Apollo is in many respects the paradigm of a Greek god. He represents order, harmony, and civilization in a way that most other Olympian deities cannot quite equal. One only has to compare him with Dionysos to understand how Apollo is depicted as a bright, rational counterpart to the chaotic and frenzied god of wine and women. Indeed, Apollo is most often associated with the cultivated arts of music and medicine, and his role as the leader of the Muses establishes him as a patron of intellectual pursuits.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that in art, images of Apollo represented the height of male attractiveness - indeed, for years, Archaic statues of youths were commonly referred to as "Apollo", later to be replaced the more accurate term "kouros" (young man). However, as with most Greek deities, Apollo has characteristics that are myriad and diverse, so we should proceed to an exploration of this important god.
Persona:
- God of the sun
- God of the light
- Represents masculine beauty
- God of fine arts, medicine, music and mathematics
- God of order and harmony
- God of reason
- God or archery
- God of prophecy
- Represents heroic excellence
- Represents the precepts of "Know Thyself" and "Nothing in excess"
- Disconnected from love and intuition
- Detached and dispassionate
- Represents dominance of an exclusive masculinity
- Disconnected from the feminine
- Healer
- Prophet
- Artist
- Protector
- Organizer
"Act as if everything you think, say and do determines your entire life - because in reality, it does!"
