#ancient rome

[iiphides]

Garlic has not always been favored in diets! The Roman poet Horace (65 BCE-8 BCE) had this to say, after being fed a meal redolent with the stuff

"If any man, with impious hand, should ever

Strangle an aged parent,

Make him eat garlic, it’s deadlier than hemlock,

O you strong stomachs that cull it!

What poison is this that’s burning my entrails?

Has viper’s blood mixed with these herbs

Betrayed me? Or has Canidia been tampering

With this unfortunate dish?

Medea, intoxicated with her Jason,

That most handsome of Argonauts,

Smeared him all over with this, while he tried to yoke

Those bulls unused to the harness:

She took revenge on her rival with gifts of this,

Before mounting her winged dragon.

Never did such a vapour from any dog-star

Settle on parched Apulia:

Nessus’ gift burnt Hercules’ shoulders with no less

Effective a fiery heat.

If ever, my dear Maecenas, you aspire

To repeat the jest, I just pray

That your girl with her hands obstructs your kisses,

And takes the far side of the bed!" Epode III, translation by A. S. Kline

This screenshot from a gardening Facebook group has been on my phone for several years and I'm not sure I'm ever going to be able to delete it. Apparently it comes from a British gardening book from the 80s. I know we all joke that the English are afraid of flavor, but I assure you, you are not prepared for this.

GARLIC

Until quite recently, scientists smiled at all the wonderful medicinal powers claimed for garlic, but recent research has shown that there is some truth in a few of the old wives' tales. Garlic, of course, has an important role in Continental but not in British cookery — it really isn't worth growing unless you are a fan.

Any well-drained spot will do. Buy a head of garlic from the greengrocer or supermarket and split it up into individual cloves. Plant them 2 in. deep and 6 in. apart in March. Apart from watering in dry weather there is nothing else to do until the foliage turns yellow in July or August. Lift the bulbs and allow to dry under cover, then store in a cool, frost-free place.

If you are a beginner with garlic, you must use it very sparingly or you will be put off for ever. Rub a wooden salad bowl with a clove before adding the ingredients. Rub the skin of poultry before roasting and then you can try dropping a whole unskinned clove into a casserole or stew, removing it before serving. If by then you have lost a little of your garlic fear, you can try using crushed (not chopped) garlic in meat etc. as the Continentals do.

[vexwerewolf]

One of my favourite pieces of graffiti from Pompeii is "Defecator, may everything turn out okay so that you can leave this place."

The simultaneous grace and irritation of "man I hope your life gets better and everything comes up roses so you can STOP SHITTING HERE."

[memories-of-ancients]

Silver bracelet uncovered near Saint Genis, France, 2nd-3rd century AD

from The Museum of Art and History, Geneva

[o1iveangel]

also this 🫶

[sukoocoo]

How we feeling about gladiator Sukuna?

Sukuna sat on the edge of the pit, his forearms resting against his blood-streaked thighs.

His life had been stripped of choice from the moment his parents sold him into slavery. The years of bloodshed had shaped him into the perfect killer— a gladiator whose name was whispered with both fear and reverence. Fights turned into carnage, and carnage turned into legend.

The crowd adored him, but Sukuna cared little for their fickle praise. There was only one person he wanted to be praised by.

The gate to the pit creaked open, dragging him back to reality. Another opponent stumbled forward, clad in mismatched armor and trembling in fear. Sukuna didn’t bother standing; he tilted his head, the faintest smirk curling his lips. The fight was over before it began.

He danced through the skirmish with brutal efficiency, his muscles moving like coiled steel, his strikes calculated and merciless. His finishing move was always the same— a spectacle of barbarity that left the crowd in a frenzy.

The scent of blood was thick in the air, the roar of the crowd deafening as Sukuna planted his bare foot on his opponent's twitching chest. His crimson eyes burned like embers beneath the flickering torchlight, scanning the mass of faceless nobles who cheered his brutality.

All but one.

Y/N.

Amidst jeweled crowns and silken robes, Sukuna's gaze always sought Y/N out. They were poised yet radiant, seated at the royal pavilion with an air of detached curiosity. Though they had never spoken, he felt their eyes on him.

Y/N‘s gaze wasn’t pitying, nor was it dismissive. It held acknowledgment. Sukuna, the pit slave, was beneath royalty; yet they saw him.

Tonight, he’d make sure they never forgot.

With a guttural snarl, he plunged his hand into his opponent's chest, the crowd erupting as flesh and bone gave way. His fingers wrapped around the frantically beating heart, his muscles flexing as he ripped it free. Blood splattered across his chest and neck, glistening under the light as the man's lifeless body crumpled.

Sukuna raised the heart to his lips, biting into it with savage pride— but this time, instead of tossing it to the sand, he turned his head toward the pavilion.

With a flick of his wrist, the mangled heart landed at Y/N‘s feet as a grotesque yet unmistakable offering. Sukuna‘s bloody grin widened as the nobles gasped in horror, scrambling back from the macabre gift.

It was a crude offering, a symbol as grotesque as it was intimate. For all his arrogance and cruelty, Sukuna had laid bare a fragment of his soul before them.

For weeks after, their stolen glances evolved into a wordless exchange, a silent language of smirks and subtle inclinations. Sukuna found himself craving those moments more than the fights. His victories meant nothing if Y/N‘s gaze wasn’t fixed on him.

But the distance gnawed at him. They were royalty; he was a slave. The chasm between them was insurmountable— until the night a guard came pounding on his door.

The shack Sukuna called home barely held together, its walls warped with age and neglect. When the guard demanded his presence, Sukuna’s first instinct was to refuse, his lip curling in disdain. Yet the mention of Y/N‘s name stopped him cold.

"Royal orders," the guard continued, voice clipped. "Your Highness wishes to see you. Alone."

Sukuna didn’t ask questions. He followed, the dark streets illuminated by the faint glow of distant torches. His bloodstained trousers clung to his legs, his bare chest still smeared with the remnants of his last fight. He didn’t bother cleaning up. If they wanted to see him, they’d see him as he was.

