The Greek God Apollo.
Apollo's Background
Apollo's Cult and prophecy and Gaia's Oracle.
Apollo's cult was the most worshiped and known cult in the ancient Greek world. since Apollo was the ideal of male beauty, many people worshiped him due to his beauty and popularity, also for his oracle and out of fear. The main location of Apollo's cult worship center is the Island of Decos. Followers worshiped here from the 8th century to what some people think is still continuing. One of Apollo's strong loves, Gaia,the Goddess of the Earth, had an oracle that Apollo wished to achieve to win her heart. Apollo set off on her oracle, but when he got to the place that the oracle was located, he found that the oracle wouldnt be as easy to achieve as he suspected. The place of the oracle was protected by a giant serpent named Pytho, who also spoke the oracle's prophecies. Due to Apollo's intense desire to win Gaia's heart, he fought and killed Pytho, taking the oracle for himself. (UXL encyclopedia of World Mythology.)
Apollo's Forename, Representation, and Ideals.
If you don't know what Apollo is God of, he is god of the sun, arts, medicine, protector of herdsmen and their flocks, and god of prophecy. Most people know Apollo by his popular name, "Apollo", but his birth/forename is "Phoebus". "Phoebus" means "bright" or "pure" and a view became popular that he was connected to the sun. What Apollo represented to people was the ideal of male beauty and self control. He is also usually portrayed holding a bow and arrow as a symbol of his roles in death and disease. (Myths and Legends of the world.)
Apollo's skills and wrongdoings.
Apollo is mainly known by his skillful execution with a bow and arrow. This is why in most pictures all you see is Apollo with a bow and arrow, because it was both his hobby and main source of protection. Apollo's main recollection of evil was with his main love, Daphne. He loved Daphne with all his heart, but Daphne didn't feel the same. So, one day, Daphne tried to run away, but was then turned into a laurel, Apollo's favorite and sacred shrub. (Greek Mythology)
Works Cited Page
"Apollo." Myths and Legends of the world. Ed. John M. Wickersham. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. Student resources in context. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http;//go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CEJ2134050036v=2.1u=jo43902itrp=GPSSW=wasid=749b88919f47d97702e4b781c90999
"Apollo." UXL encyclopedia of world mythology. vol.1 Detroit: UXL, 2009. 88-93. GALE virtual library. Wed. 29 Apr. 2015. <http:// go.galegroup.com/i.do?/Apollo%Greek%God>
Buxton, Richard; "The complete world of Greek Mythology" New York, NY; Thames and Hudson, 2004. Print.
"Greek Mythology." UXL encyclopedia of world mythology. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2009. 454-464. Gale virtual reference library. Wed. 276 Apr. 2015. <http:// go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id= GALE% Apollo%Greek%Mythology>