ref>Statius, ''Thebaid'' 5. 531</ref> or a thousand arrows.<ref name="Ovid, Metamorphoses 1. 434">Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 1. 434</ref>

[[File:Artus Quellinus, Apollo en Python- Apollon et Python, KBS-FRB.jpg|thumb|upright=.7|''Apollo and Python'', terracotta relief by [[Artus Quellinus the Elder]] (1609–1668)]]

According to Euripides, Leto had brought her twins to the cliffs of Parnassus shortly after giving birth to them. Upon seeing the monster there, Apollo, still a child being carried in his mother's arms, leapt forth and killed Python.<ref>Euripides, ''Iphigenia in Tauris'' 1234</ref> Some authors also mention that Python was killed for displaying lustful affections towards Leto.<ref>Limenus, ''Paean to Apollo''</ref><ref>Greek Anthology, 3.6</ref>

In another account, Python chased pregnant Leto with an intent of killing her because his death was fated to come at the hands of Leto's child. However, he had to stop the chase when Leto came under the protection of Poseidon. After his birth, four days old Apollo killed the serpent with the bow and arrows gifted to him by Hephaestus and avenged the trouble given to his mother. The god then put the bones of the slain monster in a cauldron and deposited it in his temple.<ref name="Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 140">Pseudo-Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' 140</ref>

This legend is also narrated as the origin of the cry "''Hië paian''". According to Athenaeus, Python attacked Leto and her twins during their visit to Delphi. Taking Artemis into her arms, Leto climbed upon a rock and cried at Apollo to shoot the monster. The cry let out by her, "ιε, παῖ" ("Shoot, boy") later got slightly altered as "ἰὴ παιών" (''Hië paian''), an exclamation to avert evils.<ref>Athenaeus, ''Deipnosophists'' 15.62</ref> Callimachus attributes the origin of this phrase to the Delphians, who let out the cry to encourage Apollo when the young god battled with Python.<ref>Callimachus, ''Hymn to Apollo'' 97</ref>

Strabo has recorded a slightly different version where Python was actually a cruel and lawless man who was also known by the name "Drakon". When Apollo was teaching the humans to cultivate fruits and civilise themselves, the residents of Parnassus complained to the god about Python. In response to their pleas, Apollo killed the man with his arrows. During the fight, the Parnassians shouted ''"Hië paian"'' to encourage the god.<ref name="Strabo, Geography 9. 3. 12">Strabo, ''Geography'' 9. 3. 12</ref>

====Establishment of worship in Delphi====

Continuing from his victory over Python, the Homeric hymn describes how the young god established his worship among the humans. As Apollo was pondering about what kind of men he should recruit to serve him, he spotted a ship full of Cretan merchants or pirates. He took the form of a dolphin and sprang aboard the ship. Whenever the oblivious crew members tried throwing the dolphin overboard, the god shook the ship until the crew was awed into submission. Apollo then created a breeze that directed the ship to Delphi. Upon reaching the land, he revealed himself as a god and initiated them as his priests. He instructed them to guard his temple and always keep righteousness in their hearts.<ref>Homeric Hymn to Pythian Apollo</ref>

Alcaeus narrates the following account: Zeus, who had adorned his newborn son with a golden headband, also provided him with a chariot driven by swans and instructed Apollo to visit Delphi to establish his laws among the people. But Apollo disobeyed his father and went to the land of [[Hyperborea]]. The Delphians continuously sung paeans in his honour and pleaded him to come back to them. The god returned only after a year and then carried out Zeus' orders.<ref name="Alcaeus, Hymn to Apollo"/><ref>Himerius, ''Orations''</ref>

In other variations, the shrine at Delphi was simply handed over to Apollo by his grandmother Phoebe as a gift,<ref name="ReferenceG"/> or Themis herself inspired him to be the oracular voice of Delphi.<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0006 1]; ''[[Orphic Hymn]]'' 79 ''to Themis''</ref>

[[File:John Flaxman - To Phoebus at His Birth, From Aeschylus, Furies - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|[[Phoebe (Titaness)|Phoebe]] gifts the oracular tripod to Apollo, by [[John Flaxman]]]]

However, in many other accounts, Apollo had to overcome certain obstacles before he was able to establish himself at Delphi. Gaea came in conflict with Apollo for killing Python and claiming the Delphic oracle for himself. According to Pindar, she sought to banish Apollo to Tartarus as a punishment.<ref>Pindar, fr. 55 SM</ref><ref>Henry, W.B. (I.) Rutherford Pindar's Paeans. A Reading of the Fragments with a Survey of the Genre</ref> According to Euripides, soon after Apollo took the ownership of the oracle, Gaea started sending prophetic dreams to the humans. As a result, people stopped visiting Delphi to obtain prophecies. Troubled by this, Apollo went to Olympus and supplicated to Zeus. Zeus, admiring the ambitions of his young son, granted his request by putting an end to the dream visions. This sealed the role of Apollo as the oracular deity of Delphi.<ref>Euripides, ''Iphigenia in Tauris'' 1259</ref>

Since Apollo had committed a blood crime, he also had to be purified. Pausanias has recorded two of the many variations of this purification. In one of them, both Apollo and Artemis fled to Sicyon and were purified there.<ref>Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' 2. 7. 7</ref> In the other tradition that had been prevalent among the Cretans, Apollo alone travelled to Crete and was purified by [[Carmanor (of Crete)|Carmanor]].<ref>Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' 2. 30. 3</ref> In another account, the Argive king [[Crotopus]] was the one who performed the purification rites on Apollo alone.<ref>Statius, ''Thebaid'' 1. 561</ref>

According the Aristonous and Aelian, Apollo was purified by the will of Zeus in the [[Vale of Tempe]].<ref>Aelian, ''Varia'' ''Historia'' 3.1</ref> Aristonous has continued the tale, saying that Apollo was escorted back to Delphi by Athena. As a token of gratitude, he later built a temple for Athena at Delphi, which served as a threshold for his own temple.<ref>[[Temple of Athena Pronaia]] was the first one met by the visitor who came to Delphi on foot from the eastern road.</ref> Upon reaching Delphi, Apollo convinced Gaea and Themis into handing over the seat of oracle to him. To celebrate this event, other immortals also graced Apollo with gifts – Poseidon gave him the land of Delphi, the Delphian nymphs gifted him the Corycian cave, and Artemis set her dogs to patrol and safeguard the land.<ref>Aristonous, ''Paean to Apollo''</ref>

Some others have also said that Apollo was exiled and subjected to servitude under king [[Admetus]] as a means of punishment for the murder he had committed.<ref>Scholiast on Euripides, Alcestis. 1 citing Anaxandrides</ref> It was when he was serving as a cowherd under Admetus that the theft of the cattle by Hermes happened.<ref>Hesiod, The Great Eoiae Fragment 16</ref><ref>Antoninus Liberalis, ''Metamorphoses'' 23</ref> The servitude was said to have lasted for either one year,<ref>Strabo, ''Geography'' 10.1.10</ref><ref>Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 3.10.4</ref> or one great year (a cycle of eight years),<ref>Plutarch, ''Amatorius'' 761e</ref><ref>Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 3.4.2</ref> or nine years.<ref>Servius, ''Commentary on Aeneid'' 2.761</ref>

Plutarch, however, has mentioned a variation where Apollo was neither purified in Tempe nor banished to Earth as a servant for nine years, but was driven out to another world for nine great years. The god who returned was cleansed and purified, thus becoming a "true Phoebus – that is to say, clear and bright". He then took over the Delphic oracle, which had been under the care of Themis in his absence.<ref>Plutarch, ''Why the Oracles Cease To Give Answers'' 421c</ref> Henceforth, Apollo became the god who cleansed himself from the sin of murder, made men aware of their guilt and purified them.<ref>Apollo, Fritz Graf</ref>

The Pythian games were also established by Apollo, either as funeral games to honor Python<ref name="Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 140"/><ref name="ReferenceE"/> or to celebrate his own victory.<ref>Strabo, ''Geography'' 9. 3. 10</ref><ref>Statius, ''Thebaid'' 6. 8</ref><ref name="Ovid, Metamorphoses 1. 434"/> The [[Pythia]] was Apollo's high priestess and his mouthpiece through whom he gave prophecies.<ref>{{OEtymD|Pythia}}</ref>

====Tityus====

[[File:Apollo Tityos Staatliche Antikensammlungen 2689.jpg|thumb|Apollo slaying [[Tityos]], Attic red-figure kylix, 460–450 BC]]

[[Tityos|Tityus]] was another giant who tried to rape Leto, either on his own accord when she was on her way to Delphi<ref name="Homer, Odyssey 11. 576">Homer, ''Odyssey'' 11. 576</ref><ref name="Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.22">Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 1.22</ref> or at the order of Hera.<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' 55</ref> Leto called upon on her children who instantly slew the giant. Apollo, still a young boy, shot him with his arrows.<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, ''Argonautica'' 1. 758</ref><ref>Quintus Smyrnaeus, ''Fall of Troy'' 3. 390</ref>  In some accounts, Artemis also joined him in protecting their mother by attacking Tityos with her arrows.<ref>Scholia on [[Pindar]], ''Pythian Odes'' 4.160 citing Pherecydes</ref><ref>Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' 10. 11. 1</ref> For this act, he was banished to Tartarus and there he was pegged to the rock floor and stretched on an area of {{convert|9|acre|m2}}, while a pair of vultures feasted daily on his liver<ref name="Homer, Odyssey 11. 576"/> or his heart.<ref name="Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.22"/>

Another account recorded by Strabo says that Tityus was not a giant but a lawless man whom Apollo killed at the request of the residents.<ref name="Strabo, Geography 9. 3. 12"/>

===Admetus===
[[File:Drawing, Apollo Guards the Herds (or Flocks) of King Admetus, 1780–1800 (CH 18122047).jpg|thumb|Apollo guards the herds (or flocks) of King [[Admetus]], by [[Felice Giani|Felice Gianni]]]]

[[Admetus]] was the king of [[Pherae]], who was known for his hospitality. When Apollo was exiled from Olympus for killing Python, he served as a herdsman under Admetus, who was then young and unmarried. Apollo is said to have shared a romantic relationship with Admetus during his stay.<ref name="ReferenceA">[[Callimachus]], Hymn II to Apollo.</ref> After completing his years of servitude, Apollo went back to Olympus as a god.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Because Admetus had treated Apollo well, the god conferred great benefits on him in return. Apollo's mere presence is said to have made the cattle give birth to twins.<ref name="bib-3-10-4"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/> Apollo helped Admetus win the hand of [[Alcestis]], the daughter of [[Pelias|King Pelias]],<ref name="bib-1-9-15">[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D9%3Asection%3D15 1.9.15].</ref><ref name="hyginus-50">[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#50 50–51].</ref> by taming a lion and a boar to draw Admetus' chariot. He was present during their wedding to give his blessings. When Admetus angered the goddess Artemis by forgetting to give her the due offerings, Apollo came to the rescue and calmed his sister.<ref name="bib-1-9-15" /> When Apollo learnt of Admetus' untimely death, he convinced or tricked the [[Moirai|Fates]] into letting Admetus live past his time.<ref name="bib-1-9-15" /><ref name="hyginus-50" />

According to another version, or perhaps some years later, when Zeus struck down Apollo's son [[Asclepius]] with a lightning bolt for resurrecting the dead, Apollo in revenge killed the [[Cyclopes]], who had fashioned the bolt for Zeus.<ref name="bib-3-10-4">[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D3%3Achapter%3D10%3Asection%3D4 3.10.4].</ref> Apollo would have been banished to [[Tartarus]] for this, but his mother [[Leto]] intervened, and reminding Zeus of their old love, pleaded with him not to kill their son. Zeus obliged and sentenced Apollo to one year of [[Penal labour|hard labor]] once again under Admetus.<ref name="bib-3-10-4" />