When they reached the royal chambers, the guard pushed the door open and stepped aside. Sukuna entered without hesitation, his towering frame filling the room.

There Y/N was; seated near the window, their silhouette bathed in moonlight. The opulence of their chambers— soft silks, gold-trimmed furniture— was a stark contrast to the grime that clung to him. Yet Sukuna didn’t care. His gaze locked onto theirs, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them.

"You called," he said, his voice low and rough, tinged with mockery. "I came."

Sukuna didn’t move, didn’t bow and didn’t avert his gaze. Instead, he smirked, a flicker of amusement playing across his bloodstreaked features.

"So," he drawled, his crimson eyes blazing. "What does royalty want with a filthy pit gladiator?"

[fawninthesnow]

"𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧" : One Shot: Request

𐙚 General Maximus x Fem! Reader 𐙚 18+

Summary: You are a Queen of a recently conquered land. General Maximus Decimus Meridius of Rome pays you a visit in your castle.

Warnings/contains: male dom (kinda), sub fem, humiliation, degradation, alcohol consumption, oral (male reciv!), constriction, physical restraints, mentions of war/blood, not proof read-- english is not my first language!

Word Count: 2.5k

More on my Master list! + follow & reblog pls

His men pushed open the grand doors to the Castle, and with the loud stomps of triumph, you mourned from your throne. Your head rests in your fingertips as Latin chatter filled the halls of your home. Tears stained your cheeks as your servants quietly sobbed around you. In the next room, your court discussed their grievances and some quickly left in their carriages with their own belongings, abandoning the kingdom.

Although you could hear the voices of over a hundred men in the halls, the squelches of mud from your ruined lands beneath their shoes—only one man entered the throne hall. He shut the doors behind him and removed the helmet from his head; he placed it on a wooden table beside a vase of wilted flowers.

“What is your name?” You raised a blade, your vision too blurry to make out his features. He placed his weapon on the table as well and walked closer to your throne.

“General Maximus Decimus…Meridius of Rome.”

Your body felt weak from sitting here all these hours. “You speak…my tongue.” He nodded before facing the ground. A sob left your mouth as he bowed his head. “M- my husband!” You screamed as you imagined the blood on his arms and down his neck. “The sons of my kingdom! Do not bow before me after slaughtering my own flesh!” Your bosom heaved as you stood from your throne. Your nails absentmindedly grabbed your gown, and a servant quickly ran to you, holding it up as you stepped to the man. You pushed him from you with the tip of your sword against his steel breastplate. “Leave! I want you and your men to leave!”

He continued to bow his head, “Your majesty…I cannot do that.”

“What more can you take?! You selfish, blood-thirsty romans! Murderous bastards!” You spat as he remained quiet, almost meditative. “Speak!”

“Your majesty, I have no doubts that your reign was-“

“Is! I will not surrender to the hand of the romans.”

The man pushed away the sword you so strongly held. Your skin is soft, however, the veins pushing towards the surface of your skin with adrenaline along your hands, and neck. “I mourn with you.” You laughed with disgust.

“I could kill you.” You muttered to yourself. “I COULD KILL YOU!” You screamed at him; your vocal cords strained already. “You could never…you-“ Your body collapsed from exhaustion onto the ivory floors of your throne room.

The man quickly raised you from the ground, his eyes wide with shock. “Is she ok?!” He asked the servants. The group of women shook with terror—

“S- this happens sometimes.” A petite woman said from behind the Queen’s throne. “She…she will wake soon.”

He looked around before pulling you up into his arms. Your unconscious head leaned over one of his arms, your hair came undone as he adjusted you in his arms. “Well, she needs a bed.” The servants perked up and two of them led Maximus to the royal chambers. The servants nervously avoided the roman men in the halls of the castle. The General laid you down in your bed. He frowned at the pillows stained with tears.  He bowed his head and whispered a prayer. Your bare feet played with the sheets in bed and your fists bawled; Your eyes were shut closed, rather tensely.

“She wants you out.” A servant spoke up. “You and your men.”

Maximus nodded. He would never want a man who killed him to be in the same room as his wife. He was more than conflicted; he had a message to give you, and it was only for your ears.

Night came and his men camped outside of the castle, and he waited on a chair outside of your room. His fingers interlaced over his fur cloak. He knew you had just woken from rest since the sound of your scratchy and mournful voice echoed through the chambers behind him. The man cleared his throat and stood in front of the closed door. He knocked upon the door a few times.

“Who is knocking on my door?” You asked a servant. They quickly opened the bedroom door.

“General Maximus, My Queen.” You rolled your eyes and sat across from your husband’s portrait. “Should I let him?”

“Yes, Marnie.” The maid dismissed herself and let the general into your chambers. He stepped closer to you.

“Your majesty.” He bowed.

You looked away from him at the flames, your nails stabbing at the pads of your fingers. “I understand your frustration with me. However, I hope you can allow me to share the news I have.”

“I already know what you have to say.”

He walked around your chair and kneeled before you. “Then you will not mind if I speak.” You said nothing and looked past him at the painting of your deceased lover. “I have been made to round the rest of your army up and take them with me to the outskirts of Rome. My emperor will allow you to keep your kingdom and people you so choose to stay here. However, there will be a tax on your lands for as long as you rule.” You raised your hand to him and slapped his face. He shut his eyes and swallowed his spit bitterly. You sobbed, holding a handkerchief to your eyes. “I am sorry for your loss. I am sure your husband was-“

“I do not care about my husband! He was a horrible man!” Maximus’ eyebrows scrunched in confusion, “You! Your men have left me to do this on my own!” You shook your head, “I cannot do this on my own! The king is dead, so the *kingdom* is dead.” Bitterly, the words left your lips.

He kneeled on both knees and searched your expression. “No one taught you how to rule? You are the Queen.” You shook your head and went back to bed. “Your majesty.” He sighed and followed you.

