God of the golden bow,
and of the golden lyre,
and of the golden hair,
and of the golden fire.
John Keats
As we have reached the time of year in which the sun’s power diminishes a bit each day, beginning with the recent Autumn Equinox and culminating in Winter Solstice, let us take a look at the most glorious of sun gods, bright shining Apollo.
As attested in the above lines, we know the god Apollo is associated with music, archery, and of course, as god of the sun, with light and all things golden. His power guides the transition of boys into adulthood. Other common associations include truth, prophecy, healing, dance, and poetry. The Oracle of Delphi was the most sacred Greek shrine dating back to 1400 BC. As a physician Apollo helps to ward off disease. His son Asclepius also has the gift of healing and shares his knowledge of medicinal plants with mankind.
Apollo is known for providing shelter and good fortune to seafarers, travelers, and voyagers. In his pastoral persona he protects shepherds and flocks. However, he also oversees the creation of towns, civil discourse, and codification of law. Most often he is a beneficent deity and the epitome of the classical Greek ideal.
Not all of Apollo’s powers are directed toward the positive, however. His golden arrows can bring sickness as well as healing. His pursuit of Daphne causes her to be transformed into a laurel tree, and his rejection by Cassandra sees angered retribution in the form of prophecies uttered by her but ignored and dismissed by everyone around her.
The name Apollo is not specifically found in early Greek writings, the Linear B of the Bronze Age Mycenaeans (time of the Trojan War). Some scholars think his name possibly could have been listed in sections of the script that are damaged or missing. Apollo’s precursor, Paean, known as a healer, is listed there.
Possible meanings or early associations of the name include the month of the year when boys were initiated into adulthood; a wall or fence for flocks and herds; and a political assembly.
The Hittite form of the name relates to “god of plague” and—even further back in time–the Akkadian form means “the son of Enlil,” referring to the god Nergal, Mesopotamian god of war and destruction. Nergal is affiliated with Utu / Shamash, the Babylonian god of the sun. This last part is so fascinating to me—seeing evidence of the root word for Apollo extending back to ancient cultures at the beginning of written history.
Charioteer
Of the patient year,
Where — where slept thine ire,
When like a blank idiot I put on thy wreath,
Thy laurel, thy glory,
The light of thy story.
John Keats
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories
Interesting. I love stories about Apollo, though I think Aries is one of my favorites
Ares is interesting. I love how he was portrayed on Xena.