Apollo, God of Music, Light, and Reason

     Apollo, like his twin Artemis, was the son of Zeus and Leto. He was born on the floating island of Delos. When he was fully grown, his father sent him on a mission to the Oracle of Delphi, on the mountain Parnassus. He was to capture the Oracle for his own. To do this, he had to kill the Python, a snake who guarded the Oracle. From a deep cleft in the mountain’s side, sulphurous fumes rose up to the priestess who sat above it. The fumes put her into a magic sleep, and in her dreams she heard Mother Earth’s voice. She repeated Earth’s words, and priests stood around her translating.

    Python had heard from the oracle that he would be defeated by Leto’s son, so he had tried to kill her as she wandered by before her son was born, but he had failed. When he saw Apollo, he knew that he was going to die, but he put up a good fight first. Still, Apollo’s arrows shot him down.

    Now, the animals and nymphs who had left the mountain in fear of Python returned. The air was once again full of their sweet song, and all praised Apollo for his defeat of the monster.

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