“I want to be alone.”

“You cannot abandon your kingdom.” You spoke softly as you held your forehead.

“And what do you know of ruling a kingdom?” He only stared at your unwavering expression. A near laugh on your lips. “What do you know of relying on a man to create change? Unable to do a thing.”

“Actually, I know much of that.”

You smiled and raised from your pillow. “Then you should leave me and my kingdom because I will not pay a single pound to you or your dammed Empire. Why strip me of my army? You and your emperor both know that we do not stand a chance against Rome again!”

“Why should I give you back your army?” He chuckled. “You must understand how ineffective that would be. Strategy-wise.”

“Do you have such a small world scope that you truly believe it is Rome and whatever county you choose to ruin that lies on Earth’s surface?” You scoffed as the man leaned against the wall of your bedroom. “Well, do you?”

“I am aware that the world is vast. Much is to be seen.”

“And conquered?”

“Not everything.” He pulled his fur cloak off and threw it over the back of a chair. “Some places are meant to have other rulers, customs and traditions.” The man added.

“Do you mind pouring me a drink?” You pointed to the drink cart beside him. He didn’t mind, so he poured you a glass of brown liquor and passed the glass to you. You sipped on the drink as you sat up in bed. “Do you always find yourself in the royal quarters of the conquered?”

“Is it often you scream at and point your blade at your conquer?”

You rolled your eyes with disgust and made your way to the blazing fireplace. With a poker, you stabbed the wood and shifted the embers around before looking over your shoulder, “Give me my army back, Maximus.”

“I cannot do that.” He folded his arms and approached your fire.

“I need my army. Every kingdom needs one or else I will be taken by another nearby kingdom. Then what?” He moved hair from over your shoulder and to your back. “You will have to come back and do this all over again.”

“I would not mind doing so.”

You faced him, looking over his expression. “I do not want to see your face again.” You threw back the rest of your drink and he poured more into your glass.

“I find that hard to believe.” You chuckled in his face. The scent of alcohol on your breath. “May I have a drink?”

“What? Your day has been hard?” You laughed louder before frowning, “No. But one thing is for certain. You are not leaving until my men are freed.” He sighed and sat in one of the chairs around the lounging space. “I am not a patient woman, General.”

“I can see that.”

“Will you give me what I need?”

He looked around the room. Over your personal belongings and keepsakes. Paintings and handmade furniture. “You claimed I took everything from you but you have so much here. You are spoiled.”

“Spoiled?!” You threw the remainder of your drink at his face. He grabbed your forearm and pulled you to the ground beneath his feet. You winced although he had not squeezed too tightly. “Bastard!”

“Your majesty, I can assure you: I am no bastard.” He looked down at you. Your round eyes were filled with rage, a pout on your lips. “I am a man of my word. I do not know much but I can tell when I am confronted with stupidity.” He let go of your forearm and held your hair in his fist, pulling your head downward so you could look up at him.

“I hate you.”

“I can understand why.” He spoke down to you. “But you will not get your way. I know this is uncommon for you but everything in this castle is now property of Rome. You are simply borrowing.”

You reached for his face, your long nails aimed for his nose and eyes. The man quickly grabbed your arm and squeezed it before pulling your hair tighter. “A- ah!” You sat between his knees as he looked over you. Although your mind was set on hating him, his rough hold on you was arousing. The warmth of his skin on yours, the closeness of his body made you feel cornered and uncomfortably hot. “I am the Queen of Greater Corsica! Unhand me!”

“You need to calm yourself.” The way he spoke made you feel pathetic and rather helpless. You did not want him to let you go but--- “You are stupid to think I would give you your army. If other attack, so be it. If it happens, the Gods did so.”

“May the Gods damn all of Rome.”

He laughed as you tried to reach for a dagger by his side. He pulled you closer to him and held your neck between his thighs. He did not squeeze hard enough to hurt you but to hold you still. You dropped your hand and shut your eyes; your drunken thoughts attempted to piece together a plan to pull from him. “Will you leave me alone about this army thing?” No. You did not want to! You wanted to stay in his warm thighs!

“No!”

“Stubborn. A brat. What else?” The man let of your wrist finally and kept a grip on your hair. The bundle of braids in his fist as he leaned back in the chair. You pushed open his thighs and freed your neck. He shut his thighs again and pulled you closer. “Rather stupid.” For a reason you could not explain, you bit your lip. He squinted at you, “You are…definitely not a Roman woman.”

You were unsure if that were a compliment or not so instead, you stayed in his grip. He opened his thighs and spread his legs. You flared your nostrils at him after he gripped your throat in his strong grip. Your eyes fell to his crotch repeatedly before they shut closed.

“Are you feeling well?” He asked, bringing you closer to him. “You do not look well.” He remarked as you stared up at him; rather dazed and, although the timing was horrible, horny.

“Do not speak to me.”

“Do not speak to you?! Ahh, but your Majesty, that will be hard due to your gaze. I am not made of…what do your people like? Chocolate!” You did not want to show any emotions, but it was too difficult! “Are you confused? Would you like to suck my cock?”

“I hate you.”

“That is not what I asked. Do you need me to repeat myself?” Your breasts heaved against his thigh as he pulled your hair once more. “You and I both know you could have stood up minutes ago.”

“…”

“Get up. Go on.” You shook your head and closed your eyes. He moved his cock from under his clothes. “Open your eyes.” His thick cock curved slightly towards his body; your eyes traced the veins up and down his shaft; precum slipped down from his pink tip to his mid length.

You pressed the flat of your tongue against his cock and drew up. You didn’t know what you were doing or why, but you could not stop. Again, your tongue drew up his twitching cock until you reached the tip. The General groaned, using your hair to control where your head went. He pushed your head lower on his cock, making you choke as he filled your throat. “Look up at me.” You gagged, staring up at him. Your eyes filled with tears as he pushed you lower.

