Apollo

Also known as: Apollo Delphinius / Far-Shooter / Far-Worker / Far-shooter / Leto’s all-glorious son / Phoebus / Phoebus Apollo / Son of Leto / far-shooting Apollo / far-working Apollo / lord Apollo / son of Leto / the Far-Shooter / the Far-shooter / the lord Apollo / the son of Zeus and Leto · Family: Olympians · Role: god · First appears: Hesiod’s Works and Days · Part 6

Leto bore Apollo, her son with the golden sword, on Delos, where she swore he would establish an altar and precinct. Zeus welcomed him as his son, and Apollo declared that the lyre and bow would be dear to him and that he would reveal Zeus’s will. He chose Delos as his dwelling, and later joined the gods at Olympus, playing his lyre among them.

At Crisa, Apollo chose the site of his temple and oracle; Trophonius and Agamedes laid its stone footing, and Apollo killed the she-dragon there. He brought Cretan men to serve at Pytho, establishing them as guardians of his temple and interpreters of his will. He also commanded that Anaurus erase the grave and memorial of Cycnus son of Ares for despoiling offerings brought to Pytho. At Calydon he slew Meleager, and at Soli he killed Amphilochus.

Apollo’s ties with Hermes began in a quarrel over cattle that Hermes had stolen. After Zeus ordered them to search together, Hermes led Apollo to the hidden herd; his lyre-playing delighted Apollo, who gave him renown, gifts, and a role as keeper of herds in exchange for the lyre. Zeus made them friends, and Apollo swore he would “love no other among the immortals, neither god nor man sprung from Zeus, better than Hermes”. Apollo and Artemis were Leto’s children; she also bore him a son by Thero, Chaeron, and the material names Asclepius, Aristaeus, Linus, and Scylla among his children. His courtships included Arsinoe, Ileus, and the daughter of Azan; he also sought to wed Hestia, who refused him.