All 29 Uses of
Apollo
in
The Odyssey
- But as we rounded holy Sounion, Athens' headland,
lord Apollo attacked Atrides' helmsman, aye,
with his gentle shafts he shot the man to death—
an iron grip on the tiller, the craft scudding fast-
Phrontis, Onetor's son, who excelled all men alive
at steering ships when gales bore down in fury.†p. 116.5
- Ah if only—Father Ze'us, Athena and lord Apollo—
that man who years ago in the games at Lesbos
rose to Philomelides' challenge, wrestled him,
pinned him down with one tremendous throw
and the Argives roared with joy ...
if only that Odysseus sported with those suitors,
a blood wedding, a quick death would take the lot!†p. 135.3
- Wait,
once I saw the like—in Delos, beside Apollo's altar—
the young slip of a palm-tree springing into the light.†p. 173.6
- Now, Nausithous had two sons, Rhexenor and Alcinous,
but the lord of the silver bow, Apollo, shot Rhexenor down—
married, true, yet still without a son in the halls,
he left one child behind, a daughter named Arete.†p. 181.7
- Father Zeus, Athena and lord Apollo!†
p. 189.5
- For this was the victory sign that Apollo prophesied
at his shrine in Pytho when Agamemnon strode across
the rocky threshold, asking the oracle for advice—
the start of the tidal waves of ruin tumbling down
on Troy's and Achaea's forces, both at once,
thanks to the will of Zeus who rules the world.†p. 194.2
- That's why noble Eurytus died a sudden death:
no old age, creeping upon him in his halls ...
Apollo shot him down, enraged that the man
had challenged him, the Archer God.†p. 198.9
- Poseidon god of the earthquake came, and Hermes came,
the running god of luck, and the Archer, lord Apollo,
while modesty kept each goddess to her mansion.†p. 201.9
- So the gods would banter
among themselves but lord Apollo goaded Hermes on:
"Tell me, Quicksilver, giver of all good things—
even with those unwieldy shackles wrapped around you,
how would you like to bed the golden Aphrodite?"†p. 202.2
- "Oh Apollo, if only!" the giant-killer cried.†
p. 202.3
- They reached for the good things that lay outspread
and when they'd put aside desire for food and drink,
Odysseus, master of many exploits, praised the singer:
"I respect you, Demodocus, more than any man alive—
surely the Muse has taught you, Zeus's daughter,
or god Apollo himself.†p. 207.3
- But I took a skin of wine along,
the ruddy, irresistible wine that Maron gave me once,
Euanthes' son, a priest of Apollo, lord of Ismarus,
because we'd rescued him, his wife and children,
reverent as we were;
he lived, you see, in Apollo's holy grove.†p. 217.8
- But I took a skin of wine along,
the ruddy, irresistible wine that Maron gave me once,
Euanthes' son, a priest of Apollo, lord of Ismarus,
because we'd rescued him, his wife and children,
reverent as we were;
he lived, you see, in Apollo's holy grove.†p. 217.8
- And they'd have won the day if they had reached peak strength
but Apollo the son of Zeus, whom sleek-haired Leto bore,
laid both giants low before their beards had sprouted,
covering cheek and chin with a fresh crop of down.†p. 259.8
- Antiphates fathered Oicles, gallant heart,
Oicles fathered Amphiaraus, driver of armies,
whom storming Zeus and Apollo loved intensely,
showering him with every form of kindness.†p. 327.3
- Yet Apollo made magnanimous Polyphides a prophet—
after Amphiaraus' death—the greatest seer on earth.†p. 327.6
- No, as each generation grows old on the island,
down Apollo comes with his silver bow, with Artemis,
and they shoot them all to death with gentle arrows.†p. 332.6
- At his last words a bird flew past on the right,
a hawk, Apollo's wind-swift herald—tight in his claws
a struggling dove, and he ripped its feathers out
and they drifted down to earth between the ship
and the young prince himself ...
The prophet called him aside, clear of his men,
and grasped his hand, exclaiming, "Look, Telemachus,
the will of god just winged that bird on your right!†p. 336.3
- Ah if only—Father Zeus, Athena and lord Apollo—
that man who years ago in the games at Lesbos
rose to Philomelides' challenge, wrestled him,
pinned him down with one tremendous throw
and the Argives roared with joy ...
if only that Odysseus sported with those suitors,
a blood wedding, a quick death would take the lot!†p. 358.7
- Just let Apollo shoot Telemachus down with his silver bow,
today in the halls, or the suitors snuff his life out—
as sure as I know the day of the king's return
is blotted out, the king is worlds away!†p. 362.5
- But then, when cautious Queen Penelope heard
how Antinous struck the stranger, there in the halls,
she cried out, with her serving-women round her,
"May Apollo the Archer strike you just as hard!"†p. 370.5
- If only—Father Zeus, Athena and lord Apollo—
these gallants, now, this moment, here in our house,
were battered senseless, heads lolling, knees unstrung,
some sprawled in the courtyard, some sprawled outside!†p. 383.5
- Or if he's dead as you think and never coming home,
well there's his son, Telemachus ...
like father, like son—thanks to god Apollo.†p. 393.4
- And now through the streets
the heralds passed, leading the beasts marked out
for sacrifice on Apollo's grand festal day,
and the islanders with their long hair were filing
into the god's shady grove—the distant deadly Archer.†p. 419.6
- And first thing in the morning have Melanthius
bring the pick of his goats from all his herds
so we can burn the thighs to Apollo, god of archers—
then try the bow and finish off the contest.†p. 432.9
- Come, hand him the bow now, let's just see ...
I tell you this—and I'll make good my word—
if he strings the bow and Apollo grants him glory,
I'll dress him in shirt and cloak, in handsome clothes,
I'll give him a good sharp lance to fight off men and dogs,
give him a two-edged sword and sandals for his feet
and send him off, wherever his heart desires.†p. 435.2
- If only Apollo and all the gods shine down on us!†
p. 436.2
- But another target's left that no one's hit before—
we'll see if I can hit it—Apollo give me glory!†p. 439.5 *
- Facing his son, the wise old man returned,
"If only—Father Zeus, Athena and lord Apollo—
I were the man I was, king of the Cephallenians
when I sacked the city of Nericus, sturdy fortress
out on its jutting cape!†p. 480.2
Definitions:
-
(1)
(Apollo in mythology) Greek and Roman mythology: god of sunlight, music, poetry, prophecy, and healing
-
(2)
(Apollo US space program) US space program to place a person on the moon