Apollo

Apollo, in Greek mythology, son of the god Zeus and Leto, daughter of a Titan. He was also called Delian, after Delos, the island of his birth, and Pythian, after his killing of Python, the fabled serpent that guarded a shrine on the mountains of Parnassus. In Homeric legend Apollo was primarily a god of prophecy. His most important oracle was at Delphi, the site of his victory over the Python. He sometimes gave the gift of prophecy to mortals whom he loved, such as the Trojan princess Cassandra.

Apollo was a gifted musician, who delighted the gods with his performance on the lyre. He was also a master archer and a fleet-footed athlete, credited with having been the first victor in the Olympic games. His twin sister, Artemis, was the guardian of young women, and Apollo was the special protector of young men. He was also the god of agriculture and cattle, and of light and truth. He taught humans the art of healing.

Some tales depict Apollo as pitiless and cruel. According to the Iliad by Homer, Apollo answered the prayers of the priest Chryses to obtain the release of his daughter from the Greek general Agamemnon by shooting fiery, pestilence-carrying arrows into the Greek army. He also abducted and ravished the young Athenian princess Creusa and abandoned her and the child born to them. Perhaps because of his physical beauty, Apollo was represented in ancient art more frequently than any other deity.