Editing Apollo (section)

===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>