Your saliva coated his cock, and you continued to suck his shaft. Bubbles from your spit covered the base of his dick and popped around your lips. You raise your head to catch your breath and lay your cheek on his thigh. He grabbed your cheeks and squeezed your face. “Finish what you started.” You sighed, your sights on his dick. He tapped his shaft against your lips, and you raise on your knees and hands.

He moans softly as you swirl your tongue, the grip in your hair getting a little bit tighter. His free hand comes up to his mouth, his teeth sinking into his knuckles to muffle his low moans. "Gods you are…so damn…good." He manages to breathe out.

You noticed how his thighs spread more, and he moved to the edge of the seat. He gripped your hair with two hands, pushing your head up and down in assistance. Maximus shut his eyes and listened to the sounds of you gagging and choking on his length. You closed your lips around his cock when you felt him cum in your throat. You kept your head down as he continued to coat the inside of your mouth with lapping ropes of cum.

Maximus pulled you from his cock covered in bubbles of saliva and his own mess. His hands held onto your face; his palms wiped away the sweat from your forehead.

More on my Master list! + follow & reblog pls

Dividers from @saradika

Thank you for reading!! Love you! <3 I'm finally showing a face in my cover photo????? This is big news lol he's just really handsome!

[kusurrone]

little Virgil

[scribl1ta]

👰🏻🧡

This was a warm up because I am working on two other Giton drawings (don't ask) that are full body compositions and I wanted to do a headshot since the main projects are based on Francesco Pau's looks as Gitone in Polidoro's Satyricon. This film was ROBBED for best hair/makeup/wardrobe in cinema history, I mean felony charges like Grand Theft Fashion or something (see below). I literally have another very similar warmup from the other day based on the exact same scene in the book as this one but it's from one of my old sketchbooks and despite having a different vibe I will have to save it for at least five months from now or it's not fair to the other epheboi I draw

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

UPDATED VERSION JAN. 15TH, 2025 EDITION

Statistics of Apollo's Lovers

I was wondering just how unfortunate of a love-life our boy Apollo had, so - as one does - I did the research, math, and writing of said love-life.

such is the life of an adhd teen :)

In total, there are 62 people on this list. I have them separated into eight groups; Immortal, Immortal & Rejected, Lived, Died, Rejected & Died, Rejected & Cursed, Rejected & Lived, and who were Rejected by Apollo

Disclaimer: I am not a historian nor an expert in Greek Mythology, I am just a very invested nerd in Mythology, and in Apollo's mythology in general, and got curious about what his rap sheet actually looks like.

Sidenote: There will be some "lovers" not on this list. Reasons being;

No actual literary sources behind them

Said literary sources are dubious at best

Not enough information is given about the nature of their relationship to make an accurate take

So if somebody isn't on this list, it's because of one of those three reasons. Although there is still a chance I missed somebody! :)

Also, no RRverse lovers include in this list. Sorry my fellow ToA fans.

*I am currently investigating the legitimacy of 2 more potential lovers. As soon as I have reliable sources, I will get them on here ASAP. Their inclusion, however, will not change the overall conclusion. 👍

(Edited 01/15/25 - ALL SECTIONS SOURCED)

Let's begin! :D

Immortal Lovers

Calliope: muse of epic poetry. Mother of Hymenaios and Ialemus (Pindar's 3rd Threnos) by Apollo.

Clio: muse of history

Erato: muse of love poetry

Euterpe: muse of music

Polyhymnia: muse of hymns/sacred poetry

Melpomene: muse of tragedy

Thalia: muse of comedy. Mother of the Corybantes (The Bibliotheca by Pseudo-Apollodorus) by Apollo.

Terpsichore: muse of dance

Urania: muse of astronomy

Boreas: the North Wind. The Boreads called Apollo "beloved of our sire" in Apollonius of Rhodes's Argonautica.

Rhetia: alternate mother of the Corybantes by Apollo. (Strabo's Geography 10.3.21)

11 lovers total here.

10 Female, 1 Male

Immortal & Rejected

Hestia: goddess of the Hearth (Hymn to Aphrodite)

1 Interest. Female.

Lovers Who Lived:

Branchus: mortal shepherd, gifted prophecy (Conon's Narrations 33 & Callimachus's Iambus)

Rhoeo: mortal princess, eventually married an apprentice of Apollo (Diodorus Siculus's Bibliotheca historica 5.62 and Tzetzes on Lycophron 570)

Ourea: demigod daughter of Poseidon, dated Apollo during his punishment with Laomedon; had a son named Ileus, after the city of Troy (Hesiod's Catalogues of Women Fragment 83)

Evadne: nymph daughter of Poseidon, Apollo sent Eileithyia & (in some texts) the Fates to aid in their son's birth (Pindar's Olympian Ode 6)

Thero: great-granddaughter of Heracles, described as "beautiful as moonbeams" (Pausanias's Description of Greece 9)

Cyrene: mortal princess-turned-nymph queen, kick-ass lion wrangler, and mother of two of Apollo's sons - Aristaeus (a god) and Idmon (powerful seer) (Pindar's Pythian Ode 9.6 ff. and Nonnus's Dionysiaca and Callimachus's Hymn to Apollo 85)

Admetus: mortal king, took great care of Apollo during his second punishment, Apollo wingmanned him for Alcestis's hand - basically Apollo doted on him <3 (Callimachus's Hymn II to Apollo and Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 1.9.15 and Hyginus's Fabulae 50–51, and also written about by Ovid and Servius)

Hecuba: queen of Troy, together they had Troilus.

