# Apollo — Victory Odes character guide

> Apollo in Victory Odes by Pindar.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Asklepius Apollo, Apollo thither, Asklepius, King Apollo

**First appearance:** 0001-victory-odes

## Snapshot

God of music, prophecy, and healing, Apollo is the lyre-strung presence behind every ode, the archer whose favor turns mortal striving into song.

## Who they are

Apollo haunts Pindar's odes as both patron and problem: the poet owes him a paean for Keos but must first honor Thebe, his mother-city, and begs Delos not to take offense. The god's twin domains of music and plague, healing and sudden death, mirror the athlete's precarious glory, won in a flash and vulnerable to fate. His presence in the early odes establishes the religious stakes of victory: every crown is a loan from a god who may reclaim it.

## Relationships

### [Cheiron](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/characters/cheiron)

_professional_

Apollo entrusted the education of his son Asclepius to the wise centaur Chiron, making them collaborators in mentorship.

## In the story

### [Victory Odes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/victory-odes)

God of prophecy and poetry, associated with the Pythian games and the lyre.

### [VI For Agesias of Syracuse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/vi)

Father of Iamus, god of prophecy, who grants the gift of oracular truth to his son.

### [VII For Diagoras of Rhodes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/vii)

God who gave the oracle to Tlepolemus, directing him to voyage to Rhodes.

### [XIV For Asopichus of Orchomenus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/xiv)

Mentioned as Pythian Apollo, beside whom the Graces have thrones.

### [The Pythian Odes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/the-pythian-odes)

God of the Pythian Games, frequently invoked as patron of the festival.

### [II For Hiero of Syracuse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/ii)

Loved Kinyras, the priestly minion of Aphrodite.

### [III For Hiero of Syracuse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/iii)

Father of Asklepius; punishes Koronis for her betrayal.

### [III For Hiero of Syracuse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/iii)

Healer son of Apollo and Koronis; raised by Cheiron.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/iv)

Causes Arkesilas to be triumph-renowned; oracle at Pytho.

### [V For Arkesilas of Kyrene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/v)

God of prophecy, music, and healing; his Pythian games are the occasion, and his temple at Delphi houses the dedicated chariot.

### [IX For Telesikrates of Kyrene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/ix)

God who abducts Kyrene and makes her queen of Libya; father of Aristaius.

### [X For Hippokleas of Thessaly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/x)

God who granted Hippokleas victory; associated with the Pythian Games.

### [XI For Thrasydaius of Thebes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/xi)

His temple Ismenian is the setting for the procession; he is honored as Loxias, god of truthful oracles.

### [V For Pytheas of Aegina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/v)

God who played the lyre at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis on Pelion.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/xi)

Implied through reference to Pytho (Delphi) and Castaly.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/i)

God of the unshorn hair, referenced in relation to Delos and Keos.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/ii)

Apollo of Krisa looked favorably upon Xenokrates and gave him glory.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/chapters/endnotes)

Referenced in Paean VI regarding the slaying of a figure for temple-desecration.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/characters/apollo
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/victory_odes_se/characters