Research Essay on Greek Mythology: Role of Apollo

“I will remember, nor could I forget, far-shooting Apollo, whom gods tremble before as in Zeus's abode he is striding— then as he comes up close to the place they are sitting, they leap up, all of them, out of their seats, as he stretches his glittering bow back.“ There are many Gods and Goddess in Greek myth. They had their different stories, believers, and temples. The governors of the Greek cities worship Zeus, the king of all Gods; virgins went to Artemis’s temple asking for protection, and soldiers prayed for victory toward Ares. But among all of these Gods, one of the most influential ones is Apollo, the first son of Zeus. He is the son of Zeus and Leto, twin brother of Artemis. As the God of son and light, music and poetry, healing and plagues, prophecy and knowledge, order and beauty, archery and agriculture, the story of his birth is recorded in many ancient Greek mythological materials, such as the Library, the Song of Delos and Homer's Ode.”

The first and most direct reason is that Apollo shares one of the biggest numbers of believers and temples. Ancient Greece originated a wide range of religions and was influenced by various city-states and different political and economical forms from Asia that are difficult to be unified. Thus, the sources of gods are numerous and the stories of gods are complex and different. As a result, ancient Greece became the land of pantheism. In keeping with polytheism, ancient Greek temples were omnipresent, there were many centers of worship, and the number of religious festivals reached an astonishing level. Due to these reasons, it was hard for a God to have a large number of believers.

However, at the late time of ancient Greek, the number of Apollo’s believers reaches the utmost and even Zeus’s cannot compare to it. Since many years have passed and people have burned most of the books that record Greek religion; it is extremely hard to find out the exact numbers of Apollo’s followers. But there is still something could prove that Apollo shares the biggest number of believers and temples. People believed that Apollo controls light and sun which they need every day, sickness that no one would like to have, and art and music that play a huge part in their daily life. Therefore, worshipping him is necessary. Cities worship him because he is the God of law and justice, and his prophecy is the hope for them to win a war. Moreover, many celebrities believed in Apollo, such as Socrates and Hippocrates. And many famous Greeks even have claimed that they are the offspring of Apollo. Julius Caesar is the most outstanding one of them, a fanatic of Apollo. He claimed that Apollo is his father; therefore, Greek culture speared everywhere that he conquered.

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Another approve is that predictions have significant effects on ancient Greek culture. Apollo is the God of prediction and who issues oracles of Zeus. in the temple of Delphi. The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the center of the earth, the 'belly button of the earth.' The temple, which harmoniously integrated harmoniously with the landscapes, has been the religious center of ancient Greece and the symbol of Greek unity since the 6th century BC. The prophecies and instructions of Delphi profoundly influenced the culture and history of ancient Greece and countries around. Its oracle was involved in many famous battles, such as the hippo war. The kings of different cities sent ambassadors to Delphi before wars; they believed that Apollo can predict their feats in the battle. And the three proverbs of the temple: know yourself, nothing in excess, and commitment brings misfortune, are still influencing today’s society.

At last, of all the Olympian gods, Apollo was the most highly regarded. Not like other Gods have been characterized as jealous, lustful and temperamental. He has been worship as the symbol of ancient Greek culture and spirit, which is the “harmony, reason and moderation personified. His worship of him appeared as the antithesis of the Dionysian spirit. M.P.Nelson, author of Greek Gods and Religious Practices, pointed out: 'it was Apollo who overpowered the popular Dionysian worship at that time not only through struggle and suppression but also through permission and regulation, thus making this regulated mania lose its budding danger.”

Greeks view Apollo as a perfect blend of physical superiority and moral virtue. For this reason, Apollo's worship is inextricably linked to male culture. He was often pictured as a handsome and energetic young man who has flowing golden hair hanging over his shoulders. On his head was a crown woven from the branches of the laurel, the love tree, the olive, or the water lily. He held the Lyre, which is the symbol of the God of Arts and music, and sacrificed with swans, eagles, wolves, and cicadas. His body was in accordance with certain rules of proportion, and he was the representative of rational beauty. Therefore, when making art in the image of Apollo, everything must be very clear and mathematical. What Apollo brought to people was mainly the pursuit of civilization and spiritual sustenance.

Greek myth is the most important part of Greek culture; their different Gods built the diversities of its society. As the reasons show, Apollo is the one that influenced ancient Grace more than any other God. His divine character is just like the heart of Greek culture: liberty, natural and rational. As the light that leads ancient Greek citizens walk through the dark time. Just like Socrates prayed to his God right before his execution, the faith they had in Apollo influences every part in their life.