The love between Apollo and Admetus was a favored topic of Roman poets like [[Ovid]] and [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Niobe===
[[File:Pierre-Charles Jombert - Les enfants de Niobé tués par Apollon et Diane.JPG|thumb|Niobe's children are killed by Apollo and Diana, by [[Pierre-Charles Jombert]]]]

The fate of [[Niobe]] was prophesied by Apollo while he was still in Leto's womb.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Niobe was the queen of [[Thebes (Greece)|Thebes]] and wife of [[Amphion]]. She displayed [[hubris]] when she boasted that she was superior to Leto because she had fourteen children ([[Niobids]]), seven male and seven female, while Leto had only two. She further mocked Apollo's effeminate appearance and Artemis' manly appearance. Leto, insulted by this, told her children to punish Niobe. Accordingly, Apollo killed Niobe's sons, and Artemis her daughters. According to some versions of the myth, among the Niobids, Chloris and her brother Amyclas were not killed because they prayed to Leto. Amphion, at the sight of his dead sons, either killed himself or was killed by Apollo after swearing revenge.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

A devastated Niobe fled to [[Spil Mount|Mount Sipylos]] in [[Asia Minor]] and turned into stone as she wept. Her tears formed the river [[Achelous]]. Zeus had turned all the people of Thebes to stone and so no one buried the Niobids until the ninth day after their death, when the gods themselves entombed them.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

When Chloris married and had children, Apollo granted her son [[Nestor (mythology)|Nestor]] the years he had taken away from the Niobids. Hence, Nestor was able to live for 3 generations.<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#10 10]</ref>

===Building the walls of Troy ===

[[File:Sandrart (attributed), Troppa (attr.) - Laomedon Refusing Payment to Poseidon and Apollo - 17th c.jpg|thumb|left|Laomedon refusing payment to Poseidon and Apollo, by [[Joachim von Sandrart]]]]

Once Apollo and [[Poseidon]] served under the Trojan king [[Laomedon]] in accordance with Zeus' words. Apollodorus states that the gods willingly went to the king disguised as humans in order to check his hubris.<ref>Apollodorus, ''Bibliotheca'' 2.5</ref> Apollo guarded the cattle of Laomedon in the valleys of Mount Ida, while Poseidon built the walls of Troy.<ref>Homer, ''The Iliad'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D21%3Acard%3D434 21.434]</ref> Other versions make both Apollo and Poseidon the builders of the wall. In Ovid's account, Apollo completes his task by playing his tunes on his lyre.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In [[Pindar]]'s odes, the gods took a mortal named [[Aeacus]] as their assistant.<ref>[[Pindar]], ''Olympian Odes'' viii. 39, &c.</ref> When the work was completed, three snakes rushed against the wall, and though the two that attacked the sections of the wall built by the gods fell down dead, the third forced its way into the city through the portion of the wall built by Aeacus. Apollo immediately prophesied that [[Troy]] would fall at the hands of Aeacus's descendants, the [[Aeacidae]] (i.e. his son Telamon joined [[Heracles]] when he sieged the city during Laomedon's rule. Later, his great-grandson [[Neoptolemus]] was present in the wooden horse that leads to the downfall of Troy).{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

However, the king not only refused to give the gods the wages he had promised, but also threatened to bind their feet and hands, and sell them as slaves. Angered by the unpaid labour and the insults, Apollo infected the city with a pestilence and Poseidon sent the sea monster [[Cetus (mythology)|Cetus]]. To deliver the city from it, Laomedon had to sacrifice his daughter [[Hesione]] (who would later be saved by [[Heracles]]).{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

During his stay in Troy, Apollo had a lover named Ourea, who was a nymph and daughter of Poseidon. Together they had a son named Ileus, whom Apollo loved dearly.<ref>Hesiod, ''Catalogues of Women'' Fragment 83</ref>

===Trojan War===
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2024}}
Apollo sided with the Trojans during the [[Trojan War]] waged by the Greeks against the Trojans.

During the war, the Greek king [[Agamemnon]] captured [[Chryseis]], the daughter of Apollo's priest [[Chryses]], and refused to return her. Angered by this, Apollo shot arrows infected with the plague into the Greek encampment. He demanded that they return the girl, and the Achaeans (Greeks) complied, indirectly causing the ''[[Achilles and Patroclus#In the Iliad|anger of Achilles]]'', which is the theme of the ''[[Iliad]]''.

[[File:John Flaxman - Apollo Preceding Hector with His Aegis, and Dispersing the Greeks, Fuseli's Lectures - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|Apollo preceding [[Hector]] with his [[aegis]], and dispersing the Greeks, by [[John Flaxman]]]]

Receiving the [[aegis]] from Zeus, Apollo entered the battlefield as per his father's command, causing great terror to the enemy with his war cry. He pushed the Greeks back and destroyed many of the soldiers. He is described as "the rouser of armies" because he rallied the Trojan army when they were falling apart.

When Zeus allowed the other gods to get involved in the war, Apollo was provoked by Poseidon to a duel. However, Apollo declined to fight him, saying that he would not fight his uncle for the sake of mortals.

[[File:Diomedes prevented by Apollo from pursuing Aeneas (?) MET 80355.jpg|thumb|Apollo preventing [[Diomedes]] from pursuing [[Aeneas]]]]

When the Greek hero [[Diomedes]] injured the Trojan hero [[Aeneas]], [[Aphrodite]] tried to rescue him, but Diomedes injured her as well. Apollo then enveloped Aeneas in a cloud to protect him. He repelled the attacks Diomedes made on him and gave the hero a stern warning to abstain from attacking a god. Aeneas was then taken to Pergamos, a sacred spot in [[Troy]], where he was healed.

After the death of [[Sarpedon (Trojan War hero)|Sarpedon]], a son of Zeus, Apollo rescued the corpse from the battlefield as per his father's wish and cleaned it. He then gave it to Sleep ([[Hypnos]]) and Death ([[Thanatos]]). Apollo had also once convinced Athena to stop the war for that day, so that the warriors can relieve themselves for a while.

[[File:Hector's body dragged at the Chariot of Achilles.jpg|thumb|Apollo protecting Hector's body, by [[John Flaxman]]]]

The Trojan hero [[Hector]] (who, according to some, was the god's own son by [[Hecuba]]<ref>[[Stesichorus]], Fr. 108; [[Tzetzes]], ''On Lycophron''  266; Porphyry in his ''Omissions'' states that [[Ibycus]], [[Alexander Aetolus|Alexander]], [[Euphorion of Chalcis|Euphorion]] and [[Lycophron]] all made Hector the son of Apollo.</ref>) was favored by Apollo. When he got severely injured, Apollo healed him and encouraged him to take up his arms. During a duel with Achilles, when Hector was about to lose, Apollo hid Hector in a cloud of mist to save him. When the Greek warrior [[Patroclus]] tried to get into the fort of Troy, he was stopped by Apollo. Encouraging Hector to attack Patroclus, Apollo stripped the armour of the Greek warrior and broke his weapons. Patroclus was eventually killed by Hector. At last, after Hector's fated death, Apollo protected his corpse from Achilles' attempt to mutilate it by creating a magical cloud over the corpse, shielding it from the rays of the [[Helios|sun]].

Apollo held a grudge against Achilles throughout the war because Achilles had murdered his son [[Tenes]] before the war began and brutally assassinated his son [[Troilus]] in his own temple. Not only did Apollo save Hector from Achilles, he also tricked Achilles by disguising himself as a Trojan warrior and driving him away from the gates. 

Finally, Apollo caused Achilles' death by guiding an arrow shot by [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]] into [[Achilles]]' heel. In some versions, Apollo himself killed Achilles by taking the disguise of Paris.

Apollo helped many Trojan warriors—including [[Agenor]], [[Polydamas (mythology)|Polydamas]], and [[Glaucus]]—in the battlefield. Though he greatly favored the Trojans, Apollo was bound to follow the orders of Zeus and served his father loyally during the war.

===Nurturer of the young===
Apollo ''Kourotrophos'' is the god who nurtures and protects children and the young, especially boys. He oversees their education and their passage into adulthood. Education is said to have originated from Apollo and the [[Muses]]. Many myths have him train his children. It was a custom for boys to cut and dedicate their long hair to Apollo after reaching adulthood.

[[Chiron]], the abandoned [[centaur]], was fostered by Apollo, who instructed him in medicine, prophecy, archery and more. Chiron would later become a great teacher himself.

[[Asclepius]] in his childhood gained much knowledge pertaining to medicinal arts from his father. However, he was later entrusted to Chiron for further education.

[[Anius]], Apollo's son by [[Rhoeo]], was abandoned by his mother soon after his birth. Apollo brought him up and educated him in mantic arts. Anius later became the priest of Apollo and the king of Delos.

[[Iamus]] was the son of Apollo and [[Evadne]]. When Evadne went into labour, Apollo sent the [[Moirai]] to assist his lover. After the child was born, Apollo sent snakes to feed the child some honey. When Iamus reached the age of education, Apollo took him to Olympia and taught him many arts, including the ability to understand and explain the languages of birds.<ref>Pindar, Olympian Ode 6</ref>

[[Idmon]] was educated by Apollo to be a seer. Even though he foresaw his death that would happen in his journey with the [[Argonauts]], he embraced his destiny and died a brave death. To commemorate his son's bravery, Apollo commanded Boeotians to build a town around the tomb of the hero, and to honor him.<ref>Apollonius Rhodius. Argonautica ii, 846 ff</ref>

Apollo adopted [[Carnus]], the abandoned son of Zeus and [[Europa (consort of Zeus)|Europa]]. He reared the child with the help of his mother Leto and educated him to be a seer.

When his son [[Melaneus of Oechalia|Melaneus]] reached the age of marriage, Apollo asked the princess [[Stratonice (mythology)|Stratonice]] to be his son's bride and carried her away from her home when she agreed.

Apollo saved a shepherd boy (name unknown) from death in a large deep cave, by means of vultures. To thank him, the shepherd built Apollo a temple under the name Vulturius.<ref>The Cyclopedia, Or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature, Volume 37</ref>

===God of music===

[[File:The music of the spheres.jpg|thumb|The music of the spheres. Shown in this engraving from Renaissance Italy are Apollo, the Muses, the planetary spheres and musical ratios.]]
[[File:Apollo,_Hyacinthus_and_Cyparis_singing_and_playing_by_Alexander_Ivanov.jpg|left|thumb|Apollo, [[Hyacinth (mythology)|Hyacinth]] and [[Cyparissus]] singing and playing, by [[Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov|Alexander Ivanov]] 1831–1834]]
Immediately after his birth, Apollo demanded a lyre and invented the [[paean]], thus becoming the god of music. As the divine singer, he is the patron of poets, singers and musicians. The invention of string music is attributed to him. [[Plato]] said that the innate ability of humans to take delight in music, rhythm and harmony is the gift of Apollo and the Muses.<ref>[[Plato]], ''[[Laws (Plato)|Laws]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0166%3Abook%3D2%3Apage%3D653 653.4]</ref> According to [[Socrates]], ancient Greeks believed that Apollo is the god who directs the harmony and makes all things move together, both for the gods and the humans. For this reason, he was called ''Homopolon'' before the ''Homo'' was replaced by ''A''.<ref>The prefix ''A'' means "without" or "not", and ''polloi'' means "many", thus ''Apollo'' means "not many" or "united", referring to his ability to create harmony.</ref><ref>[[Plato]], ''[[Cratylus (dialogue)|Cratylus]]''</ref> Apollo's harmonious music delivered people from their pain, and hence, like Dionysus, he is also called the liberator.<ref name="ReferenceA" /> The swans, which were considered to be the most musical among the birds, were believed to be the "singers of Apollo". They are Apollo's sacred birds and acted as his vehicle during his travel to [[Hyperborea]].<ref name="ReferenceA" /> [[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]] says that when the singers would sing hymns to Apollo, the swans would join the chant in unison.<ref>[[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]], ''On the nature of Animals'' 11. 1</ref>

