Apollo
Apollo was the sun god and twin brother of Artemis the moon goddess. While Artemis protected the wilderness, Apollo maintained harmony, law and order in the cities, overseeing the arts (especially music - he had a lyre), law and medicine. He also had a shrine at Delphi, where the Oracle made prophecies, and where seekers after truth were encouraged with the mottos "know yourself"; and "nothing in excess". Apollo himself was not a prophet - he administered the site, while his Delphic ministers acted as interpreters of civil and religious law throughout Greece. Apollo was the golden boy of Olympus, beautiful, radiant, and popular. He wasn't married, being known more as a brother (of Artemis and Hermes) than a lover, but he did have one son, Asclepius, god of healing and medicine.
Modern Apollos are generally responsible, practical, loyal members of the establishment, who like working within the system. However, if they believe society is clearly wrong they will disobey, invoking higher laws. Even then they follow due process instead of becoming anarchists. They are typically objective, practical, rational, logical, realistic, moderate, prudent, cooperative and emotionally stable. They can sometimes be cool, dry and intellectual. They like order and harmony, and they like to do the right thing. They are generally well behaved as boys and want to look respectable. They are goal oriented, and value recognition, but don't need to be at the very top (although they might not object, either) so long as they have at least some status in recognition of their loyalty. They make good team players, often gravitating to team leadership, and work well with women. In relationships they tend to be collegial, supportive and dependable, rather than intense or emotional.
Themes
the good son; the beta male; the straight arrow; the boy scout; the preppie; the yuppie; the second in command; the pillar of the establishment; the doctor, lawyer or academic; the abstract idealist; the intellectual
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Ancient symbols
the bow and arrow
swans
ravens and crows
snakes
wolves
the lyre
the laurel wreath
Modern symbols
the dog
the sword
the scalpel
the microscope
the scales of justice
the prism
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Examples
- Astronauts: Neil Armstrong*; John Glenn* (astronaut, US senator)
- Politics: George Bush (US President); George W. Bush (US President); Jimmy Carter* (US President); Al Gore* (US Vice-president); John F. Kennedy* (US President); John Turner (Canadian prime minister)
- Scientists: Hans J. Eysenck* (psychologist); Viktor Frankl* (psychiatrist); Stephen Hawking* (theoretical physicist); John Nash* (mathematician); Nicolaus Steno* (geologist); David Suzuki* (geneticist, environmentalist)
- Actors: Alan Alda*; LeVar Burton; Kevin Costner; David Duchovny; Colin Firth; Henry Fonda; Richard Gere*; Jake Gyllenhaal; DeForest Kelley*; Sidney Poitier*; Christopher Reeve; James Stewart*; George Takei*; Burt Ward*
- Art: Auguste Renoir*
- Music: Felix Mendelssohn*; Sergey Prokofiev*; Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; Igor Stravinsky*
- Others: Tom Brokaw* (journalist); Arthur Miller* (playwright); Denis Thatcher* (businessman; husband of British Prime Minister); Prince William* (UK)
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Fictional Apollos
Superman, Cyclops, and other straight-arrow superheroes
Oedipus Rex
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