# Apollo — Metamorphoses character guide > Apollo in Metamorphoses by Ovid. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Phoebus, great Apollo, Actian Phoebus **First appearance:** 0007-transformation-of-daphne-into-a-laurel ## Snapshot God of prophecy, music, and plague, whose pursuit of Daphne turns a nymph into a laurel and whose arrows decide more than one family's fate. ## Who they are Apollo is the radiant, accomplished god who nonetheless keeps losing what he wants most — Daphne runs from him, and his own arrows, borrowed by Cupid, make him burn for her. He is also the archer whose shafts answer Latona's prayer against Niobe, killing her seven sons in a single volley. His mix of brilliance and helplessness in love makes him one of the poem's most human gods, and his interventions drive several early transformations. ## Relationships ### [Io](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/io) _romantic_ Apollo pursues Io romantically, but his love is unrequited or leads to her suffering. ### [Coronis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/coronis) _romantic_ Apollo loves Coronis, but her infidelity leads him to kill her, a tragic romance. ### [Clytie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/clytie) _romantic_ Apollo is the object of Clytie's unrequited love, leading her to waste away into a sunflower. ### [Jove](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/jove) _family_ Apollo is the son of Jove, and they interact as father and son in divine matters. ### [Io](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/io) _romantic_ Apollo pursues Io romantically, but his love is unrequited or leads to her suffering. ### [Jove](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/jove) _family_ Apollo is the son of Jove, and they interact as father and son in divine matters. ### [Coronis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/coronis) _romantic_ Apollo loves Coronis, but her infidelity leads him to kill her, a tragic romance. ### [Io](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/io) _romantic_ Apollo pursues Io romantically, but his love is unrequited or leads to her suffering. ## In the story ### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-i) Mentioned in the context of the Pythian games and the slaying of the serpent Pytho. ### [Giants' War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/giants-war) Slays the serpent Pytho and institutes the Pythian games. ### [Transformation of Daphne Into a Laurel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-daphne-into-a-laurel) Struck by Cupid's golden arrow, he passionately pursues Daphne and later claims the laurel as his tree. ### [Story of Phaeton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-phaeton) Father of Phaeton, god of the sun, who reluctantly grants his son's wish to drive the chariot. ### [Phaeton's Sisters Transformed Into Trees](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/phaeton-s-sisters-transformed-into-trees) Hides his face in grief after Phaeton's death; the sun is absent for a day. ### [Transformation of Cycnus Into a Swan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-cycnus-into-a-swan) Grieves for his son Phaeton and temporarily refuses to drive the sun chariot. ### [Story of Coronis, and Birth of Esculapius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-coronis-and-birth-of-esculapius) Apollo is the god who loves Coronis, kills her upon learning of her infidelity, saves their son Esculapius, and punishes the raven by turning its feathers black. ### [Transformation of Battus to a Touchstone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-battus-to-a-touchstone) The god whose cattle are stolen; he is tending herds in Elis as punishment from Jove. ### [Story of Cadmus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-cadmus) Delphic oracle god who directs Cadmus to follow the heifer and build a city. ### [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-iv) The sun god who falls in love with Leucothoe and is betrayed by Clytie. ### [Story of Leucothoe and the Sun](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-leucothoe-and-the-sun) The Sun god who falls in love with Leucothoe and transforms her into a frankincense tree after her death. ### [Transformation of Clytie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-clytie) Angry Phoebus who scornfully abandons Clytie. ### [Song of the Pierides](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/song-of-the-pierides) Transformed into a crow to flee Typhon. ### [Transformation of Arachne Into a Spider](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-arachne-into-a-spider) Mentioned in Arachne's tapestry as Phoebus, disguised as a country swain for love of Isso. ### [Story of Niobe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-niobe) Son of Latona who, along with Diana, avenges his mother by killing Niobe's sons with his arrows. ### [Fate of Marsyas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/fate-of-marsyas) Angry Phoebus slays Marsyas as punishment for his pride in challenging the god to a musical contest. ### [Book VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-vii) Mentioned as Phoebus, who cherished Rhodes. ### [Book VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-viii) Phoebus is invoked in the description of the turret and the sisters' lament. ### [Story of Nisus and Scylla](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-nisus-and-scylla) Phoebus, whose music is enshrined in the turret where Scylla often listens. ### [Fable of Dryope](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/fable-of-dryope) The god who loved Dryope and fathered her son Amphisus; referenced as the ruler of Delphi and the Delian isle. ### [Book X: Orpheus and Eurydice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-x) Associated with Cyparissus, whom he loved and later transformed into a cypress tree. ### [Fable of Cyparissus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/fable-of-cyparissus) Apollo, the god of music and archery, is the deity who loved Cyparissus and transforms him into a cypress tree after his death. ### [Hyacinthus Transformed Into a Flower](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/hyacinthus-transformed-into-a-flower) Accidentally kills Hyacinthus with a quoit and transforms his blood into a flower. ### [Story of Venus and Adonis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-venus-and-adonis) Prophesies Atalanta's fate in the embedded tale. ### [Book XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-xi) Protects Orpheus's head from a serpent, turning the snake to stone. ### [Death of Orpheus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/death-of-orpheus) Phoebus protects Orpheus's head from a serpent, turning the snake to stone. ### [Fable of Midas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/fable-of-midas) God of music who defeats Pan in a contest and punishes Midas with ass's ears. ### [Building of Troy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/building-of-troy) Disguises himself as a mortal to build Troy's walls; later seeks revenge on Laomedon. ### [Transformation of Daedalion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-daedalion) Phoebus, father of Philammon, transforms Daedalion into a hawk. ### [Story of Ceyx and Alcyone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-ceyx-and-alcyone) The Clarian god whose oracle Ceyx seeks; his temple is mentioned as the destination of the voyage. ### [Book XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-xii) Guides Paris's arrow to kill Achilles and reveals himself as the god directing the shot. ### [Trojan War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/trojan-war) Phoebus, who inspires Calchas with prophetic knowledge of the war's duration. ### [Death of Achilles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/death-of-achilles) Guides Paris's arrow to slay Achilles, acting on Neptune's request. ### [Death of Ajax](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/death-of-ajax) Referenced in the simile comparing the hyacinth's markings to those of a youth Apollo slew. ### [Voyage of Aeneas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/voyage-of-aeneas) Referred to as Phoebus and Actian Phoebus; his priest Anius hosts Aeneas, and his oracle guides the Trojans. ### [Story of the Sibyl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-the-sibyl) Apollo, enamoured of the Sibyl, offers to grant her any wish. ### [Transformation of Appulus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/transformation-of-appulus) Implied as the goatherd god who frequents the silent place, associated with the punishment of Appulus. ### [Egeria Transformed to a Fountain](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/egeria-transformed-to-a-fountain) Pitying Egeria's grief, Apollo transforms her into a fountain. ### [Occasion of Esculapius Being Brought to Rome](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/occasion-of-esculapius-being-brought-to-rome) Apollo is consulted at his Delphic oracle; he directs the Romans to seek his son Aesculapius. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters/apollo - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/metamorphoses_se/characters