[[File:Parnassus, Andrea Appiani (1811).jpg|thumb|Apollo and the Muses on Parnassus, by [[Andrea Appiani]]|left]]

Among the [[Pythagoreanism|Pythagoreans]], the study of mathematics and music were connected to the worship of Apollo, their principal deity.<ref>[[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]], ''[[Varia Historia]]'', 2. 26</ref><ref>[[Diogenes Laërtius]], 8.13</ref><ref>[[Iamblichus]], ''Vit. Pyth.'' 8.91.141</ref> Their belief was that music purifies the soul, just as medicine purifies the body. They also believed that music was delegated to the same mathematical laws of harmony as the mechanics of the cosmos, evolving into an idea known as the [[music of the spheres]].<ref>Landels, John G (1999) ''Music in Ancient Greece and Rome''</ref>

Apollo appears as the companion of the [[Muses]], and as [[Musagetes]] ("leader of Muses") he leads them in dance. They spend their time on [[Parnassus]], which is one of their sacred places. Apollo is also the lover of the Muses and by them he became the father of famous musicians like [[Orpheus]] and [[Linus of Thrace|Linus]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Apollo is often found delighting the immortal gods with his songs and music on the [[lyre]].<ref>Iliad (i. 603)</ref> In his role as the god of banquets, he was always present to play music at weddings of the gods, like the marriage of [[Eros]] and [[Cupid and Psyche|Psyche]], [[Peleus]] and [[Thetis]]. He is a frequent guest of the [[Bacchanalia]], and many ancient ceramics depict him being at ease amidst the [[maenads]] and satyrs.<ref>Detienne, Marcel (2001) ''Forgetting Delphi between Apollo and Dionysus''</ref> Apollo also participated in musical contests when challenged by others. He was the victor in all those contests, but he tended to punish his opponents severely for their [[hubris]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Apollo's lyre====
[[File:Detail of the statue of Apollo holding the kithara, from the Temple of Venus (Casino Fede) at Hadrian's Villa, Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket (12233881783).jpg|thumb|upright=.7|Detail of Apollo's lyre|left]]
The invention of the lyre is attributed either to [[Hermes]] or to Apollo himself.<ref>{{cite web|title=Homeric Hymn to Hermes (IV, 1–506)|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0138%3ahymn%3d4|website=Perseus|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> Distinctions have been made that Hermes invented lyre made of tortoise shell, whereas the lyre Apollo invented was a regular lyre.<ref>Diodorus Siculus{{Incomplete short citation|date=December 2021}}</ref>

Myths tell that the infant Hermes stole a number of Apollo's cows and took them to a cave in the woods near [[Pylos]], covering their tracks. In the cave, he found a [[tortoise]] and killed it, then removed the insides. He used one of the cow's intestines and the tortoise shell and made his [[lyre]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[File:Noël Coypel - Story of Apollo-Apollo and Mercury, 1688.jpg|thumb|The friendship of Apollo and Hermes, by [[Noël Coypel]]]]

Upon discovering the theft, Apollo confronted Hermes and asked him to return his cattle. When Hermes acted innocent, Apollo took the matter to Zeus. Zeus, having seen the events, sided with Apollo, and ordered Hermes to return the cattle.<ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA162 p. 162].</ref> Hermes then began to play music on the lyre he had invented. Apollo fell in love with the instrument and offered to exchange the cattle for the lyre. Hence, Apollo then became the master of the lyre.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

According to other versions, Apollo had invented the lyre himself, whose strings he tore in repenting of the excess punishment he had given to [[Marsyas]]. Hermes' lyre, therefore, would be a reinvention.<ref>{{cite book|first=Norman O.|last=Brown|title=Hermes the Thief: The Evolution of a Myth|year=1947 |isbn=0-940262-26-6|location=Madison|publisher=University of Wisconsin Press|page=93}}</ref>

====Contest with Pan====

[[File:Laurits Regner Tuxen The-Musical-Dual-Of-Pan-And-Apollo.jpg|thumb|The musical duel of Pan and Apollo, by [[Laurits Tuxen]]]]

Once [[Pan (mythology)|Pan]] had the audacity to compare his music with that of Apollo and to challenge the god of music to a contest. The mountain-god [[Tmolus (son of Ares)|Tmolus]] was chosen to umpire. Pan blew on his pipes, and with his rustic melody gave great satisfaction to himself and his faithful follower, [[Midas]], who happened to be present. Then, Apollo struck the strings of his lyre. It was so beautiful that Tmolus at once awarded the victory to Apollo, and everyone was pleased with the judgement. Only Midas dissented and questioned the justice of the award. Apollo did not want to suffer such a depraved pair of ears any longer, and caused them to become the ears of a donkey.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Contest with Marsyas====

[[Marsyas]] was a [[satyr]] who was punished by Apollo for his [[hubris]]. He had found an [[aulos]] on the ground, tossed away after being invented by [[Athena]] because it made her cheeks puffy. Athena had also placed a curse upon the instrument, that whoever would pick it up would be severely punished. When Marsyas played the flute, everyone became frenzied with joy. This led Marsyas to think that he was better than Apollo, and he challenged the god to a musical contest. The contest was judged by the [[Muse]]s, or the nymphs of [[Nysa (mythology)|Nysa]]. Athena was also present to witness the contest.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Marsyas taunted Apollo for "wearing his hair long, for having a fair face and smooth body, for his skill in so many arts".<ref name="Apuleius, Florida 3.2">Apuleius, ''Florida'' 3.2</ref> He also further said,

{{blockquote|'His [Apollo] hair is smooth and made into tufts and curls that fall about his brow and hang before his face. His body is fair from head to foot, his limbs shine bright, his tongue gives oracles, and he is equally eloquent in prose or verse, propose which you will. What of his robes so fine in texture, so soft to the touch, aglow with purple? What of his lyre that flashes gold, gleams white with ivory, and shimmers with rainbow gems? What of his song, so cunning and so sweet? Nay, all these allurements suit with naught save luxury. To virtue they bring shame alone!'<ref name="Apuleius, Florida 3.2"/>}}

The Muses and Athena sniggered at this comment. The contestants agreed to take turns displaying their skills and the rule was that the victor could "do whatever he wanted" to the loser.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[File:05apol1.jpg|thumb|The contest between Apollo and [[Marsyas]], by [[Palma il Giovane]]|left]]

According to one account, after the first round, they both were deemed equal by the [[Nysiads]]. But in the next round, Apollo decided to play on his lyre and add his melodious voice to his performance. Marsyas argued against this, saying that Apollo would have an advantage and accused Apollo of cheating. But Apollo replied that since Marsyas played the flute, which needed air blown from the throat, it was similar to singing, and that either they both should get an equal chance to combine their skills or none of them should use their mouths at all. The nymphs decided that Apollo's argument was just. Apollo then played his lyre and sang at the same time, mesmerising the audience. Marsyas could not do this. Apollo was declared the winner and, angered with Marsyas' haughtiness and his accusations, decided to flay the satyr.<ref name="ReferenceD">Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 5. 75. 3</ref>

[[File:Marsyas Flayed by the Order of Apollo - Charles André van Loo (1735).jpg|thumb|Marsyas flayed by the order of Apollo, by [[Charles-André van Loo]]]]

According to another account, Marsyas played his flute out of tune at one point and accepted his defeat. Out of shame, he assigned to himself the punishment of being skinned for a wine sack.<ref>Philostratus the Younger, Imagines 2 (trans. Fairbanks)</ref> Another variation is that Apollo played his instrument upside down. Marsyas could not do this with his instrument. So the Muses who were the judges declared Apollo the winner. Apollo hung Marsyas from a tree to flay him.<ref>''Man Myth and Magic'' by Richard Cavendish</ref>

Apollo [[flaying|flayed]] the limbs of Marsyas alive in a cave near [[Celaenae]] in [[Phrygia]] for his [[hubris]] to challenge a god. He then gave the rest of his body for proper burial<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#165 165].</ref> and nailed Marsyas' flayed skin to a nearby pine-tree as a lesson to the others. Marsyas' blood turned into the river Marsyas. But Apollo soon repented and being distressed at what he had done, he tore the strings of his lyre and threw it away. The lyre was later discovered by the Muses and Apollo's sons [[Linus of Thrace|Linus]] and [[Orpheus]]. The Muses fixed the middle string, Linus the string struck with the forefinger, and Orpheus the lowest string and the one next to it. They took it back to Apollo, but the god, who had decided to stay away from music for a while, laid away both the lyre and the pipes at Delphi and joined [[Cybele]] in her wanderings to as far as [[Hyperborea]].<ref name="ReferenceD"/><ref>Apostle Arne Horn, ''The Book of Eusebius'' #4</ref>

====Contest with Cinyras====

Cinyras was a ruler of [[Cyprus]], who was a friend of [[Agamemnon]]. Cinyras promised to assist Agamemnon in the Trojan war, but did not keep his promise. Agamemnon cursed Cinyras. He invoked Apollo and asked the god to avenge the broken promise. Apollo then had a [[lyre]]-playing contest with [[Cinyras]], and defeated him. Either Cinyras committed suicide when he lost, or was killed by Apollo.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'', [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D11%3Acard%3D1 11.20&ndash;23].</ref><ref>Eustathius on Iliad; cf. also scholia on the same passage</ref>

[[File:Apollon Raon Versailles MV5921.jpg|thumb|Apollon Raon, [[Versailles]]]]

===Patron of sailors===
Apollo functions as the patron and protector of sailors, one of the duties he shares with [[Poseidon]]. In the myths, he is seen helping heroes who pray to him for a safe journey.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

When Apollo spotted a ship of Cretan sailors that were caught in a storm, he quickly assumed the shape of a dolphin and guided their ship safely to Delphi.<ref>Homer, ''Hymn to Pythian Apollo''</ref>

When the [[Argonauts]] faced a terrible storm, [[Jason]] prayed to his patron, Apollo, to help them. Apollo used his bow and golden arrow to shed light upon an island, where the Argonauts soon took shelter. This island was renamed "[[Anafi|Anaphe]]", which means "He revealed it".<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, ''Argonautica''</ref>

Apollo helped the Greek hero [[Diomedes]], to escape from a great tempest during his journey homeward. As a token of gratitude, Diomedes built a temple in honor of Apollo under the epithet Epibaterius ("the embarker").<ref>John Potter, ''Archaeologia Graeca: Or, The Antiquities of Greece, Volume 1''</ref>

During the Trojan War, [[Odysseus]] came to the Trojan camp to return Chriseis, the daughter of Apollo's priest [[Chryses]], and brought many offerings to Apollo. Pleased with this, Apollo sent gentle breezes that helped Odysseus return safely to the Greek camp.<ref>Homer, ''the Ilaid'' 1</ref>

[[Arion]] was a poet who was kidnapped by some sailors for the rich prizes he possessed. Arion requested them to let him sing for the last time, to which the sailors consented. Arion began singing a song in praise of Apollo, seeking the god's help. Consequently, numerous dolphins surrounded the ship and when Arion jumped into the water, the dolphins carried him away safely.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Wars===

====Trojan War====
Apollo played a pivotal role in the entire Trojan War. He sided with the Trojans, and sent a terrible plague to the Greek camp, which indirectly led to the conflict between [[Achilles]] and [[Agamemnon]]. He killed the Greek heroes [[Patroclus]], Achilles, and numerous Greek soldiers. He also helped many Trojan heroes, the most important one being [[Hector]]. After the end of the war, Apollo and Poseidon together cleaned the remains of the city and the camps.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[File:Paris armour Pomarici Santomasi.jpg|thumb|Paris (on the left) putting on his armour as Apollo (on the right) watches him. Attic red-figure kantharos, 425–420 BC]]

====Telegony war====
A war broke out between the [[Brygoi]] and the Thesprotians, who had the support of [[Odysseus]]. The gods Athena and [[Ares]] came to the battlefield and took sides. Athena helped the hero Odysseus while Ares fought alongside of the Brygoi. When Odysseus lost, Athena and Ares came into a direct duel. To stop the battling gods and the terror created by their battle, Apollo intervened and stopped the duel between them.<ref>Eugammon of Cyrene, ''Telegony Fragment''</ref><ref>Benjamin Sammons, ''Device and Composition in the Greek Epic Cycle''</ref>

