Apollo In Greek Mythology

Greek mythology was used as a way to explain and provide reason for what was going on in the world. (Hamilton,1) These stories were used to "lead us back to a time when...people had a connection with the earth." (Hamilton,1) In this time, people had "little distinction between the real and unreal." (Hamilton, 1) The Greeks recognized twelve main gods, the brothers, sisters, and children of the king of the gods Zeus. (Bleiberg) Among these twelve was Zeus's son Apollo. Although Apollo is best known as the Greek god of music, archery, healing, light, and truth, he was also known for acts of destruction and nature's control of life.

Apollo was the son of Leto and Zeus and the twin of Artemis. Leto, also called Latona, was the Titan daughter of
Zeus had many affairs with other women, and Hera never failed to punish these women. (Hamilton, 22) When Leto became pregnant, Zeus left her because he was afraid of Hera's anger. (Hamilton 433) Leto wandered from place to place looking for somewhere to have your child until she arrived at Delos. (Hamilton, 433) Delos was an unstable, "small, waterless Greek island,".(Bleiberg) When Leto arrived at Delos, the island became stable. (Hamilton 433) Before allowing Leto to stay at Delos, the goddess of the island made Leto swear on the River Styx that her child would keep his temple at Delos. Leto agreed and was allowed to stay. ("Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant.") As punishment from Hera, she did not allow the goddess of childbirth Eileithya to assist Leto and her labor lasted nine days. The other gods had pity on Leto and bribed Eileithya to assist Leto without Hera's knowledge. (Bleiberg) Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were born and Apollo was often called Delian from Delos after his birthplace. (Hamilton, 26) Apollo was fed the food of the gods, nectar and ambrosia ("Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant"), and grew into an adult in four days. (Wickersham) He burst out of his crib
Many of these acts stemmed from his numerous love affairs and "his failure to win a women he desired or of his lovers being unfaithful to him." (Wickersham) The first among these women is Coronis. She was beautiful, and Apollo fell in love with her and she became pregnant. Coronis did not love Apollo and had an affair. Angry, Apollo sent Arte"mis to kill Coronis. As Artemis lay Coronis's body on the funeral pyre, Apollo had pity and took his unborn son Asclepius from her body. (Wickersham) A second lover of Apollo was Cassandra. Apollo loved Cassandra and gave her the gift of prophecy. After bestowing the gift, Cassandra refused Apollo, and he denied giving her the gift. Although her prophecies were always true, no one ever believed her. (Hamilton,292) Apollo also fell in love with a sibyl. Sibyls were prophets who spoke riddles inspired by Apollo and other gods. "The most famous of these prophets was the Cumaean Sibyl." (Wickersham) Apollo offered to grant her any wish if she would make love to him. Cumaean picked up a handful of sand and asked to live as many years as grains of sand she held. After Apollo granted her wish, Cumaean refused him. As punishment, Cumaean was granted a long life, but she did not have youth. As Cumaean grew older, she grew smaller and smaller. (WIckersham.) Many of Apollo's other acts of destruction were forms of punishment. This was the case when Midas was chosen to be the judge in a music