FREE ESSAY ON THE MYTH OF APOLLO

THE MYTH OF APOLLO

The Myth of Apollo
Hymn to Pythian Apollo
Introduction
The purpose of this essay is to discuss the five monolithic theories of myth as described
in GS Kirk The nature of Greek Myths (1974), in relation to the myth of Hymn to Pythian
Apollo by Cynaethus (Kynaithos) of Chios .
In the first part of the essay I will briefly summarize the Hymn to Pythian Apollo by
Cynaethus (Kynaithos) of Chios . The second part will be a brief description of the five
monolithic theories as set out by GS Kirk in The nature of Greek Myths .The third part of
the essay will discuss the extent to which each of these five monolithic theories
provides an explanation of that myth . The conclusion will be my opinion on which of the
five theories best describes Hymn to Pythian Apollo and my arguments for this theory over
the others .
I will be using Hymn to Pythian Apollo in our text Classical Mythology images and
insights by Harris and Platzner and The nature of Greek Myths by GS Kirk as my major
source . In my essay I will be using the line numbering system as used in Classical
Mythology images and insights as I don't have access to either the original text in the
Greek or another English translation . A example of this would be;
" It's here that I'm inclined 30
to build a very beautiful temple, 31
an oracle for mankind" 32
This would be page 172, lines 30,31 and 32 of the Hymn to Pythian Apollo as printed in
our text by . 
Chapter 3 of The Nature of Greek Mythology by G. S. Kirk describes the five monolithic
theories . In reference to this work I will be using page numbers and paragraph from the
1974 edition (borrowed from Macquarie library) . A example of this would be 
"The first universal theory has all ready been touched upon:
It maintains that all myths are nature myths"
This is would be page 43 paragraph 2 of The nature of Greek Myths by GS Kirk
All other references will be given in full as footnotes to the text of this essay . 
Part 1
A brief description of Hymn to Pythian Apollo by Cynaethus (Kynaithos) of Chios
Phoebus Apollo is traveling around Greece looking for a suitable place to found his
temple when he came upon the nymph Telphusa . Telphusa was the guardian of a beautiful
stream and didn't want Apollo to build his temple next to her stream and so convinced him
that another place would be better to build . Later in the story Apollo returns to
Telophase's stream , angry at being fooled into building at Delphi and not at Telphusa
beautiful stream . Apollo pushes over a mountain and a rock slide which covered over the
stream belonging to Telphusa . Apollo also sets up temple where the people pray to him as
Telphsaiani in a shaded grove 
Apollo then went to Pytho (Delphi), where he battles and kills the "she-dragon" Python
before laying the foundations for his temple . At this point in the hymn the story of
Zeus , Hera and Typhaon is introduced as a side issue/anecdote to help explain the
significance of Python . Hera, angry at Zeus for giving birth to Athena without her,
decides to give birth without the help of her husband to Typhaon . When Typhaon was born,
Hera gives him into the safe keeping of Python until Zeus battles with Typhaon, and in
defeating him, places him under Mt Etna .
Apollo is thinking over who will be his priests for this new temple when he sees a ship
on the ocean . The ship from is from Minoan Cnossos and is manned by Cretan sailors who
were sailing to Pylos . Diving into the sea, Apollo takes on the shape of a Dolphin, then
jumps from the water into the ship of the Minoan sailors . The sailors were compelled by
the vision of Apollo to stay in there ship and sail with the Dolphin thrashing about,
North along the coast of Greece until they reached Crisa . 
Apollo, still in the shape of a Dolphin jumps from the ship and enters the shrine .
Returning to the sailors in the shape of a man, Apollo invites the sailors to land there
ship and take food with him and his followers . The captain of the ship replies with a
question about his whereabouts and who is speaking to him . Apollo discloses his identity
to the sailors and explains the it was he who brought them to this place to become his
priests and be honored before all other men . Apollo then explains that the sailors
should make a Alter to him on the beach and offer up Barley and pray to him as Delphonus
( as he appeared to them first in the shape of a Dolphin ).From there that they would be
taken to his Temple and act as the priests . In accordance with his wishes, the sailors
follow Apollo's instructions and in time are lead to Parnassus and to his Temple .The
sailors start to complain about the area around Parnassus as it is not suitable to
support a large number of people . Apollo answers there fears by explaining that will
always be enough food for them and not to worry about such day to day tasks, but to guard
his Temple and bring honor and justice to all . Apollo also warns them that if any are
disobedient or careless or contemptuous, use idle words and incidents or are arrogant
then other men would come to rule them by force . Apollo bids farewell and so the Hymn
ends .
Part 2
A brief description of the five monolithic theories, as set out in G.S. Kirk's book The
Nature of Greek Mythology (1974)
Chapter 3 of The Nature of Greek Mythology describes the five monolithic theories . In
reference to this work they are as follows .
The first universal theory states that all myth are nature myth .That Myth is used to
explain natural or meteorological or Cosmological phenomena . 
The second theory is one loosely covered by the term aetiological, that is that Myth is a
form of early science and is used to explain something of the real world . 
The third theory is the Charter theory of Myth . The Charter theory says that Myths are
narratives that explain certain customs that are in use at the time of telling of the
Myth . 
The fourth theory, which is a subtle development of the Charter theory, is to evoke or
re-establish in some sense the Creative era .That is that myth would in effect recreate
the event and help the participants share in the power of the divine action 
The fifth theory states that all Myth is closely associated with ritual or even derived
from rituals . 
Part 3
How each of the 5 monolithic theories of myth applies to Hymn to Pythian Apollo
The explanation of the nature myth can bee seen to apply to some extent to Hymn to
Pythian Apollo . When Apollo revisits the nymph Telphusa he is angry that she had
deceived him . Apollo then pushes over a mountain top and creates a rock slide which
cover over her streams as a punishment to Telphusa . This could be seen as a explanation
for a earthquake or other geological activity in the area around Telphusa's streams . A
angry God who wishes to punish a water nymph is easier to explain than a rockslide caused
by random geologic events .
Another event which could be explained to a lesser extent by the theory of a nature myth,
is when Apollo appears as a Dolphin in the boat of Minoan sailors . Although not a common
occurrence it is quite possible that while out traveling from Cnossos, a Dolphin could
jump into a boat . This would not necessarily be seen as a supernatural occurrence but
when combined with a freak storm which blows the Minoan sailors of course to the North
could well be seen as a sign from the Gods . 
The second monolithic theory of myth, which states that a myth is a form of proto
science, would apply, in my opinion, in this case to a very lesser extent . The only
possible reference would be when Apollo kills the she-dragon and it decays (rots) away .
The sun is used to rot away the carcass of the she dragon, so the story tells us, and the
word used for rot in the hymn is Pytho .
If I could discount this as just a name used by the ancient Greeks for the area around
the temple of Delphi then there would be no reference to a attempt at proto scientific
thought . It would seem that the ancient Greeks did understand that if you left the
carcass of a dead animal in the sun it would decay and Apollo is gloating over the
decaying body of the she-dragon . 
The charter theory can be seen as a major part of Hymn to Pythian Apollo . The use of the
narrative of the Minoan sailors who were compelled to go to Delphi because of the
intervention of Apollo can explain why the priests of Apollo at Delphi were from Crete .
This would seem to me be to a classic example of the narrative used to explain why the
priests were not from the local populous . This would also give the priests a very good
precedent to use if there power base among the people was trying to undermined by new
priests . A check of the parents or nationality of any new priest who wished to join, but
who had differing ideas from the controlling powers of the priests of Delphi, could be
used to exclude them from the priesthood . The argument that "we are the chosen , because
Apollo brought us/our ancestors /fellow countrymen " is a very compelling argument . 
The fourth monolithic myth which is that the myth will recreate the link between the
Divine and the people, the same way in which the original participants were involved in
the myth, I can not say one way or the other . In the research for this essay I have been
checking into the ritual that was used at the temple of Apollo at Delphi . I was unable
to get a precise guide to the ritual used and can not therefore say if a retelling of the
myth was part of the method in the Oracles predictions . Logic would say that some
reference to the myth would be part of the ritual but without proof I can't say . This
has only been my research into the ritual used at Delphi and given the short time span
and limited resources at my disposal I don't claim that there is no proof of the ritual
only that I was unable to find the proof .
The fifth monolithic theory used that most myths used are closely associated with ritual,
in context of the Primary source, can be seen as valid in this case . The relevant lines
of the hymn where the Minoan sailors are instructed to set up a altar on the beach and
offer white Barley , followed by singing of "Io Paean, Hail Healer "is a obvious ritual .

