The God Apollo: Threat and Help for the Greeks - Term Paper Example

The God Apollo: Threat and Help for the Greeks The god Apollo had several powers that both aid and harm men from the ancient world. Consequently, this important deity was both loved and feared by the citizens of the Greek society. Concerning Apollo’s importance to the Greeks, there were numerous and various. The role of Apollo to the life of the Greeks greatly depended on the god’s specific power or attribute. This deity has many and varied abilities and capabilities. It is arguably presumed that Apollo is the “most Greek of the gods” (Burkert 143). Of all the gods known to the ancient Greeks, Apollo stands tall and high. The Greek citizens perhaps perceived the importance of Apollo with respect to his particular attribute: youth. As seen in many art objects portraying the Apollo image, this god is commonly depicted as a young man possessing a beautiful body and figure. It is noteworthy that the Greeks considerably value all things or ideas that are ideal and pure. The Greek philosopher Plato, for instance, had theorized about and thoroughly promoted truth or reality in its ideal form. Further, mathematics -- the most ideal facet of human knowledge -- was highly esteemed by the Greek intellectuals such as Euclid and Pythagoras. Thence, what was ideal appeared to fascinate the olden Greeks. Burkert states that Apollo, as an embodiment of youth and vigor, was the culture of the Greeks. Here, Apollo is idealized; in particular, the concept of youth attributed to this god is “raised to its ideal” state (Burkert 143). In the process, the mental image of Apollo within the psyche of the Greeks widely became pure, ideal, and absolute. By and large, the Greeks worshipped Apollo arguably for his “ideal male figure” (Hard 141). Besides the god’s attribute of youthful beauty, Apollo is also important for the Greeks because of his strong association to human intelligence and wisdom. Apollo is known for his numerous and various functions (Daly and Rengel 14). The most popular qualities of Apollo are his abilities of healing and prophecy. Considered as the patron of medicine, Apollo has the power to heal all human diseases and maladies (Sacks and Bordy 35). Graf says that this god, except for his son Asclepius, had excelled in the field of medicine among other fields. As the deity of healing, the ancient people constantly approached Apollo especially during times of serious epidemic (Littleton 133). In fact, few temples were built for Apollo Medicus as a dedication to the god of healing. Apollo was also prominent among the ancient people as the god of prophecy and divination. In fact, this deity had shared the “workings of fate” with the great god Zeus. Budin argues that the knowledge of prophecy was chiefly the domain of Zeus (268). Nevertheless, the supreme god of the Greek and Roman worlds had permitted his son Apollo to share the knowledge of the workings of fate. Budin contends that Apollo became the deity of divination by virtue of his birth right: Zeus’s first son. In general, Apollo helps the Greeks and the Romans through prophesy and healing. Apollo had largely contributed in the spheres of culture and entertainment. Other equally important functions of this deity were poetry and music. It is interesting to note that the laurel leaves, in the contemporary epoch, are representations of the poet and his or her poetry. The laurel tree, for the record, is Apollo’s favorite. The legend of the laurel tree originates from the tragic story of Daphne whom Apollo loves dearly. In addition, Stechow says that laurel leaves, in the ancient world, were placed underneath one’s pillow before he or she falls asleep in order to know the truth about one’s dream (70). Dreams and prophecies are, again, attributed to Apollo. On the other hand, Apollo’s being the god of music is associated to his relationship with the Muses (Budin 268). Burkert observes that the Muses always surround Apollo (173). The Muses are lovers of poetry, music, and other cultural elements. Further, this god is famous for his lyre. The god’s most valued musical instrument, the lyre was said to be invented and given by Hermes in exchange for Apollo’s stolen cows. As a whole, Apollo’s key contributions to the areas of life prominent in the ancient world were cultural in orientation. Unfortunately for the Greeks, there is a dark side of Apollo. In the Trojan War, the Greeks were in great peril when Apollo takes side to their enemy. The death of the two Greek champions, for example, was a deadly blow for the people from Greece. The Greek Achilles, in particular, had died with the help of Apollo. When the Trojan prince named Paris aimed an arrow at Achilles, Apollo made certain that the arrow hit the Greek champion’s heel -- which was Achilles’ most vulnerable body part. Apollo took side with the Trojan for the reason that the Greeks had disrespected his temple and his priest. When Chryseis -- daughter of Apollo’s priest -- was seized by the Greek Agamemnon as a war booty, the god of plaque was angry against the Greeks and sent them deceases and epidemics that killed many (Daly and Rengel 35). It must be noted that Apollo, besides his being the deity of healing, is also the god of plague. In his hands, Apollo held a bow and arrow like his goddess-sister Artemis. With his weapon, Apollo slayed men who were irreverent to him. The Greeks encountered the wrath of the god of plaque. Apollo was the most Greek of the gods. He had special place in the life of the ordinary and illustrious Greeks. By virtue of his multifaceted powers, Apollo was both revered and feared by the ancient people in Greece and even in Rome. His abilities to heal and to foretell the future were several of Apollo’s strengths that the ancient people truly admired. Conversely, the Greeks respected and trembled in Apollo’s presence due to his being the deity of plaque. Whether Apollo was a threat or a help to the Greeks, this god had played an important role in almost all areas of their lives. Works Cited Budin, Lynn. The Ancient Greeks: New Perspectives. Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2004. Print. Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 1985. Print. Daly, Kathleen, and Marian Rengel. Greek and Roman Mythology A to Z. 3rd ed. New York: Chelsea, 2009. Print. Hard, Robin. The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology. London: Routledge, 2004. Print. Littleton, Scott. Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2005. Print. Sacks, David, and Lisa Brody. Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World. New York: Facts on File, 2005. Print. Stechow, Wolfgang. Northern Renaissance Art, 1400-1600: Sources and Documents. Evanston, Il: Northwestern UP, 1966. Print. Read More