====Indian war====
When Zeus suggested that [[Dionysus]] defeat the Indians in order to earn a place among the gods, Dionysus declared war against the Indians and travelled to India along with his army of [[Bacchantes]] and [[satyrs]]. Among the warriors was [[Aristaeus]], Apollo's son. Apollo armed his son with his own hands and gave him a bow and arrows and fitted a strong shield to his arm.<ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca'' 13</ref> After Zeus urged Apollo to join the war, he went to the battlefield.<ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca'' 27</ref> Seeing several of his [[nymphs]] and Aristaeus drowning in a river, he took them to safety and healed them.<ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca'' 24</ref> He taught Aristaeus more useful healing arts and sent him back to help the army of Dionysus.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Theban war====
During the war between the sons of [[Oedipus]], Apollo favored [[Amphiaraus]], a seer and one of the leaders in the war. Though saddened that the seer was fated to be doomed in the war, Apollo made Amphiaraus' last hours glorious by "lighting his shield and his helm with starry gleam". When [[Hypseus]] tried to kill the hero with a spear, Apollo directed the spear towards the charioteer of Amphiaraus instead. Then Apollo himself replaced the charioteer and took the reins in his hands. He deflected many spears and arrows away from them. He also killed many of the enemy warriors like [[Melaneus (mythology)|Melaneus]], [[Antiphus]], Aetion, Polites and [[Lampus]]. At last, when the moment of departure came, Apollo expressed his grief with tears in his eyes and bid farewell to Amphiaraus, who was soon engulfed by the Earth.<ref>Statius, ''Thebaid'' 7</ref>

===Slaying of giants===

Apollo killed the giants Python and Tityos, who had assaulted his mother Leto.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Gigantomachy====
During the [[gigantomachy]], Apollo and [[Heracles]] blinded the giant [[Ephialtes (disambiguation)|Ephialtes]] by shooting him in his eyes, Apollo shooting his left and Heracles his right.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D2 1.6.2].</ref> He also killed [[Porphyrion]], the king of giants, using his bow and arrows.<ref>[[Pindar]], ''Pythian'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DP.%3Apoem%3D8 8.12–18].</ref>

====Aloadae====
The [[Aloadae]], namely Otis and Ephialtes, were twin giants who decided to wage war upon the gods. They attempted to storm Mt. Olympus by piling up mountains, and threatened to fill the sea with mountains and inundate dry land.<ref>Grimal, s.v. Aloadae, p. 34.</ref> They even dared to seek the hand of Hera and Artemis in marriage. Angered by this, Apollo killed them by shooting them with arrows.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136%3Abook%3D11%3Acard%3D271 11.305].</ref> According to another tale, Apollo killed them by sending a deer between them; as they tried to kill it with their javelins, they accidentally stabbed each other and died.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#28 28].</ref>

====Phorbas====
[[Phorbas]] was a savage giant king of [[Phlegyas (Boeotia)|Phlegyas]] who was described as having swine-like features. He wished to plunder Delphi for its wealth. He seized the roads to Delphi and started harassing the pilgrims. He captured the old people and children and sent them to his army to hold them for ransom. And he challenged the young and sturdy men to a match of boxing, only to cut their heads off when they would get defeated by him. He hung the chopped-off heads to an oak tree. Finally, Apollo came to put an end to this cruelty. He entered a boxing contest with Phorbas and killed him with a single blow.<ref>[[Philostratus the Elder]], ''[[Imagines (work by Philostratus)|Imagines]]'' [https://archive.org/details/imagines00philuoft/page/214/mode/2up?view=theater 2.19].</ref>

===Other stories===

[[File:François Boucher - The Rising of the Sun - WGA02916.jpg|thumb|Apollo as the rising sun, by [[François Boucher]]]]

In the first [[Olympic games]], Apollo defeated [[Ares]] and became the victor in wrestling. He outran [[Hermes]] in the race and won first place.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:5.7.10 5.7.10].</ref>

Apollo divides months into summer and winter.<ref>''[[Orphic Hymn]]'' 34 ''to Apollon'', 21 (Athanassakis and Wolkow, [https://books.google.com/books?id=TTo3r8IHy0wC&pg=PA30 pp. 30&ndash;31]).</ref> He rides on the back of a swan to the land of the [[Hyperborea]]ns during the winter months, and the absence of warmth in winter is due to his departure. During his absence, Delphi was under the care of [[Dionysus]], and no prophecies were given during winters.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

==== Periphas ====

[[Periphas]] was an Attican king and a priest of Apollo. He was noble, just and rich. He did all his duties justly. Because of this people were very fond of him and started honouring him to the same extent as Zeus. At one point, they worshipped Periphas in place of Zeus and set up shrines and temples for him. This annoyed Zeus, who decided to annihilate the entire family of Periphas. But because he was a just king and a good devotee, Apollo intervened and requested his father to spare Periphas. Zeus considered Apollo's words and agreed to let him live. But he metamorphosed Periphas into an eagle and made the eagle the king of birds. When Periphas' wife requested Zeus to let her stay with her husband, Zeus turned her into a vulture and fulfilled her wish.<ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#6 6]; Grimal, s.v. Periphas (2), p. 359.</ref>

==== Molpadia and Parthenos ====

Molpadia and Parthenos were the sisters of [[Rhoeo]], a former lover of Apollo. One day, they were put in charge of watching their father's ancestral wine jar but they fell asleep while performing this duty. While they were asleep, the wine jar was broken by the swine their family kept. When the sisters woke up and saw what had happened, they threw themselves off a cliff in fear of their father's wrath. Apollo, who was passing by, caught them and carried them to two different cities in Chersonesus, Molpadia to Castabus and Parthenos to Bubastus. He turned them into goddesses and they both received divine honors. Molpadia's name was changed to [[Hemithea (mythology)|Hemithea]] upon her deification.<ref>Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, 5. 62. 3–4</ref>

==== Prometheus ====

[[Prometheus]] was the titan who was punished by Zeus for stealing fire. He was bound to a rock, where each day an eagle was sent to eat Prometheus' liver, which would then grow back overnight to be eaten again the next day. Seeing his plight, Apollo pleaded with Zeus to release the kind Titan, while Artemis and Leto stood behind him with tears in their eyes. Zeus, moved by Apollo's words and the tears of the goddesses, finally sent Heracles to free Prometheus.<ref>Valerius Flaccus, ''Argonautica'' 4. 60</ref>

[[File:Nicolas-Guy Brenet - Apollo Crowning the Arts, 1771.jpg|thumb|Apollo crowning the arts, by [[Nicolas-Guy Brenet]]]]

==== Heracles ====

After [[Heracles]] (then named Alcides) was struck with madness and killed his family, he sought to purify himself and consulted the oracle of Apollo. Apollo, through the Pythia, commanded him to serve king [[Eurystheus]] for twelve years and complete the ten tasks the king would give him. Only then would Alcides be absolved of his sin. Apollo also renamed him Heracles.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D4%3Asection%3D12 2.4.12].</ref>

[[File:Corinthian helmet Cdm Paris BB2013 n2.jpg|thumb|right|Heracles and Apollo struggling over the hind, as depicted on a Corinthian helmet (early 5th century BC)]]

To complete his third task, Heracles had to capture the [[Ceryneian Hind]], a hind sacred to Artemis, and bring back it alive. After chasing the hind for one year, the animal eventually got tired, and when it tried crossing the river Ladon, Heracles captured it. While he was taking it back, he was confronted by Apollo and Artemis, who were angered at Heracles for this act. However, Heracles soothed the goddess and explained his situation to her. After much pleading, Artemis permitted him to take the hind and told him to return it later.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D5%3Asection%3D3 2.5.3].</ref>

After he was freed from his servitude to Eurystheus, Heracles fell in conflict with Iphytus, a prince of Oechalia, and murdered him. Soon after, he contracted a terrible disease. He consulted the oracle of Apollo once again, in the hope of ridding himself of the disease. The Pythia, however, denied to give any prophesy. In anger, Heracles snatched the sacred tripod and started walking away, intending to start his own oracle. However, Apollo did not tolerate this and stopped Heracles; a duel ensued between them. Artemis rushed to support Apollo, while Athena supported Heracles. Soon, Zeus threw his thunderbolt between the fighting brothers and separated them. He reprimanded Heracles for this act of violation and asked Apollo to give a solution to Heracles. Apollo then ordered the hero to serve under [[Omphale]], queen of [[Lydia]] for one year in order to purify himself.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

After their reconciliation, Apollo and Heracles together founded the city of Gythion.<ref>Pausanias, Description of Greece 3. 21. 8</ref>

==== Plato's concept of soulmates ====

A long time ago, there were three kinds of human beings: male, descended from the sun; female, descended from the earth; and androgynous, descended from the moon. Each human being was completely round, with four arms and four legs, two identical faces on opposite sides of a head with four ears, and all else to match. They were powerful and unruly. [[Aloadae|Otis]] and [[Aloadae|Ephialtes]] even dared to scale [[Mount Olympus]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

To check their insolence, Zeus devised a plan to humble them and improve their manners instead of completely destroying them. He cut them all in two and asked Apollo to make necessary repairs, giving humans the individual shape they still have now. Apollo turned their heads and necks around towards their wounds, he pulled together their skin at the [[abdomen]], and sewed the skin together at the middle of it. This is what we call [[navel]] today. He smoothened the wrinkles and shaped the chest. But he made sure to leave a few wrinkles on the abdomen and around the navel so that they might be reminded of their punishment.<ref>Plato, ''[[The Symposium]]''</ref>

{{blockquote|"As he [Zeus] cut them one after another, he bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn... Apollo was also bidden to heal their wounds and compose their forms. So Apollo gave a turn to the face and pulled the skin from the sides all over that which in our language is called the belly, like the purses which draw in, and he made one mouth at the centre [of the belly] which he fastened in a knot (the same which is called the navel); he also moulded the breast and took out most of the wrinkles, much as a shoemaker might smooth leather upon a last; he left a few wrinkles, however, in the region of the belly and navel, as a memorial of the primeval state.}}

==== The rock of Leukas ====

Leukatas was believed to be a white-colored rock jutting out from the island of [[Lefkada|Leukas]] into the sea. It was present in the sanctuary of Apollo Leukates. A leap from this rock was believed to have put an end to the longings of love.<ref name="Strabo, Geography 10. 2. 8">[[Strabo]], ''[[Geographica|Geography]]'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198%3Abook%3D10%3Achapter%3D2%3Asection%3D8 10.2.8].</ref>

Once, Aphrodite fell deeply in love with [[Adonis]], a young man of great beauty who was later accidentally killed by a boar. Heartbroken, Aphrodite wandered looking for the rock of Leukas. When she reached the sanctuary of Apollo in Argos, she confided in him her love and sorrow. Apollo then brought her to the rock of Leukas and asked her to throw herself from the top of the rock. She did so and was freed from her love. When she sought the reason behind this, Apollo told her that Zeus, before taking another lover, would sit on this rock to free himself from his love for Hera.<ref name="ReferenceE">Ptolemy Hephaestion, ''New History Book'' 7</ref>

Another tale relates that a man named Nireus, who fell in love with the cult statue of Athena, came to the rock and jumped in order to relieve himself. After jumping, he fell into the net of a fisherman in which, when he was pulled out, he found a box filled with gold. He fought with the fisherman and took the gold, but Apollo appeared to him in the night in a dream and warned him not to appropriate gold which belonged to others.<ref name="ReferenceE"/>

It was an ancestral custom among the Leukadians to fling a criminal from this rock every year at the sacrifice performed in honor of Apollo for the sake of averting evil. However, a number of men would be stationed all around below rock to catch the criminal and take him out of the borders in order to exile him from the island.<ref>Aelian, ''On Animals'' 11. 8</ref><ref name="ReferenceE"/> This was the same rock from which, according to a legend, Sappho took her suicidal leap.<ref name="Strabo, Geography 10. 2. 8"/>

