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.