Apollo: Divine Frat Boy
Reading the Homeric Hymn to Apollo and his story in Metamorphoses, I was surprised to discover just how much I dislike Apollo. Sure, at first he definitely seems like all that- he is the literal “Golden Boy” praised from the moment of his birth and allows Delos to have a pretty bitchin’ temple, as we find out in his Homeric Hymn. But reading further, it was disturbing to find that Apollo is really the Frat Boy of the gods, and not like a math fraternity, but rather a, you know, frat frat. First of all, like any stereotypical frat boy, Apollo is a total Daddy’s Boy. Upon taking up the lyre he declares “My wish is...to reveal to men the unerring will of Zeus” (Homeric Hymn to Apollo, lines 131-132). And then the main event- Apollo’s pretty disgusting behavior regarding Daphne. We find out in Metamorphoses that Daphne has been struck by Cupid (who was pretty terribly taunted by Apollo might I add. I mean come on, “little imp?”) and wishes never to have to marry, and to follow the Virgin goddess Artemis, Apollo’s own sister. But Apollo, also struck by Cupid’s golden, hornier arrow, just has to have her. And so what does he do? He chases her relentlessly. Even as he’s chasing poor Daphne, he’s thinking how good she looks RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM, thinking things like “What is hidden from him he imagines is better” (Metamorphoses 1.524). Apollo is literally described as a dog with his “muzzle [grazing] her heels” (Meta. 1.564). Of course, we have many times seen the effects of Cupid’s or Aphrodite's powers, but in this situation it feels less excusable. Essentially, Apollo is refusing to take no for an answer, citing just how badly he needs it, to the degree that even when Daphne has literally prayed to be anything but attractive to Apollo, he still grinds up on her tree-body, claiming her to be HIS tree. Eye-roll. This version of Apollo causes one to imagine the god as an ancient Greek Brock Turner- it’s upsetting to think these types have been around forever.
(Disclosure: I talk about the stereotype of the "Frat Boy" in my post- I think everyone is somewhat familiar with this stereotype/characterization but I just want to make clear, obviously not all or even most boys in fraternities are like this or by any means inherently bad, no hate meant to anyone unless of course, you are as rapey as Apollo or his pal Brock.)