[[File:François Boucher 028.jpg|thumb|Apollo as the setting sun, by [[François Boucher]]]]

==== Slaying of Titans ====
Once [[Hera]], out of spite, aroused the Titans to war against [[Zeus]] and take away his throne. Accordingly, when the Titans tried to climb [[Mount Olympus]], Zeus with the help of Apollo, [[Artemis]] and [[Athena]], defeated them and cast them into Tartarus.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#150 150].</ref>

===Female lovers===

[[File:Robert Sanderson - Apollo and the Muses.jpg|thumb|Apollo and the Muses, by Robert Sanderson]]
Apollo is said to have been the lover of all nine [[Muses]], and not being able to choose one of them, he decided to remain unwed. He fathered the [[Corybantes]] by the Muse [[Thalia (Muse)|Thalia]].<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D3%3Asection%3D4 1.3.4].</ref> By [[Calliope]], he had [[Hymenaios]], [[Ialemus]], [[Orpheus]]<ref>Asclepiades, Tragoidoumena 6 (from Scholia ad Pindari Pythia 4.313a)</ref> and [[Linus (Thracian)|Linus]]. Alternatively, Linus was said to be the son of Apollo and either [[Urania]] or [[Terpsichore]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In the Great Eoiae that is attributed to [[Hesiod]], Scylla is the daughter of Apollo and Hecate.<ref>Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 828</ref>

[[Cyrene (mythology)|Cyrene]] was a Thessalian princess whom Apollo loved. In her honor, he built the city Cyrene and made her its ruler. She was later granted longevity by Apollo who turned her into a nymph. The couple had two sons, [[Aristaeus]], and [[Idmon]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[Evadne]] was a nymph daughter of Poseidon and a lover of Apollo. They had a son, [[Iamos]]. During the time of the childbirth, Apollo sent [[Eileithyia]], the goddess of childbirth to assist her.

[[Rhoeo]], a princess of the island of Naxos was loved by Apollo. Out of affection for her, Apollo turned her sisters into goddesses. On the island Delos she bore Apollo a son named [[Anius]]. Not wanting to have the child, she entrusted the infant to Apollo and left. Apollo raised and educated the child on his own.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Ourea, a daughter of [[Poseidon]], fell in love with Apollo when he and Poseidon were serving the Trojan king [[Laomedon]]. They both united on the day the walls of [[Troy]] were built. She bore to Apollo a son, whom Apollo named Ileus, after the city of his birth, Ilion ([[Troy]]). Ileus was very dear to Apollo.<ref>[[Scholia]] on [[Tzetzes]]' ''Exegesis in Iliadem'' 1.126 [= Hesiod ''Catalogue of Women'' fr. 83].</ref>

[[Thero (mythology)|Thero]], daughter of [[Phylas]], a maiden as beautiful as the moonbeams, was loved by the radiant Apollo, and she loved him in return. Through their union, she became the mother of Chaeron, who was famed as "the tamer of horses". He later built the city [[Chaeronea]].<ref>Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'' 9</ref>

Hyrie or Thyrie was the mother of [[Cycnus (son of Apollo)|Cycnus]]. Apollo turned both the mother and son into swans when they jumped into a lake and tried to kill themselves.<ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#12 12]; [[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0074%3Abook%3D7%3Acard%3D350 7.350]; Smith 1873, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DC%3Aentry+group%3D40%3Aentry%3Dcycnus-bio-1 s.v. Cycnus (1)].</ref>

[[Hecuba]] was the wife of King [[Priam]] of [[Troy]], and Apollo had a son with her named [[Troilus]]. An [[oracle]] prophesied that Troy would not be defeated as long as Troilus reached the age of twenty alive. He was ambushed and killed by [[Achilleus]], and Apollo avenged his death by killing Achilles. After the sack of Troy, Hecuba was taken to Lycia by Apollo.<ref>[[Stesichorus]], Fr.108</ref>

[[Coronis (lover of Apollo)|Coronis]] was daughter of [[Phlegyas]], King of the [[Lapiths]]. While pregnant with [[Asclepius]], Coronis fell in love with [[Ischys]], son of [[Elatus]] and slept with him. When Apollo found out about her infidelity through his prophetic powers or thanks to his [[Lycius (son of Clinis)|raven]] who informed him, he sent his sister, Artemis, to kill Coronis. Apollo rescued the baby by cutting open Coronis' belly and gave it to the [[centaur]] [[Chiron]] to raise.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[Dryope (daughter of Dryops)|Dryope]], the daughter of Dryops, was impregnated by Apollo in the form of a snake. She gave birth to a son named Amphissus.<ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses,'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#32 32]; [[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0074%3Abook%3D9%3Acard%3D324 9.330].</ref>

In [[Euripides]]' play ''[[Ion (play)|Ion]]'', Apollo fathered [[Ion (mythology)|Ion]] by [[Creusa (daughter of Erechtheus)|Creusa]], wife of [[Xuthus]]. He used his powers to conceal her pregnancy from her father. Later, when Creusa left Ion to die in the wild, Apollo asked [[Hermes]] to save the child and bring him to the oracle at [[Delphi]], where he was raised by a priestess.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Apollo loved and kidnapped an Oceanid nymph, [[Melia (consort of Apollo)|Melia]]. Her father [[Oceanus]] sent one of his sons, [[Caanthus]], to find her, but Caanthus could not take her back from Apollo, so he burned Apollo's sanctuary. In retaliation, Apollo shot and killed Caanthus.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:9.10.5 9.10.5&ndash;6].</ref>

===Male lovers===
[[File:Kiselev Death of Hyacinth.jpg|thumb|left|Death of Hyacinth, by [[Alexander Kiselyov (painter)|Alexander Kiselyov]], 1850–1900]]

Hyacinth (or Hyacinthus), a beautiful and athletic [[Sparta]]n prince, was one of Apollo's favourite lovers.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028%3Abook%3D10%3Acard%3D143 10.143 ff.]</ref> The pair was practicing throwing the [[Discus throw|discus]] when a discus thrown by Apollo was blown off course by the jealous [[Zephyrus]] and struck Hyacinthus in the head, killing him instantly. Apollo is said to be filled with grief. Out of Hyacinthus' blood, Apollo created a [[hyacinth (plant)|flower]] named after him as a memorial to his death, and his tears stained the flower petals with the interjection {{lang|grc|αἰαῖ}}, meaning ''alas''.<ref>{{LSJ|ai)ai{{=}}|αἰαῖ}}, {{LSJ|ai)/2|αἴ|shortref}}.</ref> He was later resurrected and taken to heaven. The festival [[Hyacinthia]] was a national celebration of Sparta, which commemorated the death and rebirth of Hyacinthus.<ref>Smith 1890, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0063:entry=hyacinthia-cn&highlight=hyacinthus s.v. Hyacinthia].</ref>

Another male lover was [[Cyparissus]], a descendant of [[Heracles]]. Apollo gave him a tame deer as a companion but Cyparissus accidentally killed it with a [[Pilum|javelin]] as it lay asleep in the undergrowth. Cyparissus was so saddened by its death that he asked Apollo to let his tears fall forever. Apollo granted the request by turning him into the [[Cupressaceae|Cypress]] named after him, which was said to be a sad tree because the sap forms droplets like tears on the trunk.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0074%3Abook%3D10%3Acard%3D86 10.106–10.142]; Tripp, s.v. Cyparissus.</ref>

[[File:Granger-Apollo.jpg|thumb|Apollo and [[Cyparissus]], by [[Jean-Pierre Granger]] (1779–1840)]]

[[Admetus]], the king of Pherae, was also Apollo's lover.<ref>[[Callimachus]], Hymn to Apollo, 49.</ref><ref name="Plutarch, Numa">[[Plutarch]], ''Life of Numa'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0052%3Achapter%3D4%3Asection%3D5 4.5].</ref> During his exile, which lasted either for one year or nine years,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Keaveney|first=Arthur|date=1 January 1984|journal=Philologus|volume=128|issue=1–2|doi=10.1524/phil.1984.128.12.138|issn=2196-7008|title=A Note on Servius, Ad ''Aeneid'' 7, 637|pages=138–139|s2cid=164720549}}</ref> Apollo served Admetus as a herdsman. The romantic nature of their relationship was first described by [[Callimachus]] of Alexandria, who wrote that Apollo was "fired with love" for Admetus.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Plutarch lists Admetus as one of Apollo's lovers and says that Apollo served Admetus because he doted upon him.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Amatorius'' 17</ref> Latin poet [[Ovid]] in his {{lang|la|[[Ars Amatoria]]}} said that even though he was a god, Apollo forsook his pride and stayed in as a servant for the sake of Admetus.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Ars Amatoria]]'' 2.239</ref> [[Tibullus]] describes Apollo's love to the king as ''servitium amoris'' (slavery of love) and asserts that Apollo became his servant not by force but by choice. He would also make cheese and serve it to Admetus. His domestic actions caused embarrassment to his family.<ref>[[Tibullus]], ''Elegies'' 2.3</ref>

[[File:Nicolas-Antoine Taunay - Apolo visitando Admeto.jpg|thumb|Apollo visiting Admetus, by [[Nicolas-Antoine Taunay]], 19th century]]

{{blockquote| Oh how often his sister (Diana) blushed at meeting her brother as he carried a young calf through the fields!....often Latona lamented when she saw her son's disheveled locks which were admired even by Juno, his step-mother...<ref>Tibullus, ''Elegies'' 2</ref>}}
When Admetus wanted to marry princess [[Alcestis]], Apollo provided a chariot pulled by a lion and a boar he had tamed. This satisfied Alcestis' father and he let Admetus marry his daughter. Further, Apollo saved the king from Artemis' wrath and also convinced the [[Moirai]] to postpone Admetus' death once.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[Branchus (lover of Apollo)|Branchus]], a shepherd, one day came across Apollo in the woods. Captivated by the god's beauty, he kissed Apollo. Apollo requited his affections and wanting to reward him, bestowed prophetic skills on him. His descendants, the Branchides, were an influential clan of prophets.<ref>Pepin, Ronald E. (2008). The Vatican Mythographers. Fordham Univ Press. {{ISBN|9780823228928}}.</ref>

Other male lovers of Apollo include:

*[[Adonis]], who is said to have been the lover of both Apollo and Aphrodite. He behaved as a man with Aphrodite and as a woman with Apollo.<ref>Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 4 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190)</ref>
*[[Atymnius]],<ref>[[Nonnus]], ''[[Dionysiaca]]'', 11. 258; 19. 181.</ref> otherwise known as a beloved of [[Sarpedon (brother of Minos)|Sarpedon]]
*[[Boreas (god)|Boreas]], the god of North winds<ref>Valerius Flaccus, '' Argonautica'' 4.465</ref>
*[[Cinyras]], king of Cyprus and the priest of Aphrodite<ref>[[Pindar]], ''Pythian Ode'' 2 lines 15–17 with [[scholia]]</ref>
*[[Helenus]], a Trojan prince (son of [[Priam]] and [[Hecuba]]). He received from Apollo an ivory bow with which he later wounded Achilles in the hand.<ref>Photius, 'Bibliotheca excerpts'</ref>
*Hippolytus of [[Sicyon]] (not the same as [[Hippolytus (mythology)|Hippolytus, the son of Theseus]])<ref name="Plutarch, Numa" />
*[[Hymenaios]], the son of [[Magnes (son of Argos)|Magnes]]<ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'', [https://topostext.org/work/216#23 23] [= [[Hesiod]], ''[[Megalai Ehoiai]]'' fr. 16]; Smith 1873, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DH%3Aentry+group%3D17%3Aentry%3Dhymen-bio-1 s.v. Hymen]; Grimal, s.v. Hymenaeus.</ref>
*[[Iapis]], to whom Apollo taught the art of healing<ref>Smith 1873, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=iapis-bio-1&highlight=iapis s.v. Iapis].</ref>
*[[Phorbas of Thessaly|Phorbas]], the dragon slayer (probably the son of Triopas)<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Numa'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0052%3Achapter%3D4%3Asection%3D5 4.5]; cf. [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[De astronomia]]'', [https://topostext.org/work/207#2.14.5 2.14].</ref>

===Children===
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2024}}
Apollo sired many children, from mortal women and nymphs as well as the goddesses. His children grew up to be physicians, musicians, poets, seers or archers. Many of his sons founded new cities and became kings.