It was foretold that if Troilus lived to adulthood, Troy wouldn't fall - unfortunately, Achilles murdered Troilus in Apollo's temple. When the Achaeans burned Troy down, Apollo rescued Hecuba and brought her to safety in Lycia. (Stesichorus's Fr.108)

Hyrie/Thyrie: mortal. mothered a son by Apollo. Their son, Cycnus, attempted to kill himself after some shenanigans and his mother attempted the same. Apollo turned them into swans to save their lives. (Antoninus Liberalis's Metamorphoses 12 and Ovid's Metamorphoses 7.350)

Dryope: mortal. had a son named Amphissus with Apollo, who was a snake at the time. Later turned into a lotus flower, but it had nothing to do with Apollo so she's still on this list. (noncon; written by Ovid in Metamorphoses 8 CE/AD and later by Antoninus Liberalis in his own Metamorphoses sometime between 100-300 CE/AD)

Creusa: mortal queen. had a son named Ion with Apollo (Euripides's Ion). Please check out @my-name-is-apollo's post for more details because they make some good points about what's considered "rape" in Ancient Greece. I expand on this further at the end of the post.

Melia: Oceanid nymph. Had a son w/h Apollo named Tenerus. (Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 9.10.5–6)

Melia was said to be kidnapped, and her brother found her with Apollo. He set fire to Apollo's temple in an effort to get her back, but was killed. Melia and Apollo had two kids - but here's the interesting part. Melia was highly worshiped in Thebes, where her brother found her. She was an incredibly important figure in Thebes, especially when connected with Apollo. She and Apollo were essentially the parents of Thebes.

As I read over their story, it sounded like (to me, at least. it's okay if you think otherwise!) that Melia just absconded/eloped with Apollo.

Was kidnapping an equivalent to assault back then? Perhaps. But it's still debated on whenever or not that's true. However, one thing I've noticed reading up on these myths is that when Apollo does do something unsavory, the text says so.

It never says anything about Apollo doing anything to Melia. Her father and brother believe she was kidnapped, but, like mentioned previously, it seems far much more likely that she just ran off with her boyfriend or something.

But that's just my interpretation.

Moving on! :)

Iapis: a favorite lover. Apollo wanted to teach him prophecy, the lyre, ect. but Iapis just wanted to heal :) so Apollo taught him healing :) (Smith 1873, s.v. Iapis)

Aethusa: daughter of Poseidon & the Pleiad Alcyone. Mother of Linus and Eleuther. She is the great-great grandmother of Orpheus. (Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 3.10.1 and Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 9.20.2 and Suida, s.v. Homer's Of the Origin of Homer and Hesiod and their Contest, Fragment 1.314)

Acacallis: daughter of King Minos. there's a lot of variation on whether or not she had kids with Hermes or Apollo. Some say she had a kid with each. (Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Kydōnia (Κυδωνία and Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 4.1492)

Chrysothemis: nymph queen who won the oldest contest of the Pythian Games - the singing of a hymn to Apollo. She had three daughters, and one of them is said to be Apollo's. (Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 10.7.2 and Hyginus's De Astronomica 2.25)

Corycia: naiad. had a son with Apollo. the Corycian Cave north of Delphi is named after her (Hyginus's Fabulae 161)

Leuconoe (also Choine or Philonis): daughter of Eosphorus, god of the planet Venus, and mother of the bard Philammon. (Hyginus's Fabulae 161) She was killed by Diana for her hubris.

Melaena (also Thyia or Kelaino): mother of Delphos, member of prophetic Thriae of Delphi. Priestess of Dionysus. (Herodotus's Histories 7.178.1)

Othreis: mothered Phager by Apollo, and later Meliteus by Zeus. (Antoninus Liberalis's Metamorphoses 13)

Stilbe: mother of Lapithus and Aineus by Apollo. (Diodorus Siculus's Library of History 4.69.1 and Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 1.40 and Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 1.948)

Syllis (possible same as Hyllis, granddaughter of Heracles): mothered Zeuxippus by Apollo. (Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 2.6.7)

Amphissa: Apollo seduced her in the form of a shepherd. They had a son named Agreus. (Ovid's Metamorphoses 6.103 and Hyginus's Fabulae 161)

(hey, has anybody else noticed that 'Apollo disguising himself' seems to only be a thing in Roman literature?)

Areia (or Deione): had a son named Miletus. Hid him in some smilax. Her father found him and named him. (Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 3.1.2)

Arsinoe: she and Apollo had a daughter named Eriopis. (Hesiod's Ehoiai 63 and Scholia ad Pindar's Pythian Ode 3.14)

Queen of Orkhomenos (no name is given): Mother of Trophonius (Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 9.37.5)

(my fellow ToA fans will recognize that name haha).

Hypermnestra: Either Apollo or her husband fathered her son Amphiaraus. (Hyginus's Fabulae 70)

(sidenote: @literallyjusttoa suggested that Apollo was dating both Hypermnestra and Oikles, and I, personally, like that headcannon)

Manto: Daughter of Tiresias. Apollo made her a priestess of Delphi. They had a son named Mopsus. When Apollo sent her to found an oracle elsewhere, he told her to marry the first man she saw outside of Delphi. That man turned out to be Rhacius, who brought her to Claros, where she founded the oracle of Apollo Clarios. (Apollodorus's Bibliotheca E6. 3)

Later, another man named Lampus attempted to assault her, but was killed by Apollo. She is also said to be a priestess who warned Niobe not to insult Leto, and to ask for forgiveness. Niobe did not. (Statius's Thebaid 7 and Ovid's Metamorphoses 6)

(Dante's Inferno places her in the eighth circle of hell, and let me just say- what the FUCK Dante! What did Manto ever do to you, huh??!! Don't do my girl dirty!!)

Parthenope: granddaughter of a river god. Mothered Lycomedes by Apollo (Pausanius's Descriptions of Greece 4.1)

Phthia: prophetess. called "beloved of Apollo". Mother three kings by him; Dorus, Laodocus, & Polypoetes (Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 1.7.6)

Procleia: Mother of Tenes, son of Apollo, who was killed by Achilles before the Trojan War. Daughter of King Laomedon, king of Troy. (Apollodorus's Epitome 3. 26)

Helenus: prince of Troy. Received from Apollo an ivory bow which he used to wound Achilles in the hand. (Photius's 'Bibliotheca excerpts')

Hippolytus of Sicyon: called "beloved of Apollo" in Plutarch's Life of Numa. I don't think this guy is the same as Hippolytus, son of Zeuxippus (son of Apollo), king of Sicyon Pausanias talks about in his Description of Greece. That would be a little weird taking the whole family tree into account - though it's never stopped other gods before. *shrug*

Psamathe: nereid, said to be the personification of the sand of the sea-shore. (Conon's Narrationes 19)

She and Apollo were lovers, but never had any kids. When another man assaulted her, she had a son and abandoned him.