Conclusion 
G S Kirk identifies five monolithic theories in his work The nature of Greek Myth, and to
some extent there are references to each of the five in our primary source Hymn to
Pythian Apollo . If only in the broadest sense as in the case of the second theory
regarding proto science or in a minor way as in the first monolithic theory regarding
nature, the primary monolithic theory of the myth would be the Ritual theory supported by
both the charter and creative myth theories .
In any discussion of the Hymn to Pythian Apollo you can not get away from the fact that
the temple of Delphi was used as not only a place of worship to Apollo but also as the
most famous Oracle of the ancient world . The rituals that the Priestess performs are of
a nature which would predict the future in the form of a verse or riddle .The oracle was
pronounced by a priestess of Apollo, the Pythia, in a state of possession .The inducement
of this possession has been argued for a long time, a theory that the tripod on which she
sat was in its position in the rock chamber, conveniently placed to surround her with
"mephitic vapors" from the depth of the earth, now disproved, or that she chewed on
Laurel leaves (a plant sacred to Apollo ) which contain cyanide are only two of the
explanations for her possession . In reality no explanation is necessary for a divine
possession of this type as there have been thousands of cases of "speaking through "
someone else . 
The theories of charter and creative era , both support the ritual monolithic theory but
are not themselves the primary driving force of Hymn to Pythian Apollo . The retelling of
the myth and the re-enactment of the myth could be seen as part of the overall ritual of
the Oracle 
That the temple was set up to Apollo, the most civilized and Greek of the Greek Gods and
the Priests were Cretans are all part of the known rituals associated with the Oracle .
That the Oracle herself was " possessed" is also known, but as far as I can see the exact
rituals themselves are not documented . Even though the exact rituals are not known this
is a clear example where the myth surrounding the ritual has grown after the ritual has
started, and it could even be argued that the Divine powers of Apollo to tell the future
are associated with the Oracle and not that the Oracle was granted the powers from
Apollo, as Apollo was one of the "later " Gods that didn't become popular in Greece until
after most of his fellow Olympians were already in place 
END
Bibliography
Bibliography 
Classical Mythology, Images and Insights
Stephen L. Harris, Gloria Platzner
The Nature of Greek Myths
G.S. Kirk
Greek Mythology; An Introduction
F. Graf (translation by T. Marier)
The use of Greek Mythology
K. Dowden
Interpretations of Greek Mythology
J.Bremmer 
Structure and History in Greek Mythology and Ritual
W. Burkert
Approaches to Greek Myth
L. Edmunds
The Newnes Concise Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology
M. Stapelton
The Oxford History of the Classical World
J. Boardman, J. Griffin, O. Murray