Hello everyone, welcome back to "Greek Mythology Gods." In this mythological world filled with mystery and wonder, we'll once again embark on a journey following the footsteps of the gods, uncovering the eternal legend of fate and power.
Last time, we talked about how Asklepios, the ancient Greek god of medicine, angered Zeus by resurrecting the dead and was struck by lightning, later ascending to the celestial realm. Phaethon, son of the sun god, lost control of his sun chariot, causing a disaster and also being struck by lightning. Despite their divine power, these sons of the gods could not escape fate's punishment, forging immortal legends amidst light and thunder.
Today, we'll tell a story about "friendship, jealousy, and commemoration."
In a Greek valley, Apollo, the god of light, met a beautiful young man, Hyacinthus, fishing by the river. With his pure temperament and outstanding appearance, Apollo resolved to befriend him, no matter what.
Then a rival emerged: the god of the west wind also sought Hyacinthus's friendship. The two gods agreed to a duel, with the winner becoming their friend. The contest wasn't about strength, but speed—Apollo's arrow or Zephyr's run. Apollo drew his bow and released his arrow, chasing Zephyr like a meteor. In a critical moment, Zephyr blew a powerful gustof wind, deflecting the arrow, narrowly missing his shoulder. Despite this, Apollo still won the duel.
Apollo excitedly approached Hyacinthus and even took on the form of a young man. From then on, the two often played together, becoming inseparable. One day, they were playing the popular sport of the time—discus throwing. Apollo tossed the discus, and Hyacinthus ran to catch it. Just as the discus bounced off the ground, the unwilling Zephyr secretly sent a gust of wind, causing the discus to suddenly change course and strike Hyacinthus hard on the head.
Apollo lifted the fallen boy, heartbroken. Knowing that nothing could be undone, he prayed: May his friend's life remain in this world in another way. Blood seeped into the grass, and a flower blossomed—the hyacinth. The subtle marks on the petals were seen as a mark left by Apollo; the vibrant purple, contrasting with the more common white lilies, symbolized remembrance of the deceased.
The story of Hyacinthus spread widely in Sparta. A three-day festival was established in his honor: the first day mourned his death, the last day celebrated his life. After the hyacinth blooms expired, the withered flowers had to be pruned before they could bloom again. This symbolism, therefore, came to symbolize "reborn love": remembering grief, but finding new emotional sustenance and moving on.
This is the story of Apollo and his "good friend" Hyacinthus: not a romantic romance, but a myth of friendship, jealousy, and remembrance. Even gods experience loss, and only after this loss do they learn to preserve love in an eternal way.
Next time, we'll tell the story of Orpheus, son of Apollo, the god of music. His wife, Eurydice, was killed by a snake bite. Heartbroken, Orpheus descended into the underworld, where he moved Hades with his lyre, earning his wife a chanceat rebirth. However, looking back, he lost his beloved forever. He sang alone until he was torn to pieces by his frenzied female followers. His head and lyre drifted into the constellations. Ultimately, he reunited with his wife in theunderworld, never to be separated.
Thank you for listening to "Greek Mythology Gods." We look forward to meeting you again on the next mythological journey.
For further reading, you can refer to the following:
If you’d like to dive deeper beyond the stories, you can also explore sculptures inspired by these myths here: