Apollo


In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Apollo is one of the Olympian deities. His numerous functions include healing, prophecy, music, poetry, and archery. He is the son of Zeus and Leto, and the twin brother of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. He is considered to be the most beautiful god and is represented as the ideal of the kouros. In the 5th century BC, his worship was imported to Rome.
As the patron deity of Delphi, Apollo is an oracular god—the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle and the deity of ritual purification. His oracles were often consulted for guidance in various matters. He was in general seen as the god who affords help and wards off evil, and is referred to as, the "averter of evil". Medicine and healing are associated with Apollo, whether through the god himself or mediated through his son Asclepius. Apollo delivered people from epidemics, yet he is also a god who could bring ill health and deadly plague with his arrows. The invention of archery itself is credited to Apollo and his sister Artemis. Apollo is usually described as carrying a silver or golden bow and a quiver of arrows.
As the god of mousike, Apollo presides over all music, songs, dance, and poetry. He is the inventor of string-music and the frequent companion of the Muses, functioning as their chorus leader in celebrations. The lyre is a common [|attribute of Apollo]. Protection of the young is one of the best attested facets of his panhellenic cult persona. As a, Apollo is concerned with the health and education of children, and he presided over their passage into adulthood. Long hair, which was the prerogative of boys, was cut at the coming of age and dedicated to Apollo. The god himself is depicted with long, uncut hair to symbolise his eternal youth.
Apollo is an important pastoral deity, and he was the patron of herdsmen and shepherds. Protection of herds, flocks and crops from diseases, pests and predators were his primary rustic duties. On the other hand, Apollo also encouraged the founding of new towns and the establishment of civil constitutions, is associated with dominion over colonists, and was the giver of laws. His oracles were often consulted before setting laws in a city. Apollo Agyieus was the protector of the streets, public places and home entrances.
From the 5th century BCE, Apollo was often identified with Helios, the personification of the Sun. Although Latin theological works from at least 1st century BCE identified Apollo with Sol, there was no conflation between the two among the classical Latin poets until 1st century CE. Apollo is known in Greek-influenced Etruscan mythology as Apulu.

Etymology

Apollo
The name Apollo—unlike Paean, the related older name—is generally not found in the Linear B texts, although there is a possible attestation in the lacunose form ]pe-rjo-KN E 842 tablet, though it has also been suggested that the name might actually read "Hyperion".
The [etymology">Knossos">KN E 842 tablet, though it has also been suggested that the name might actually read "Hyperion".
The [etymology of the name is unclear. The spelling Ἀπόλλων had almost superseded all other forms by the beginning of the common era, but the Doric form, , is more archaic, as it is derived from an earlier *Ἀπέλjων. It probably is a cognate to the Doric month Apellaios, and the offerings at the initiation of the young men during the family-festival . According to some scholars, the words are derived from the Doric word , which originally meant "wall", "fence for animals" and later "assembly within the limits of the square". Apella is the name of the popular assembly in Sparta, corresponding to the . R. S. P. Beekes rejected the connection of the theonym with the noun and suggested a Pre-Greek proto-form *Apalyun.
Several instances of popular etymology are attested by ancient authors. Thus, the Greeks most often associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι, "to destroy". Plato in Cratylus connects the name with ἀπόλυσις, "redemption", with ἀπόλουσις, "purification", and with ἁπλοῦν, "simple", in particular in reference to the Thessalian form of the name, Ἄπλουν, and finally with Ἀειβάλλων, "ever-shooting". Hesychius connects the name Apollo with the Doric ἀπέλλα, which means "assembly", so that Apollo would be the god of political life, and he also gives the explanation σηκός, "fold", in which case Apollo would be the god of flocks and herds. In the ancient Macedonian language πέλλα means "stone", and some toponyms may be derived from this word: Πέλλα and Πελλήνη.
The Hittite form Apaliunas is attested in the Manapa-Tarhunta letter. The Hittite testimony reflects an early form *Apeljōn, which may also be surmised from the comparison of Cypriot Ἀπείλων with Doric Ἀπέλλων. The name of the Lydian god Qλdãns // may reflect an earlier /-/ before palatalization, syncope, and the pre-Lydian sound change * >. Note the labiovelar in place of the labial // found in pre-Doric Ἀπέλjων and Hittite Apaliunas. A Luwian etymology suggested for Apaliunas makes Apollo "The One of Entrapment", perhaps in the sense of "Hunter".

