He is considered to be the embodiment of the Hellenic spirit to many Greeks, as he embodied order against barbarism and reason against unreason.
Both the Greek and Roman culture use the name "Apollo " to address his deity, though his Roman counterpart slightly differs from the Greek idea of Apollo. In Roman literature, Apollo was the son of Jupiter and Latona, with his sister Diana. He was considered the chief cherisher and protector of the "polite arts. " He was had many glorious attributes ascribed to him, as he was still associated with light, medicine, eloquence, music, poetry and prophecy. The animals sacred to Roman Apollo were the wolf, because of his acute sight, as well as the crow and raven because they were supposed to have instinctual prediction in the animal world. He was also associated with the cock, as the rooster crows to announce the sun rising each morning. The great attributes of Roman Apollo included divination, healing, music and archery, which all manifest to the sun in some way. In Rome, the seven strings of Apollo's lyre were said to represent the seven planets. In terms of Roman myths, the most famous is Apollo's quarrel with Jupiter regarding the death of his son, Aesculapius, killed by that deity on the complaint of Pluto. To revenge this injury, Apollo murdered the Cyclops that crafts Jupiter's thunder bolts. For this action, Apollo was banished from heaven and endured much suffering on earth, as he was turned into a shepherd for Admetus, king of Thessaly. During his time as a pastor, it is said that he invented the lyre in order to sooth his troubles. Though he was represented differently in various countries and times, he is generally considered in both Greek and Roman culture to be a beardless youth with long flowing hair, crowned with laurel, and with gold sandals. He also typically carries a bow and arrows, as well as a lyre. Overall, both the Greeks and the Romans see Apollo in a similar spirit.