(He was found by some shepherds dw - wait, he was then torn apart by dogs. Nevermind.)

Back to her, her father ordered for her to be executed and Apollo avenged her death by sending a plague onto Argos and refused to stop it until Psamathe and Phocus/Linus (her son) were properly given honors.

(I really like how even though Linus isn't Apollo's kid, and that Psamathe wanted nothing to do with the kid, Apollo still considered him worth avenging too <3 )

Okay, in a previous incarnation of this post, I said there was a version where she is raped by Apollo...however, I can't find any sources to back it up😅 Even her wiki page doesn't mention rape, and Theoi's excerpt of Paunasias's Descriptions of Greece about her doesn't either.

So where did I hear about this supposed version? (Don't shoot)

Youtube. A youtube video about Apollo. Yeah...

Lesson, kids! Don't trust youtube videos on mythology! Yes, even if they dedicated lots of time to it! They can still get things wrong! In fact, don't even take my word for it! Do your own research <3

Hymenaeus: No, not his kid. This is a different Hymenaeus haha! This Hymenaeus is the son of Magnes, and comes from Megalai Ehoiai fr. 16, commonly attributed to Hesiod, and Antonius Liberalis's Metamorphosis. Legend states that while Apollo was preoccupied with Hymenaeus, baby Hermes stole his cows ;)

Euboia: Daughter of Macareus. Bore a son named Agreus. (Hyginus's Fabulae 161)

Alright. 36 lovers here.

6 Male. 30 Female.

35 are 100% consensual. Creusa is questionable, depending on who's translating/which tradition you go with.

Lovers Who Died:

Hyacinthus*: mortal prince. we all know this one, right? Right? one and only true love turned into flower (okay that's my bias speaking but AM I WRONG?) (Plutarch's Life of Numa, 4.5; Philostratus the younger's Imagines; Pseudo-Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 1.3.3; Ovid's Metamorphoses 10.162–219; Bion's Poems 11; and various pieces of art)

Cyparissus: mortal. his DEER DIED and he asked Apollo to let him MOURN FOREVER so he was turned into a cypress tree (Ovid's Metamorphoses X 106ff)

Coronis: mortal princess. cheated on Apollo w/h Ischys, who in Fabulae was killed by Zeus. mother of Asclepius. killed by Artemis. (Pindar's Pythian Odes 3.5; Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 2.26.6; Hyginus's Fabulae 202; Ovid's Metamorphoses 2.536 and 2.596; Hyginus's De Astronomica 2.40; Isyllus's Hymn to Asclepius 128.37 ff.)

There is another version of Asclepius's birth given by Pausanias in Descriptions of Greece 2.26.1-7, where Coronis exposes him on a mountain and Apollo takes him in.

Adonis: yes, THAT Adonis. he's in this category because. well. he died. rip (Ptolemy Hephaestion's New History Book 5)

Phorbas: Okay so Apollo's lover Phorbas and another Phorbas sometimes get mashed together so this is what I was able to gather.

Plutarch's Life of Numa 4.5 and Hyginus's De Astronomia 2.14.5 cites Phorbas as Apollo's lover. The other Phorbas is said to be a rival to Apollo in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo. Personally, I separate the two because it makes more sense with Phorbas the lover's overall story.

Here it is: The island of Rhodes fell victim to a plague of dragons or serpents, and the oracle said to summon Phorbas for help. He defeated the infestation, and after he died, Apollo asked Zeus to place him in the stars, and so Phorbas became the constellation Serpentarius, also known more widely as Ophiuchus (a man holding a serpent).

FORGET ORION AND HIS ONE-OFF MENTION OF BEING DIANA'S LOVER HERE IS A CONSTELLATION TRAGIC LOVE STORY!!!!!

(*Hyacinthus was resurrected, as celebrated in the Hyacinthia festival in Sparta. Nonnus's Dionysiaca 19.102 and Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece 3.19.4 supports this belief as well.)

5 lovers.

4 Male. 1 Female. All consensual.

Sidenote: QUIT BURYING THE GAYS GREECE!!!!

Love-Interests Who Rejected & Died:

Daphne: do i nEED to say anything? Nymph. turned into tree to escape.

Daphne and Apollo actually go back a bit. Their story was used to explain why the laurel was so sacred to Apollo. It's in Delphi, Branchus planted laurel trees around the temple he built to Apollo, the laurel was even sacred to Apollo's historical forebearer Apulu, an Etruscan god! (I have sources to back this up :3 along with an Essay.)

Apollo & Daphne first originate from Phylarchus, but we do not have any of his work :( It's been lost to history...a moment of silence RIP. He was a contemporary in the 3rd century BC/BCE (first day of 300 BC/BCE and last day of 201 BC/BCE).

He was, however, cited as a source in Parthenius's Erotica Pathemata, written sometime in the 1 century AD/CE (sometime between 66 BC/BCE and the author's death in 14 AD/CE).

Then they show up again in Pausanias's Descriptions of Greece, written between 150 AD/CE and 170 AD/CE.

Hyginus wrote his Fabulae sometime before Ovid's because it's widely criticized to be his earliest work and Ovid wrote his Metamorphoses in 8 AD/CE.

The first two versions are roughly the same, and Ovid's shares similarities with the first in only the ending. Hyginus is basically like Ovid's but without Eros.

So in publication order, it's; Erotica Pathemata, Fabulae, Metamorphoses, then Descrip. of Greece.