Greco-Roman epithets

Apollo's chief epithet was Phoebus, literally "bright". It was very commonly used by both the Greeks and Romans for Apollo's role as the god of light. Like other Greek deities, he had a number of others applied to him, reflecting the variety of roles, duties, and aspects ascribed to the god. However, while Apollo has a great number of appellations in Greek myth, only a few occur in Latin literature.

Sun

  • Aegletes, from αἴγλη, "light of the Sun"
  • Helius, literally "Sun"
  • Lyceus, "light". The meaning of the epithet "Lyceus" later became associated with Apollo's mother Leto, who was the patron goddess of Lycia and who was identified with the wolf.
  • Phanaeus, literally "giving or bringing light"
  • Phoebus, literally "bright", his most commonly used epithet by both the Greeks and Romans
  • Sol , "Sun" in Latin

    Wolf

  • Lycegenes, literally "born of a wolf" or "born of Lycia"
  • Lycoctonus, from λύκος, "wolf", and κτείνειν, "to kill"

    Origin and birth

Apollo's birthplace was Mount Cynthus on the island of Delos.
  • Cynthius, literally "Cynthian"
  • Cynthogenes, literally "born of Cynthus"
  • Delius, literally "Delian"
  • Didymaeus from δίδυμος, "twin", as the twin of Artemis

    Place of worship

and Actium were his primary places of worship.
  • Acraephius or Acraephiaeus, "Acraephian", from the Boeotian town of Acraephia, reputedly founded by his son Acraepheus.
  • Actiacus, literally "Actian", after Actium
  • Delphinius, literally "Delphic", after Delphi. An etiology in the Homeric Hymns associated this with dolphins.
  • Epactaeus, meaning "god worshipped on the coast", in Samos.
  • Pythius, from the region around Delphi
  • Smintheus, "Sminthian"—that is, "of the town of Sminthos or Sminthe" near the Troad town of Hamaxitus
  • Napaian Apollo, from the city of Nape at the island of Lesbos
  • Eutresites, from the city of Eutresis.
File:Praxiteles - Apollo the Python-Slayer - 2004.30 - Cleveland Museum of Art.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of Apollo Sauroctonus attributed to Praxiteles c. 340 BC, Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Ixios, derived from a district in Rhodes called Ixiae or Ixia.

    Healing and disease

  • Acesius, from ἄκεσις, "healing". Acesius was the epithet of Apollo worshipped in Elis, where he had a temple in the agora.
  • Acestor, literally "healer"
  • Culicarius , from Latin culicārius, "of midges"
  • Iatrus, literally "physician"
  • Medicus , "physician" in Latin. A temple was dedicated to Apollo Medicus in Rome, probably next to the temple of Bellona.
  • Paean, physician, healer
  • Parnopius, from πάρνοψ, "locust"

    Founder and protector

  • Agyieus, from ἄγυια, "street", for his role in protecting roads and homes
  • Alexicacus, literally "warding off evil"
  • Apotropaeus, from ἀποτρέπειν, "to avert"
  • Archegetes, literally "founder"
  • Averruncus , "to avert"
  • Clarius, from Doric κλάρος, "allotted lot"
  • Epicurius, from ἐπικουρέειν, "to aid"
  • Genetor, literally "ancestor"
  • Nomius, literally "pastoral"
  • Nymphegetes, from Νύμφη, "Nymph", and ἡγέτης, "leader", for his role as a protector of shepherds and pastoral life
  • Patroos from πατρῷος, "related to one's father", for his role as father of Ion and founder of the Ionians, as worshipped at the Temple of Apollo Patroos in Athens
  • Sauroctonus, "lizard-killer", possibly a reference to his killing of Python

    Prophecy and truth

  • Coelispex , from Latin coelum, "sky", and specere "to look at"
  • Iatromantis from ἰατρός, "physician", and μάντις, "prophet", referring to his role as a god both of healing and of prophecy
  • Leschenorius, from λεσχήνωρ, "converser"
  • Loxias, from λέγειν, "to say", historically associated with λοξός, "ambiguous"
  • Manticus, literally "prophetic"
  • Proopsios, meaning "foreseer" or "first seen"

    Music and arts

  • Musagetes, from Μούσα, "Muse", and ἡγέτης "leader"
  • Musegetes, as the preceding

    Archery

  • Aphetor, from ἀφίημι, "to let loose"
  • Aphetorus, as the preceding
  • Arcitenens , literally "bow-carrying"
  • Argyrotoxus, literally "with silver bow"
  • Clytotoxus, "he who is famous for his bow", the renowned archer.
  • Hecaërgus, literally "far-shooting"
  • Hecebolus, "far-shooting"
  • Ismenius, literally "of Ismenus", after Ismenus, the son of Amphion and Niobe, whom he struck with an arrow