The Mythology Of Apollo Explained

Apollo was not generally a marriage-minded god, preferring to play the field. However, as detailed on Greek-Gods, the deity did propose on one notable occasion. The object of his affection? An Aetolian princess named Marpessa.

Apollo was not generally a marriage-minded god, preferring to play the field. However, as detailed on Greek-Gods, the deity did propose on one notable occasion. The object of his affection? An Aetolian princess named Marpessa.

Marpessa was the daughter of a powerful king named Evenus. When a youth named Idas, a son of Poseidon, visited their palace, the two had an instant connection. Idas was so taken with Marpessa that he didn't want to wait for Evenus to formally approve his proposal to her. Instead, he and Marpessa eloped, heading for the south of Greece.

Marpessa and Idas didn't know it, but they were being followed — not only by Evenus, but also by Apollo, who had been watching Marpessa from afar and was dazzled by her beauty. Unable to track his daughter down, Evenus tragically lost hope and drowned himself in a river. Apollo was undeterred and eventually found the runaways. After he declared his passion for Marpessa, Apollo and Idas got into a nasty fight. The brawl was so awful that it attracted the attention of Zeus himself, who swooped in and mediated by asking Marpessa to choose her desired lover. Marpessa told Apollo that their relationship could never work out due to his immortality — someday she would grow older and weaker, and he, being forever youthful, would tire of her. Respecting her wishes, Apollo left her and Idas alone to live a happy life together.

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