In Erotica Pathemata, Daphne is the daughter of Amyclas and is being courted by Leucippus. She is not interested in any sort of romance. Leucippus disguises himself as a girl to get close to her, but his ruse is revealed when Apollo nudges Daphne and her attendants into taking a bath in the river. Leucippus is consequently killed.

Apollo then becomes interested and Daphne runs away, imploring Zeus that "she might be translated away from mortal sight", and is transformed into the laurel tree.

In Fabulae, Daphne's story is a bit more familiar. She's the daughter of Peneus, the river god, and Gaea is the one who transforms her into a laurel tree.

In Metamorphoses, Eros is added to the story and is the reason why Apollo is so enamored and Daphne is so repulsed.

(I would just like to say that in this version, it was 100% nonconsensual for both of them! And I don't mean with rape- Apollo never touches Daphne in any of these version. What I mean here is that Eros maliciously makes Apollo chase down a woman and makes sure Daphne would be repulsed by him. That is noncon behavior there on both sides.)

In Descriptions of Greece 10.7.8, Daphne is the daughter of Ladon and her and Apollo are only connected by way of why the laurel crown is the victory prize of the Pythian Games. However, in Descriptions of Greece 8.20.2-8.20.4, Daphne and Leucippus make an appearance here too, but Apollo is not the reason why they stop to take a swim and his ruse is revealed, resulting in his death.

Castalia: Nymph. turned into spring to escape.

First things first, Castalia was used to explain the existence of the Castalian Spring in Delphi. However, in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo, the spring is already there when Apollo was born. So there's that to consider first.

Anyway, to escape Apollo's advances, Castalia transforms herself into a spring. (Lactantius Placidus's On Statius's Thebaid 1.698. This was written between Lactantius's lifespan of c. 350 – c. 400 AD/CE, placing it firmly in Roman times.)

2 Interests.

2 Female.

Love-Interests Who Rejected & Cursed

Cassandra: mortal princess. Received the gift of prophecy from Apollo. Due to a broken oath, she was then cursed. (Aeschylus's Agamemnon)

It is only in Roman-era tellings where Cassandra is cursed for not sleeping with Apollo, and there was no oath made (Hyginus & Pseudo-Apollodorus). In Agamemnon, it was done so because of the broken oath- not the refusing to sleep with Apollo thing.

The version where she gains prophetic abilities by way of a snake licking her ears is not part of Greco-Roman literature, but rather by an American poet.

Nevertheless, even after the curse Cassandra still loved Apollo, and called him "god most dear to me" in Eurpides's play The Trojan Women.

1 Interests.

1 Female.

Love-Interests Who Rejected & Lived

Sinope: mortal. there are two different version of her myth.

In Diodorus Siculus's Library of History 4.72.2 and Corinna's Frag. 654, Apollo "seizes" her and they have a son named Syrus.

In Apollonius's Argonautica  2.946-951 and Valerius Flaccus's Argonautica 5.109, it is Zeus who abducts her, but she gets him to promise her anything and requests to remain a virgin. He obliges. Later, Apollo and the river Halys both try to charm her, but fall for the same trick.

Library of History was written between 60-30 BC/BCE, Apollonius's Argonautica between 300 BC/BCE and 201 BC/BCE, and Valerius Flaccus's Argonautica between 70-96 AD/CE, making Apollonius's version the oldest and Valerius Flaccus's the youngest.

Marpessa: mortal princess, granddaughter of Ares. Idas, son of Poseidon, kidnapped her and Apollo caught up to them. Zeus had Marpessa chose between them, and she chose Idas, reasoning that she would eventually grow old and Apollo would tire of her. (Homer's The Iliad, 9.557 and Apollodorus's Bibliotheca 1.7.8–9)

Bolina: mortal. Apollo approached her and she flung herself off a cliff. He turned her into a nymph to save her life. (Pausanias's Description of Greece 7.23.4)

Ocroe/Okyrrhoe: nymph and daughter of a river god. asked a boatman to take her home after Apollo approached her. Apollo ended up turning the boat to stone and the seafarer into a fish. (Athenaeus's The Deipnosophists 7.283 E [citing The Founding of Naucratis by Apollonius Rhodius]. The Deipnosophists was written in the early 3rd century AD, between 201 AD and 300 AD)

Sibyl of Cumae: mortal seer. promised to date Apollo if she was given longevity as long as the amount of sand in her hand. he did, but she refused him. (Ovid's Metamorphoses 14)

5 Interests. All female.

Okyrrhoe's story is the only one with any iffy stuff, although, when something iffy does occur, the text usually says so outright.

Rejected by Apollo:

Clytie*: Oceanid nymph. turned into a heliotrope to gaze at the sun forever after the rejection.

1 Advance. Female.

(*Clytie's story was originally about her affection for Helios. [Ovid's Metamorphoses 4.192–270; Ovid used Greek sources about the etymology of the names involved, meaning Clytie and Helios go back to Greek times] As Apollo got superimposed over Helios's myths, people have assumed it is he who is the sun god in her myth and not Helios.)

In Conclusion...

62 people total, and 35 of them have Roman-Era roots with (as far as I know!! Don't take my word as gospel truth!!) no relation to Greece except by way of shared mythology.

Here's the list:

Rhoeo

Thero

Hyrie/Thyrie

Dryope

Melia

Aethusa

Acacallis

Chrysothemis

Corycia

Choine

Thyia

Othreis

Stilbe

Syllis

Amphissa

Areia

Queen of Orkhomenos

Hypermnestra

Manto

Parthenope

Phthia

Procleia

Helenus

Hippolytus of Sicyon

Psamathe

Cyparissus

Adonis

Phorbas

Castalia

Sinope

Bolina

Ocroe/Okyrrhoe

Sibyl of Cumae

Rhetia

Euboia

Meaning, 56%- and really, it's more like 57%, because Clytie is not Apollo's lover at all- of the lovers listed on this post are not entirely Greek in origin (AS FAR AS I KNOW-)! That does not mean ofc that you have to ignore them. I, for one, really like the story of Rhoeo, and Manto, and Psamethe- I find their myths sweet (Rhoeo & Manto) and bittersweet (Psamethe).

