What I Learned

During the past week I listened to different gods from all different cultures talk about themselves and this is what I learned! Sun Wu Kong's mom was a rock while his dad was the wind. Ra was the Egyptian god of the sun. Thor's Mollnjur can only be picked up by him. Odin had two biological kids and one adopted son. Loki is Odin's adopted son and he killed Odin's biological son, Balder. Balder was invincible except for when it came to mistletoe. Freya's sacred symbol is the cat. Set killed his brother for power. The Jade Emperor was the ruler of the earth, heavens, and the underworld. Coyote gave humans fire. Hermes stole Apollo's cattle, only after he made them walk backwards. Artemis turned a guy into a deer and watched as his own dogs ate him. Isis had her son Horus with her brother and husband Osiris. Raven created all light. Horus is now the king of Egypt and is married to his mom, Isis. Osiris was killed by his own brother and than chopped into 14 pieces.

All Together Now

Hello, my name is Apollo. I am one of the twelve Greek gods and goddesses. I am the god of the sun, arts, prophecy, and young unmarried men. My father is Zues and the Titan Leto is my mother. I was born on an isolated island because my fathers wife, Hera, forbid my mother to give birth to me and my twin sister, Artemis, anywhere the sun shone. When I was four days old, I had grown to a full grown adult. I than traveled to the island of Delphi, which was protected by a giant serpent named Pytho. Pytho and I fought until death, his death. The island itself was gorgeous, with sparkling blue oceans surrounding it and the luscious forests and beautiful flowers on it. I was the most worshipped of all the Greek gods because of my beauty and kindness. I was a player as humans today would say, but the true love of my life was Daphne. My love for her is represented by my laurel wreath crown I wear on top of my head 24/7. That's me, Apollo, in the short story of Pytho,

Resolution

The resolution to the conflict is Apollo killing the python, Pytho, and taking his oracle for himself. It also ends up making him famous and the island Delphi famous for this oracle!

Conflict

The conflict in the myth is that Apollo meets a Python sent by Zues's wife, Hera, to guard Delos. Apollo needs to find Gaia, the goddess of nature, to receive his oracle. Leading them to fight.

Character Development

The character development in this story is vast. Apollo goes from a helpless child to a powerful man. He shows that he cares about people when he saves the sailors on the ship but he also shows his self preservation side when he kills Pytho to get his own oracle.

Setting

The setting of the myth, Apollo and the Python, is on a lush, green island called Delos or Delphi. The island has caves and ancient stone structures on it and is surrounded by a gorgeous blue ocean. It smells like tropical flowers and the sea. You can feel the warm sand seeping between your toes and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. You can hear the birds calling and the waves crashing upon the shore.

Cultural Pieces

There are many cultural pieces named after me, about me, or showing me in them. The most famous is the United State's NASA Program Apollo 13. Apollo 13's mission was to explore the moon, which is ironic considering I am the god of the sun. The Invocation about Apollo, is a prayer about me. (It is shown below.) On the second season of the original Star Trek, I am shown vainly trying to find new worshipers.
Invocations
Invocation to Apollo (written for Cedarlight Grove’s Thargelia ritual, April 2007)
Phoebos Apollo, radiant and shining archer,
Pythian Apollo, Lord of Delphi and oracles,
Delian Apollo, Lord of the Island of Delos,
Delphinius,
Averter of evil, Rescuer, Protector of strangers,
Divine healer, Far-shooter. Beautiful, terrible god of truth and light,
I ask your presence. I call to you
To be here this evening and witness this rite.
Golden son of Zeus and Leto, Brother of Artemis,
Lord of the Hyperboreans most pious,
Averter of plagues, giver of foresight
I ask for your blessing of purity, your shining inspiration,
and your unparalleled song.
Apollo, brilliant one of far sight and beautiful voice,
Wine and honey I pour to you.
Ie, Paeon!