Delos … a rocky, barren island
Today, Delos is primarily an archaeological site
The contractual nature of Apollo’s relation to his birthplace, the island of Delos
Delos before Apollo What Delos gains if she accepts toserve as Apollo’s birthplace
Unhonored, unfrequented Honored by Apollo and his worshippers
Poor in natural resources Rich from foreign pilgrims
Deserted Permanent seat of Apollo’s worship
Apollo’s Chief Attributes which he claims at birth
• The bow (he is the archer god)• The lyre (he is the god of music)• He utters the word of Zeus (he is the god of
oracles)
Apollo’s most famous oracular shrine
Remains of Apollo’s temple at Delphi
Apollo’s defeat of the dragoness (Python) reenacts (on a smaller scale) Zeus’ defeat of Typhoios
The Pythia: Priestess of Pythian Apollo
Seating on the oracular tripod, the Pythia would
inhale the fumes emanating from the floor of
the temple andwould channel the word of Apollo
in a language that would then get translated by
priests standing close by.
West Pediment of Temple of Zeus, Olympiadepicting the Centauromachy
What remains today of the West pediment
The East pediment of Temple of Zeus, Olympiadepicting the fatal chariot race between Oinomaos and Pelops
Pelops on left, Zeus in center, Oinomaos on right
Apollo’s pose, function, role
again a parallel to those of his
father Zeus: they both serve here
as arbiters of justice, defenders
of order
From the “preface” of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo
Before him, as he goes through the hall of Zeus, the gods tremble and rise up
all from their thrones as he approaches and draws his shining bow. But Leto
alone abides by Zeus, who delights in the thunderbolt, and she unstrings
Apollo’s bow and closes his quiver. Then taking with her hands from his
mighty shoulders the bow, she hangs it on the pillar beside his father’s seat
from a peg of gold and leads him to his throne and seats him there, while
the father welcomes his dear son and gives him nectar in a golden cup.
Then do the other gods welcome him from where they sit, and Lady Leto
rejoices, in that she bore the lord of the bow, her mighty son.