Apollo
God Apollo
Basic Information about Apollo
Apollo is one of the most powerful Olympian gods you can think of. He is the god of the sun, light, healing, disease, music, art, poetry, archery and prophecy. He and his twin sister (the best aunt a descendant of Apollo could have) are often referred to as ‘the twin archers’.
Although all the Olympian gods appear in the books of the Riordanverse, Apollo plays a particularly significant role, especially in *The Trials of Apollo*. As punishment, he is banished into the mortal body of an unremarkable teenager named Lester Papadopoulos.
For the sun god, who is described as extremely attractive, this was naturally no fun at all.
Apollo has a radiant charisma. At first he is arrogant, self-absorbed and humorous, but over time, especially as a human, he develops empathy and a sense of responsibility.
Over time, he had many love affairs. His ill-fated love for Daphne ended with her being transformed into a laurel tree. Later, the laurel tree also became his symbol. He presumably never got over the death of his beloved Hyacinthus either. Although he was able to enjoy a divine existence, his life was nevertheless marked by loss and tragedy.
One should not find oneself on Apollo’s bad side. During the Trojan War, he supported the Trojans by afflicting the Greeks with a plague. This behaviour was often the reason why Zeus punished him and forced him to live as a mortal.
Some demigods suspect that he has now come to realise his mistakes. In his life as Lester Papadopoulos, he had to save several oracles without his divine powers and alongside Meg McCaffrey, before ultimately standing up to his arch-enemy Python. Here he developed compassion and also learnt to take responsibility, which allowed him to be restored to godhood.
Sources & Credits
Basic Information about Apollo
Parents: Zeus and Leto
Cabin: Cabin 11 (as Lester Papadopoulos)
Godly Symbol: Lyre
Although all the Olympian gods appear in the books of the Riordanverse, Apollo plays a particularly significant role, especially in *The Trials of Apollo*. As punishment, he is banished into the mortal body of an unremarkable teenager named Lester Papadopoulos.
For the sun god, who is described as extremely attractive, this was naturally no fun at all.
Apollo has a radiant charisma. At first he is arrogant, self-absorbed and humorous, but over time, especially as a human, he develops empathy and a sense of responsibility.
Brief history of Apollo
Apollo’s (and Artemis’) birth was extremely tragic. This was, of course, to be expected when the Titaness Leto bore children by the father of the gods, whose wife was the goddess of marriage. The two were born on the island of Delos, and just a few days after his birth, Apollo slew the dragon Python and subsequently established the Oracle of Delphi.Over time, he had many love affairs. His ill-fated love for Daphne ended with her being transformed into a laurel tree. Later, the laurel tree also became his symbol. He presumably never got over the death of his beloved Hyacinthus either. Although he was able to enjoy a divine existence, his life was nevertheless marked by loss and tragedy.
One should not find oneself on Apollo’s bad side. During the Trojan War, he supported the Trojans by afflicting the Greeks with a plague. This behaviour was often the reason why Zeus punished him and forced him to live as a mortal.
Some demigods suspect that he has now come to realise his mistakes. In his life as Lester Papadopoulos, he had to save several oracles without his divine powers and alongside Meg McCaffrey, before ultimately standing up to his arch-enemy Python. Here he developed compassion and also learnt to take responsibility, which allowed him to be restored to godhood.
Some funfacts about Apollo
- Apollo is the only Olympian god to have lost his immortality on multiple occasions. The other is Poseidon (but only once)
- He is as if possessed by demons when it comes to poetry. Haikus are among his favourite poems.
- Although he is the god of healing, he is also capable of causing diseases and plagues
- He is canonically bisexual
- Unlike the other gods, Apollo shares his name in its Roman form as well
Sources & Credits
Information from Riordan Wiki - Percy Jackson
Written by Peri Aydın