[[File:1590. Apollo Entrusting Chiron with the Education of Aescalapius - etching - Washington DC, NGA.jpg|thumb|Apollo entrusting [[Chiron]] with the education of Aescalapius]]

[[Asclepius]] is the most famous son of Apollo. His skills as a physician surpassed that of Apollo's. Zeus killed him for bringing back the dead, but upon Apollo's request, he was resurrected as a god. [[Aristaeus]] was placed under the care of Chiron after his birth. He became the god of beekeeping, cheese-making, animal husbandry and more. He was ultimately given immortality for the benefits he bestowed upon humanity. The [[Corybantes]] were spear-clashing, dancing demigods.

The sons of Apollo who participated in the Trojan War include the Trojan princes [[Hector]] and [[Troilus]], as well as [[Tenes]], the king of [[Tenedos]], all three of whom were killed by Achilles over the course of the war.

Apollo's children who became musicians and bards include [[Orpheus]], [[Linus of Thrace|Linus]], [[Ialemus]], [[Hymen (god)|Hymen]]aeus, [[Philammon]], [[Eumolpus]] and [[Eleuther]]. Apollo fathered 3 daughters, [[Apollonis]], [[Borysthenis]] and [[Cephisso]], who formed a group of minor Muses, the "Musa Apollonides".<ref>Eumelus, Fragment 35 (from Tzetzes, On Hesiod's Works & Days 23)</ref> Plutarch recounts that the Delphians believed the three Muses to be Nete, Mese, and Hypate, after the highest, middle, and lowest strings of the lyre.<ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=musae-bio-1 s.v. Musae]; [[Plutarch]], ''Symposiacs'' 9.14.4.</ref> [[Phemonoe]] was a seer and poet who was the inventor of Hexameter.

[[Apis (Greek mythology)|Apis]], [[Idmon]], [[Iamus]], [[Tenerus (son of Apollo)|Tenerus]], [[Mopsus]], [[Galeus (son of Apollo)|Galeus]], Telmessus and others were gifted seers. [[Anius]], Pythaeus and [[Ismenus]] lived as high priests. Most of them were trained by Apollo himself.

[[Arabius (mythology)|Arabus]], [[Delphos (mythology)|Delphos]], [[Dryops (mythology)|Dryops]], [[Miletos]], [[Tenes]], [[Epidaurus (mythology)|Epidaurus]], [[Ceos (mythology)|Ceos]], [[Lycorus|Lycoras]], [[Syrus]], [[Pisus]], [[Marathon (mythology)|Marathus]], [[Megarus]], [[Patarus]], [[Acraepheus]], [[Cicon]], [[Chaeron (mythology)|Chaeron]] and many other sons of Apollo, under the guidance of his words, founded eponymous cities.

He also had a son by Agathippe who was named Chrysorrhoas who was a mechanic artist.<ref>Plutarch, ''Of the Names of Rivers and Mountains, and Of Such Things as are to be Found Therein''</ref> His other daughters include [[Eurynome]], [[Chariclo]] wife of [[Chiron]], [[Eurydice]] the wife of Orpheus, [[Eriopis]], famous for her beautiful hair, [[Melite (heroine)|Melite]] the heroine, [[Pamphile]] the silk weaver, Parthenos, and by some accounts, Phoebe, Hilyra and [[Scylla]]. Apollo turned Parthenos into a constellation after her early death.

Additionally, Apollo fostered and educated [[Chiron]], the centaur who later became the greatest teacher and educated many demigods, including Apollo's sons. Apollo also fostered [[Carnus]], the son of [[Zeus]] and [[Europa (consort of Zeus)|Europa]].

