The creation of Apollo is highlighted in one of the longer Homeric Hymns, "Hymn to Apollo. " The tale of Apollo's birth tells the story of his mother, Leto, a mistress of Zeus, who gave birth to both Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis: "Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children, the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows. " Upon Hera's awareness of Leto's actions, she persecutes Leto and establishes that no land that sees the light of day should receive her children: "So far roamed Leto in travail with the god who shoots afar, to see if any land would be willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled and feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive Phoebus, until queenly Leto set foot on Delos. " The two deities were born on two separate floating islands, Artemis on Ortygia and Apollo on Detos. Artemis was born first, and shortly after her birth, assisted her mother in Apollo's birth. Once Apollo was born, Detos and Ortygia, once floating and sinking islands became permanently anchored in place, and soon became some of the richest and most celebrated religious shrines in Greek civilization. Hera's response to the twins' birth was monstrous, as she sent down the giant Tityus to the mortal world to rape Leto. Before the giant could reach the earth, in a flurry, young Apollo and Artemis cut him down with a shower of arrows only days after their birth. Zeus' then condemned Tityus to eternal punishment in the underworld with Hades. .
Apollo was soon presented to Olympus and began to search for a location to establish his oracle. His final decision was made at Delphi, at Mount Parnassus near the Corinthian Gulf: "This is the place where I plan to build my glorious temple, an oracular shrine, to which mankind may forever bring my unblemished offerings from rich Peloponnesus from Europe, and from the wave-washed islands around in the sea.