Let's get to the calculations now, yeah?

62 people total (Includes Clytie)

50 Women (81%). 12 Men (19%).

18% were Immortal (Including Lovers & Rejected)

68% Lived (Including Lovers & Cursed & Rejected)

14% Died (Including Lovers & Rejected)

1% were Cursed

2% were Rejected by him

61 people total (Not Including Clytie)

49 Women (80%). 12 Men (20%).

18% were Immortal

69% Lived (Lovers & Cursed & Rejected)

12% Died (Lovers & Rejected)

in that 12%, one was apotheosized - Hyacinthus.

Meaning 10% died permanently, while 2% were resurrected.

2% were Cursed

0% were Rejected by him

Additionally, I left off three male lovers and two female lovers - Atymnius, Leucates, Cinyras, Hecate, & Acantha.

Atymnius has no references to being Apollo's lover, only to Zeus's son Sarpedon. (Wikipedia why do you even have him listed? You need sources smh)

Leucates is another male "lover" left off the rack - apparently he jumped off a cliff to avoid Apollo, but I couldn't find any mythological text to account for it- and no, OSP's wiki page is not a reliable source. There is a cliff named similarly to him where Aphrodite went (by Apollo's advice) to rid herself of her longing for Adonis after his death. Also Zeus uses it to rid himself of his love for Hera before he...well, commits adultery again. 🤷

Cinyras was a priest of Aphrodite on the island of Cyprus. He was also the island's king. Pindar calls him "beloved of Apollo" in his Pythian Ode. However, looking further into Cinyras's life throws a bit of a wrench into it. He's also cited to be a challenger to Apollo's skill, and either Apollo or Mars (Ares) kills him for his hubris.

(honestly, I kinda like the idea that Mars went into Big Brother Mode)

I did consider leaving him on the list, since technically you could argue it was a romance-gone-bad, but among every other source Cinyras is mentioned in, Pindar's the only one who puts a romantic label on him and Apollo.

Plus, he’s been described as a son of Apollo too, and I personally like that more lol

Hecate, the goddess of magic and crossroads, is said to be the mother of Scylla (like, the sea-monster) by Apollo, but Scylla's parentage is one of those "no specific parents" ones, so I left her off the list.

Acantha has absolutely no classical references. There's a plant like her name, but she's made-up, so she doesn't count. *stink-eyes the guy who invented her and claimed his “sources” were reliable when they really aren’t*

(Of course, I could be wrong about any of these. Again, I'm not an expert.)

With all this in mind, this means Apollo's love life actually isn't as tragic as media portrays it, and he isn't as bad as Zeus or Poseidon in the nonconsensual area.

Does he still have those kinds of myths? Yes, with Dryope and Creusa; though, we can discount Creusa because;

1) Depends on who's translating it; and

2) Ion is given different parentage in the Bibliotheca, which yes, came much after Ion, however Xuthus was traditionally considered to be Ion's father rather than Apollo. This means there was probably a different oral tradition on Ion's parentage that just wasn't written down as early as Euripides's was- in fact, it may even just be an invention of Euripides's.

(and honestly Apollo's characterization in Ion just doesn't quite match up with the rest of his appearances in the wider myths (in my opinion, at least))

So that leaves us with just Dryope, who comes from Ovid, a Roman poet, and Antoninus Liberalis, a late Greek one.

Now I'm not saying we should throw her out because of Ovid's whole "wrote the gods even more terribly to criticize Augustus" thing, but it is something to keep in mind. Political mechanics have been used to change myths before, and this is certainly one example of it.

Additionally, I have seen many people discard Dionysus's rapes in the Dionysiaca because of how late it was written, so this one can be given similar treatment if one choses too because of just how late Ovid and Antoninus Liberalis's work was.

You can, in fact, pick and chose if you wish, especially if it'll increase your enjoyment of literature. That's certainly what I do :)

So overall, I'd say Apollo has a rather clean relationship past. He's doing pretty damn good.

Also, I think we should all take note that even if Apollo had noncon myths, that doesn't reflect on the actual god. The Ancient Greeks did not see the myths as "canon" to their gods- in fact, some were not happy with the myths showing the gods in such a light.

That's something else to keep in mind. The gods of the myths are not the gods of Greece, and are more like parables or fables for the Ancient Greeks I'd say. Lessons on morality and such, and of course, warnings against hubris and the like.

This was quite the journey, and I really hope you all enjoyed reading and learning with me! This really makes me wonder- if Apollo's love life is this good, I wonder how misinformed we are on everyone else's? I have no plans on doing Zeus or Poseidon or anyone else (not for a LONG time lol, this took a lot of effort and research!), but if anyone has any idea, or gets inspired to do something like this for any other god, please tag me!! I'd love to see it! :D

And since this was on a previous reblog, here be a meme from a while ago:

[ID: Me Explaining Me. On the left is a girl with her hands up, fingers pinched together, like she's intensely explaining something. The text over her says "Me giving a detailed diatribe about Apollo's love life and how modern media has done him and his lovers dirty". On the right is the girl's mother, wrapped up to her chin in a blanket, with a look on her face that screams "absolutely done with this shit". The Mother is labeled "My family". /End ID]

suffers in I'm the only mythology nerd in the family

[nous-teleios]

POV: Your life after returning to the religion of your ancestors

[brainrotroulette]

Hermaphroditus, you will always be my favorite Erote 🫶

Because when Ovid started talking I was SAT

[ancient--whispers]

A bust of Emperor Augustus from the Walters Art Museum.

[kimiko24]

DOG MOSAICS (From Italy and Greece ××)

[o1iveangel]

some sketches i’ve had sitting around

exile chickpea, 3am octavian, antony & curio and finally caelius and one of his panthers