====List of offspring and their mothers====
The following is a list of Apollo's offspring, by various mothers. Beside each offspring, the earliest source to record the parentage is given, along with the century to which the source (in some cases approximately) dates.
<div style=display:inline-table>
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! scope="col" style="width: 100pt;" | Offspring
! scope="col" style="width: 95pt;" | Mother
! scope="col" style="width: 55pt;" | Source
! scope="col" style="width: 70pt;" | Date
! class="unsortable" scope="col" style="width: 10pt;" |
|-
| [[Amphithemis]]
| rowspan="4" | [[Acacallis (mythology)|Acacallis]]
| [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Ap. Rhod.]]
| data-sort-value=11 | 3rd cent. BC
| <ref>Tripp, s.v. Acacallis or Acalle, p. 1; [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/apollonius_rhodes-argonautica/2009/pb_LCL001.449.xml 4.1491&ndash;4].</ref>
|-
| [[Miletus (mythology)|Miletus]]
| [[Antoninus Liberalis|Ant. Lib.]]
| data-sort-value=20 | 2nd/3rd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#30 30].</ref>
|-
| [[Naxos (mythology)|Naxos]]
|
|
|<ref>[[Scholia]] on Apollonius Rhodius, 1491 ff.{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Phylacides]], [[Philander (mythology)|Philander]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.16.5 10.6.5].</ref>
|-
| [[Oaxes]]
| [[Anchiale]]
| [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]]
| data-sort-value=24 | 4th/5th cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=oaxes-bio-1&highlight=oaxes s.v. Oaxes]; [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] on [[Virgil]]'s ''Eclogue'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0091%3Apoem%3D1%3Acommline%3D65 1.65].</ref>
|-
| [[Eleuther]]
| [[Aethusa]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:3.10.1 3.10.1].</ref>
|-
| Chrysorrhoas
| Agathippe
| [[Pseudo-Plutarch|Ps.-Plut.]] ''[[De fluviis|Fluv.]]''
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pseudo-Plutarch]], ''[[De fluviis]]'', [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0094.tlg001.perseus-eng1:7 7].</ref>
|-
| [[Linus (mythology)|Linus]]
| [[Alciope (mythology)|Alciope]]
|
|
| <ref>[[Photius]], ''Lexicon'' s. v. Linos{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Miletus (mythology)|Miletus]]
| [[Areia (mythology)|Areia]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.1.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=3:chapter=1&highlight=Aria 3.1.2].</ref>
|-
| [[Deione (mythology)|Deione]]
| [[Ovid]] ''[[Metamorphoses|Met.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=miletus-bio-1&highlight=deione s.v. Deione].</ref>
|-
| [[Eumolpus]]
| [[Astycome]]
|
|
| <ref>[[Photius]], ''Lexicon'', s. v. ''Eumolpidai''{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Asclepius]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Arsinoe (Greek myth)|Arsinoe]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>Hard, p. 424; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:3.10.3 3.10.3].</ref>
|-
| [[Eriopis]]
|
|
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=arsinoe-bio-3&highlight=eriopis s.v. Arsinoe (3)].</ref>
|-
| [[Arabius (mythology)|Arabus]]
| Babylon
| [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]]
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pliny the Elder]], ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]'', [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/pliny_elder-natural_history/1938/pb_LCL352.639.xml 7.196, pp. 638, 639].</ref>
|-
| [[Orpheus]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Calliope]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref name="1.3.2">[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:1.3.2 1.3.2].</ref>
|-
| [[Ialemus]]
|
|
| <ref>Peck, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DI%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Dialemus-harpers s.v. Ialĕmus].</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Linus of Thrace|Linus]]
| [[Calliope]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref name="1.3.2"/>
|-
| [[Urania]]
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[Fabulae|Fab.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=urania-bio-1 s.v. Urania (1)]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#161 161].</ref>
|-
| [[Terpsichore]]
| ''[[Suda]]''
| data-sort-value=35 | 10th cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Terpsichore; ''[[Suda]]'' [https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/lambda/568 λ 568].</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Delphus]]
| [[Celaeno]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160%3Abook%3D10%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D3 10.6.3].</ref>
|-
| [[Melaina]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>Grimal, s.v. Delphus, p. 131; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.6.4 10.6.4].</ref>
|-
| [[Thyia (naiad)|Thyia]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.6.4 10.6.4].</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | [[Philammon]]
| [[Chione (daughter of Daedalion)|Chione]]
| [[Ovid]] ''[[Metamorphoses|Met.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Jacoby'', s.v. Philammon (1); [[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028%3Abook%3D11%3Acard%3D266 11.316&ndash;7].</ref>
|-
| [[Leuconoe]]
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[Fabulae|Fab.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=philammon-bio-1&highlight=philammon s.v. Philammon]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#161 161].</ref>
|-
| [[Philonis]]
| [[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]]
| data-sort-value=7 | 5th cent. BC
| <ref>''[[Brill's New Jacoby|BNJ]]'' [https://scholarlyeditions-brill-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:fgrh.0003.bnjo-3-tr1-eng:f120 3 F120] [= Scholia on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'', 19.432].</ref>
|-
| [[Coronus (Greek mythology)|Coronus]]
| [[Chrysorthe]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.5.8 2.5.8].</ref>
|-
| [[Parthenos (daughter of Apollo)|Parthenos]]
| [[Chrysothemis]]
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[De astronomia|De astr.]]''
| data-sort-value=16 | 1st cent. BC/AD
| <ref>Parada, s.v. Chrysothemis, p. 47; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[De astronomia]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/207#2.25.1 2.25.1].</ref>
|-
| [[Asclepius]]
| [[Coronis (lover of Apollo)|Coronis]]
| ''[[Homeric Hymns|HH]]'' 19
| data-sort-value=4 | 7th/6th cent. BC
| <ref>Hard, [https://books.google.com/books?id=r1Y3xZWVlnIC&pg=PA149 p. 149]; ''[[Homeric Hymns|Homeric Hymn]] to Asclepius'' (16), [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg016.perseus-eng1:16 1&ndash;4]; [[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/5D*.html#74.6 5.74.6].</ref>
|-
| [[Lycorus]]
| [[Corycia]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=corycia-bio-1&highlight=lycorus s.v. Lycorus]; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160%3Abook%3D10%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D3 10.6.3].</ref>
|-
| [[Ion (mythology)|Ion]]
| [[Creusa]]
| [[Euripides]]
| data-sort-value=7 | 5th cent. BC
| <ref>[[Euripides]], ''[[Ion (play)|Ion]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg010.perseus-eng1:1-40 10].</ref>
|-
| [[Aristaeus]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Cyrene (mythology)|Cyrene]]
| [[Hesiod|Hes.]] ''[[Catalogue of Women|Cat.]]''
| data-sort-value=5 | 6th cent. BC
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Aristaeus (1); Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=aristaeus-bio-1 s.v. Aristaeus]; [[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/hesiod-catalogue_women/2018/pb_LCL503.267.xml fr. 159, pp. 266, 267]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#161 161].</ref>
|-
| [[Autuchos]]
| Schol. [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Ap. Rh.]]
| data-sort-value=50 |
| <ref>''[[Pauly-Wissowa|RE]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/RE:Autuchos s.v. Autuchos]; [[Scholia]] on [[Apollonius Rhodius]], ''Argonautica'', 2.498.</ref>
|-
| [[Idmon]]
|
|
| <ref>Tripp, s.v. Idmon, p. 316.</ref>
|-
| The [[Korybantes|Curetes]]
| [[Danais (mythology)|Danais]]
| [[Tzetzes]]
| data-sort-value=39 | 12th cent. AD
| <ref>''[[Pauly-Wissowa|RE]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/RE:Dana%C3%AFs_4 Danais (4)]; [[Tzetzes]] on [[Lycophron]], 77.</ref>
|-
| [[Dryops (mythology)|Dryops]]
| [[Dia (mythology)|Dia]]
| [[Tzetzes]]
| data-sort-value=39 | 12th cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Dia (4); [[Tzetzes]] on [[Lycophron]], 480; [[Scholia]] on [[Apollonius Rhodius]], ''[[Argonautica]]'', 1.1213.</ref>
|-
| [[Amphissus]]
| [[Dryope]]
| [[Antoninus Liberalis|Ant. Lib.]]
| data-sort-value=20 | 2nd/3rd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], [https://topostext.org/work/216#32 32].</ref>
|-
| [[Agreus (mythology)|Agreus]]
| [[Euboea (mythology)|Euboea]]
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[Fabulae|Fab.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref name="topostext.org">[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#161 161].</ref>
|-
| [[Iamus]]
| [[Evadne]]
| [[Pindar]]
| data-sort-value=7 | 5th cent. BC
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DI%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Diamus-bio-1 s.v. Iamus]; [[Pindar]], ''Olympian'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DO.%3Apoem%3D6 6.35 ff.]</ref>
|-
| [[Amphiaraus]]
| [[Hypermnestra#Daughter of Thestius and Eurythemis|Hypermnestra]]
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[Fabulae|Fab.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=amphiaraus-bio-1 s.v. Amphiaraus]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#70 70].</ref>
|-
| [[Hector]]
| [[Hecuba]]
| [[Stesichorus]]
| data-sort-value=5 | 6th cent. BC
| <ref>Gantz, p. 561; [[Stesichorus]], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/stesichorus_i-fragments/1991/pb_LCL476.157.xml fr. 224 Campbell, pp. 156, 157] [= [[Euphorion of Chalcis|Euphorion]], fr. 56 Powell = Scholia on [[Lycophron]]'s ''Alexandra'', 265]; [[Ibycus]], fr. 295 ''[[Poetae Melici Graeci|PMG]]'' (Page, 152) [= Scholia on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'', 3.314].</ref>
|-
| [[Cycnus#Son of Apollo|Cycnus]]
| [[Hyria (mythology)|Hyria]]
| [[Antoninus Liberalis|Ant. Lib.]]
| data-sort-value=20 | 2nd/3rd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#12 12].</ref>
|-
| [[Icadius]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Lycia (mythology)|Lycia]]
| [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]]
| data-sort-value=24 | 4th/5th cent. AD
| <ref>Grimal, s.v. Icadius, p. 226; [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] on [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Serv.+A.+3.332&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0053 3.332].</ref>
|-
| [[Patarus]]
| [[Stephanus of Byzantium|Steph. Byz.]]
| data-sort-value=27 | 6th cent. AD
| <ref>''[[Pauly-Wissowa|RE]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/RE:Pataros_1 s.v. Pataros (1)]; [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], [https://topostext.org/work/241#P510.17 s.v. Patara].</ref>
|-
| [[Mopsus]]
| [[Manto (daughter of Tiresias)|Manto]]
| [[Strabo]]
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=mopsus-bio-2&highlight=mopsus s.v. Mopsus (2)]; [[Strabo]], ''[[Geographica]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.perseus-eng2:14.5.16 14.5.16].</ref>
|-
| [[Ismenus]], [[Tenerus (son of Apollo)|Tenerus]]
| [[Melia (consort of Apollo)|Melia]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+9.10.6 9.10.6].</ref>
|-
| [[Phagrus]]
| [[Othreis]]
| [[Antoninus Liberalis|Ant. Lib.]]
| data-sort-value=20 | 2nd/3rd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], [https://topostext.org/work/216#13 13].</ref>
|-
| [[Cynnes]]
| [[Parnethia]]
|
|
| <ref>[[Photius]], Lexicon, s.v. ''Kynneios''.{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Lycomedes (mythology)|Lycomedes]]
| [[Parthenope (mythology)|Parthenope]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>Parada, s.v. Lycomedes (3), p. 108; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:7.4.1 7.4.1].</ref>
|-
| [[Cinyras]]
| [[Pharnace (mythology)|Pharnace]]
|
|
| <ref>''[[Pauly-Wissowa|RE]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/RE:Apollon s.v. Apollon].</ref>
|-
| [[Dorus (mythology)|Dorus]], [[Laodocus]], [[Polypoetes]]
| [[Phthia (mythology)|Phthia]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.7.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=7&highlight=Laodocus 1.7.6].</ref>
|-
| [[Tenes]]
| [[Procleia]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DEpitome%3Abook%3DE%3Achapter%3D3%3Asection%3D23 E.3.23].</ref>
|-
| [[Linus (Argive)|Linus]]
| [[Psamathe (Crotopus)|Psamathe]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Psamathe (2); [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.19.8 2.19.8].</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | The [[Corybantes]]
| [[Rhetia]]
| [[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]]
| data-sort-value=7 | 5th cent. BC
| <ref>''[[Brill's New Jacoby|BNJ]]'' 3 F48 [= [[Strabo]], ''[[Geographica]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.3.21 10.3.21].</ref>
|-
| [[Thalia (Muse)|Thalia]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Thalia (1); [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:1.3.4 1.3.4].</ref>
|-
| [[Anius]]
| [[Rhoeo]]
| [[Diodorus Siculus|Diod. Sic.]]
| data-sort-value=15 | 1st cent. BC
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DR%3Aentry+group%3D3%3Aentry%3Drhoeo-bio-1 s.v. Rhoeo]; [[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://topostext.org/work/133#5.62.1 5.62.1].</ref>
|-
| [[Ceos (mythology)|Ceos]]
| [[Rhodoessa]]
| ''[[Etymologicum Magnum|Etym. M.]]''
| data-sort-value=39 | 12th cent. AD
| <ref>''[[Pauly-Wissowa|RE]]'', [https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/RE:Apollon s.v. Apollon]; ''[[Etymologicum Magnum]]'' [https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10209806?page=772,773 507.54].</ref>
|-
| [[Cicon]]
| [[Rhodope (mythology)|Rhodope]]
| ''[[Etymologicum Magnum|Etym. M.]]''
| data-sort-value=39 | 12th cent. AD
| <ref>Grimal, s.v. Cicones, p. 102; ''[[Etymologicum Magnum]]'' [https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/en/view/bsb10209806?page=778,779 513.37].</ref>
|-
| [[Syrus]]
| [[Sinope (mythology)|Sinope]]
| [[Plutarch]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Lucullus'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plut.+Luc.+23.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0046 23.6].</ref>
|-
| [[Centaurus (Greek mythology)|Centaurus]], [[Lapithes (hero)|Lapithes]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Stilbe]]
| [[Diodorus Siculus|Diod. Sic.]]
| data-sort-value=15 | 1st cent. BC
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=stilbe-bio-1&highlight=stilbe s.v. Stilbe]; [[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#69.1 4.69.1].</ref>
|-
| [[Aeneus (of Aenus)|Aineus]]
|
|
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Aeneus.</ref>
|-
| [[Zeuxippus (son of Apollo)|Zeuxippus]]
| [[Syllis (mythology)|Syllis]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>''[[Brill's New Pauly]]'', [https://referenceworks.brill.com/display/entries/NPOE/e12216980.xml s.v. Zeuxippus (2)]; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D7 2.6.7].</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Hymen (god)|Hymenaeus]]
| [[Terpsichore]]
| [[Tzetzes]]
| data-sort-value=39 | 12th cent. AD
| <ref>[[Tzetzes]], ''[[Chiliades]]'' [https://archive.org/details/TzetzesCHILIADES/page/n468/mode/1up?view=theater 13.599&ndash;600]; [[Alciphron]], ''Letters'' [https://topostext.org/work/494#1.16 1.16].</ref>
|-
| [[Clio]]
|
|
| <ref>Licymnius, fr. 768a.{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Galeus (mythology)|Galeus]]
| [[Themisto (mythology)|Themisto]]
| [[Stephanus of Byzantium|Steph. Byz.]]
| data-sort-value=27 | 6th cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=galeus-bio-1&highlight=galeus s.v. Galeus]; [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], [https://topostext.org/work/241#G196.18 s.v. Galeotai].</ref>
|-
| [[Chaeron (mythology)|Chaeron]]
| [[Thero (Greek mythology)|Thero]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:9.40.6 9.40.6].</ref>
|-
| Ileus
| Urea
| [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyg.]] ''[[Fabulae|Fab.]]''
| data-sort-value=17 | 1st cent. AD
| <ref name="topostext.org"/>
|-
| [[Trophonius]]
| [[Epicaste]]
|
|
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Trophonius.</ref>
|-
| [[Acraepheus]]
| rowspan="14" | ''No mother mentioned''
| [[Stephanus of Byzantium|Steph. Byz.]]
| data-sort-value=27 | 6th cent. AD
| <ref>Smith, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=acraepheus-bio-1&highlight=acraepheus s.v. Acraephus]; [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], [https://topostext.org/work/241#A63.10 s.v. Akraiphia].</ref>
|-
| [[Chariclo]]
| Schol. [[Pindar|Pind.]]
| data-sort-value=50 |
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Chariclo (1); Scholia on [[Pindar]], ''Pythian'' 4.181.</ref>
|-
| [[Erymanthus (person)|Erymanthus]]
|
|
| <ref>Grimal, s.v. Erymanthus (1), p. 153.</ref>
|-
| [[Marathon (mythology)|Marathus]]
| ''[[Suda]]''
| data-sort-value=35 | 10th cent. AD
| <ref>''[[Suda]]'' [https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/mu/177 μ 177].</ref>
|-
| [[Melaneus]]
| [[Antoninus Liberalis|Ant. Lib.]]
| data-sort-value=20 | 2nd/3rd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Antoninus Liberalis]], ''Metamorphoses'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#4 4].</ref>
|-
| [[Oncius]]
| [[Pausanias (geographer)|Paus.]]
| data-sort-value=19 | 2nd cent. AD
| <ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160%3Abook%3D8%3Achapter%3D25%3Asection%3D4 8.25.4].</ref>
|-
| [[Phemonoe]]
|
|
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Phemonoe.</ref>
|-
| [[Pisus]]
| [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]]
| data-sort-value=24 | 4th/5th cent. AD
| <ref>Grimal, s.v. Pisus (2), p. 376; [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] on [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Serv.+A.+10.179&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0053 10.179].</ref>
|-
| [[Cephisso]], [[Apollonis]], [[Borysthenis]]
| [[Eumelus of Corinth|Eumelus]]
|
| <ref>[[Eumelus of Corinth|Eumelus]], [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/eumelus-epic_testimonia_fragments/2003/pb_LCL497.251.xml fr. 35 West, pp. 250, 251].</ref>
|-
| [[Troilus]]
| [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollod.]]
| data-sort-value=18 | 1st/2nd cent. AD
| <ref>''Brill's New Pauly'', s.v. Troilus (1); [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:3.12.5 3.12.5].</ref>
|-
|}
</div>

===Failed love attempts===
{{See also|Apollo and Daphne}}
Love affairs ascribed to Apollo are a late development in Greek mythology.<ref>"The love-stories themselves were not told until later." [[Karl Kerenyi]], ''The Gods of the Greeks'' 1951:140.</ref> Their vivid anecdotal qualities have made some of them favorites of painters since the Renaissance, the result being that they stand out more prominently in the modern imagination.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[File:Apollo and Daphne (Bernini).jpg|thumb|''[[Apollo and Daphne]]'' by [[Bernini]] in the [[Galleria Borghese]]|left]]
[[Daphne]] was a [[nymph]] who scorned Apollo's advances and ran away from him. When Apollo chased her in order to persuade her, she changed herself into a laurel tree. According to other versions, she cried for help during the chase, and [[Gaia]] helped her by taking her in and placing a laurel tree in her place.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#203 203].</ref> According to Roman poet [[Ovid]], the chase was brought about by [[Cupid]], who hit Apollo with a golden arrow of love and Daphne with a leaden arrow of hatred.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0074%3Abook%3D1%3Acard%3D452 1.452–567]; Tripp, s.v. Daphne.</ref> The myth explains the origin of the [[Bay Laurel|laurel]] and the connection of Apollo with the laurel and its leaves, which his priestess employed at [[Delphi]]. The leaves became the symbol of victory and laurel wreaths were given to the victors of the [[Pythian games]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[Marpessa (daughter of Evenus)|Marpessa]] was kidnapped by [[Idas]] but was loved by Apollo as well. [[Zeus]] made her choose between them, and she chose Idas on the grounds that Apollo, being immortal, would tire of her when she grew old.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D7%3Asection%3D8 1.7.8&ndash;9]; cf. [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D9%3Acard%3D538 9.557&ndash;560].</ref>

[[Sinope (mythology)|Sinope]], a nymph, was approached by the amorous Apollo. She made him promise that he would grant to her whatever she would ask for, and then cleverly asked him to let her stay a virgin. Apollo kept his promise and went back.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

[[Bolina]] was admired by Apollo but she refused him and jumped into the sea. To avoid her death, Apollo turned her into a nymph, saving her life.<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.%207.23.4 Pausanias, ''Description of Greece'', 7.23.4]</ref>

[[Castalia]] was a [[nymph]] whom Apollo loved. She fled from him and dove into the [[castalian Spring|spring]] at Delphi, at the base of [[Mt. Parnassos]], which was then named after her. Water from this spring was sacred; it was used to clean the Delphian temples and inspire the priestesses.<ref>[[Statius]], ''[[Thebaid (Latin poem)|Thebaid]]'' 1.696 ff.</ref>

[[Cassandra]] was a daughter of Hecuba and Priam. Apollo wished to court her. Cassandra promised to return his love on one condition – he should give her the power to see the future. Apollo fulfilled her wish, but she went back on her word and rejected him soon after. Angered that she broke her promise, Apollo cursed her that even though she would see the future, no one would ever believe her prophecies.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

The [[Cumaean Sibyl|Sibyl of Cumae]] like Cassandra promised Apollo her love in exchange for a boon. asking for as many years of life as the grains of sand in her hand. Apollo granted her wish, but she broke her word. While she lived longer, Apollo did not grant her agelessness, causing her to wither until only her voice remained.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' 14.129–154</ref>

[[Hestia]], the goddess of the hearth, rejected both Apollo's and Poseidon's marriage proposals and swore that she would always stay unmarried.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

In one version of the prophet [[Tiresias]]'s origins, he was originally a woman who promised Apollo to sleep with him if he would give her music lessons. Apollo gave her her wish, but then she went back on her word and refused him. Apollo in anger turned her into a man.<ref>{{cite book | first1 = Domitilla | last1 = Campanile | first2 = Filippo | last2 = Carlà-Uhink | first3 = Margherita | last3 = Facella | page =[https://books.google.com/books?id=39ENDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT57 57] | title = TransAntiquity: Cross-Dressing and Transgender Dynamics in the Ancient World | publisher = [[Routledge]] | date = 23 February 2017 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=39ENDgAAQBAJ | isbn = 9781138941205}}</ref>

===Female counterparts===
[[File:Gavin Hamilton - Apollo and Artemis, 1770.jpg|thumb|Apollo and Artemis, by [[Gavin Hamilton (artist)|Gavin Hamilton]]|left]]

====Artemis====
[[File:Apollo Artemis Brygos Louvre G151.jpg|thumb|Apollo (left) and [[Artemis]], by [[Brygos]] (potter signed). Tondo of an Attic red-figure cup {{circa|470 BC}}, [[Musée du Louvre]].]]

Artemis as the sister of Apollo, is ''thea apollousa'', that is, she as a female divinity represented the same idea that Apollo did as a male divinity. In the pre-Hellenic period, their relationship was described as the one between husband and wife, and there seems to have been a tradition which actually described Artemis as the wife of Apollo.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} However, this relationship was never sexual but spiritual,<ref>Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1197</ref> which is why they both are seen being unmarried in the [[Hellenic period]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Artemis, like her brother, is armed with a bow and arrows. She is the cause of sudden deaths of women. She also is the protector of the young, especially girls. Though she has nothing to do with oracles, music or poetry, she sometimes led the female chorus on Olympus while Apollo sang.<ref>''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=lNV6-HsUppsC&pg=PA268 s.v. Artemis, p. 268]</ref> The laurel (''[[daphne]]'') was sacred to both. ''Artemis Daphnaia'' had her temple among the Lacedemonians, at a place called Hypsoi.<ref>G. Shipley, "The Extent of Spartan Territory in the Late Classical and Hellenistic Periods", ''The Annual of the British School at Athens'', 2000.</ref> ''Apollo Daphnephoros'' had a temple in [[Eretria]], a "place where the citizens are to take the oaths".<ref>Rufus B. Richardson, "A Temple in Eretria" ''The American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts'', '''10'''.3 (July – September 1895:326–337); Paul Auberson, ''Eretria. Fouilles et Recherches I, Temple d'Apollon Daphnéphoros, Architecture'' (Bern, 1968). See also [[Plutarch]], ''Pythian Oracle'', 16.</ref> In later times when Apollo was regarded as identical with the sun or [[Helios]], Artemis was naturally regarded as [[Selene]] or the moon.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Hecate====

[[File:Jusepe de Ribera - Hecate, Procession to a Witches' Sabbath.jpg|thumb|Hecate: procession to witches' sabbath, by [[Jusepe de Ribera]]]]

[[Hecate]], the goddess of witchcraft and magic, is the chthonic counterpart of Apollo. They both are cousins, since their mothers – Leto and Asteria – are sisters. One of Apollo's epithets, ''Hecatos'', is the masculine form of Hecate, and both names mean "working from afar". While Apollo presided over the prophetic powers and magic of light and heaven, Hecate presided over the prophetic powers and magic of night and chthonian darkness.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} If Hecate is the "gate-keeper", Apollo ''Agyieus'' is the "door-keeper". Hecate is the goddess of crossroads and Apollo is the god and protector of streets.<ref name="ReferenceB">Carol M. Mooney, B.A., ''Hekate: Her Role And Character In Greek Literature From Before The Fifth Century B.C.''</ref>

[[File:Houbraken, Arnold - Pallas Athene Visiting Apollo on the Parnassus - 1703.jpeg|thumb|left|Pallas Athena visiting Apollo on Parnassus, by [[Arnold Houbraken]]]]

The oldest evidence found for Hecate's worship is at Apollo's temple in Miletos. There, Hecate was taken to be Apollo's sister counterpart in the absence of Artemis.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> Hecate's lunar nature makes her the goddess of the waning moon and contrasts and complements, at the same time, Apollo's solar nature.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

====Athena====

As a deity of knowledge and great power, Apollo was seen being the male counterpart of [[Athena]]. Being Zeus' favorite children, they were given more powers and duties. Apollo and Athena often took up the role of protectors of cities, and were patrons of some of the important cities. Athena was the principal goddess of [[Athens]], Apollo was the principal god of [[Sparta]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://publicism.info/culture/apollo/7.html | title=APOLLO, THE YOUNG, AND THE CITY – KEY THEMES – Apollo – Fritz Graf}}</ref>

As patrons of arts, Apollo and Athena were companions of the [[Muses]], the former a much more frequent companion than the latter.<ref>Peter Dawkins, ''The Shakespeare Enigma''</ref> Apollo was sometimes called the son of Athena and Hephaestus.<ref>[[Cicero]], ''[[De Natura Deorum]]'' [https://archive.org/details/denaturadeorumac00ciceuoft/page/338/mode/2up?view=theater&q=Apollo 3.22].</ref>

In the Trojan War, as Zeus' executive, Apollo is seen holding the [[aegis]] like Athena usually does.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134%3Abook%3D15%3Acard%3D281 15.308].</ref> Apollo's decisions were usually approved by his sister Athena, and they both worked to establish the law and order set forth by Zeus.<ref>1.Homer, ''Iliad'', Euripides, ''Ion'', Aeschylus, ''Oresteia''</ref>

===Apollo in the ''Oresteia''===
[[File:Over life-size statue of Apollo Citharoedus (the lyre-player), from the Gymnasium of Salamis, 2nd century AD, Cyprus Museum, Nicosia, Cyprus (22484277762).jpg|thumb|upright=.7|Statue of Apollo Cithaeroedus, [[Cyprus Museum]], [[Nicosia]]]]

In [[Aeschylus]]' ''[[Oresteia]]'' trilogy, [[Clytemnestra]] kills her husband, King [[Agamemnon]] because he had sacrificed their daughter [[Iphigenia]] to proceed forward with the Trojan war. Apollo gives an order through the Oracle at Delphi that Agamemnon's son, [[Orestes]], is to kill Clytemnestra and [[Aegisthus]], her lover. Orestes and Pylades carry out the revenge, and consequently Orestes is pursued by the [[Erinyes]] or Furies (female personifications of [[revenge|vengeance]]).{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Apollo and the Furies argue about whether the [[matricide]] was justified; Apollo holds that the bond of marriage is sacred and Orestes was avenging his father, whereas the Erinyes say that the bond of blood between mother and son is more meaningful than the bond of marriage. They invade his temple, and he drives them away. He says that the matter should be brought before Athena. Apollo promises to protect Orestes, as Orestes has become Apollo's [[Supplication|supplicant]]. Apollo advocates Orestes at the trial, and ultimately Athena rules in favor of Apollo.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

===Roman Apollo===

The Roman worship of Apollo was adopted from the Greeks.{{sfn|Freese|1911|p=185}} As a quintessentially [[List of Greek deities|Greek god]], Apollo had no direct Roman equivalent, although later Roman poets often referred to him as '''Phoebus'''.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} There was a tradition that the Delphic oracle was consulted as early as the period of the [[Roman Kingdom|kings of Rome]] during the reign of [[Tarquinius Superbus]].<ref>[[Livy]] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Liv.+1.56 1.56].</ref>

On the occasion of a pestilence in the 430s BCE, Apollo's [[Temple of Apollo Sosianus|first temple]] at Rome was established in the Flaminian fields, replacing an older cult site there known as the "Apollinare".<ref>Livy [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0026:book=3:chapter=63 3.63.7], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0145:book=4:chapter=25 4.25.3].</ref> During the [[Second Punic War]] in 212 BCE, the ''[[Ludi Apollinares]]'' ("Apollonian Games") were instituted in his honor, on the instructions of a prophecy attributed to one Marcius.<ref>Livy [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0147:book=25:chapter=12 25.12].</ref> In the time of [[Augustus]], who considered himself under the special protection of Apollo and was even said to be his son, his worship developed and he became one of the chief gods of Rome.<ref>{{cite book |author=J. H. W. G. Liebeschuetz |title=Continuity and Change in Roman Religion |year=1979 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-814822-7 |pages=82–85 }}</ref>{{sfn|Freese|1911|p=185}}

After the [[Battle of Actium]], which was fought near a sanctuary of Apollo, Augustus enlarged Apollo's temple, dedicated a portion of the spoils to him, and instituted [[quinquennial]] games in his honour.<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''[[On the Life of the Caesars#Life of Augustus|Augustus]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#18.2 18.2]; [[Cassius Dio]] [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/51*.html#1 51.1.1–3].</ref> He also erected [[Temple of Apollo (Palatine)|a new temple]] to the god on the [[Palatine Hill|Palatine hill]].<ref>Cassius Dio [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/53*.html#1.3 53.1.3].</ref> Sacrifices and prayers on the Palatine to Apollo and [[Diana (mythology)|Diana]] formed the culmination of the [[Secular Games]], held in 17 BCE to celebrate the dawn of a new era.<ref>''[[Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae]]'' 5050, translated by {{cite book |last1=Beard |first1=Mary |author-link=Mary Beard (classicist) |last2=North |first2=John |last3=Price |first3=Simon |title=Religions of Rome: Volume 2: A Sourcebook |year=1998 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-45015-7|page=5.7b }}</ref>