Apollo and Coronis; White Raven; Association with Healing

Introduction

Archived articles which were posted on an earlier version of my website will be transferred to my new site and be republished an an ongoing basis. Enjoy the article below about Apollo and Coronis, and how this myth associates the sun god with healing.


As soon as Apollo was born on Delus among the goddesses who helped him into life, he defined his spheres of influence: “Let the lyre and curving bow be possessions to call my own, and for humans let me proclaim the unerring counsel of Zeus” (Homeric Hymn to Apollo, 131f).

Apollo and Coronis

In Greek mythology, there is a tale of  Apollo who fell in love with Coronis, a Thessalian princess of unsurpassed beauty. He commanded his divine messenger, the white  raven, to guard Coronis. Though Coronis was pregnant with Apollo’s child, she strangely did not care for her divine lover, but gave in to the advances of a mere mortal, Prince Ischys. She never considered that would be unable to deceive Apollo, The God of Truth.

 

Depiction of Lovers at the Swedish Royal Museum

When the raven brought news to Apollo of his lover’s infidelity, he became enraged that his faithful messenger had not pecked out the eyes of the prince. Apollo flung a curse so furious, the raven’s pure white feathers were scorched black. Apollo killed Ischys and sent his sister, Artemis, to slay Coronis with her deadly arrows (other accounts indicate Apollo killed Coronis himself).

Apollo of the Belvedere (Vatican Museum)

In spite of his ruthlessness, Apollo felt a pang of grief as he watched Coronis being placed on the pyre and the flames roar up, ready to consume her. At the last moment, he removed his son from the womb. Apollo gave his newborn son, Asclepius, to the wise centaur, Chiron, who taught him the art of healing herbs. Thereafter, Apollo became associated with healing through his son, Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing.

Coronis was set among the stars as Corvus, the crow (korônê in Greek).

Photograph of Raven Taken Near Eiffel Tower


Rome’s Association of Apollo with Healing

The Romans closely associated Apollo with healing. The Roman historian Livy recounts a plague in 433 BCE when the Roman people vowed to build a temple to Apollo and performed rituals to quell the wrath of the gods so the pestilence would not spread. Two years later, the Romans dedicated a temple to Apollo who they attributed for ending the epidemic. Up to the time of Emperor Augustus, the temple of Apollo Medicus was the only temple of Apollo in Rome. In 212 BCE the Romans instituted games in his honor, Ludi Apollinares. After the Roman conquest of Gaul, archaeological research shows inscriptions at Gallic healing sanctuaries combining “Apollo’ with the native names such as Apollo Belenus or Apollo Grannus.

Statue of Apollo on Display at Walters Art Museum

References:

Fritz Graff, Apollo; Printed 2009 by Routledge, New York.

Edith Hamilton, Mythology; Printed 2013 by Back Bay Books, New York.

© Copyright Apr 29, 2012 by Linnea Tanner. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 

19 Comments
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  • Ancient Greece
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  • Christy Birmingham
    Posted at 17:26h, 28 December Reply

    How intriguing this post is, Linnea! I learned about the origin of Apollo’s raven and his healing ways too. I am glad to have looked through the archives to have found this post.

    • Linnea Tanner
      Posted at 04:19h, 29 December Reply

      Hi Christy,

      Thank you for your gracious comments regarding this post. I appreciate your continued support. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

      Best Regards,
      Linnea

  • Aquileana
    Posted at 05:01h, 29 December Reply

    Great post dear Linnea… Apollo hds many affairs, indeed and there is also a metamorfosis involved here, which reminded me of his lover, Daphne (she was transformed into a bay laurel!).
    All the best to you. Aquileana 🙂

    • Linnea Tanner
      Posted at 19:01h, 29 December Reply

      Hi Aquileana,

      Thank you for your comment. Apollo definitely was know for his many affairs. The mythology about Daphne was one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing your love of mythology; I love your website devoted to Greek Mythology aquileana.wordpress.com.

      Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

      Regards,
      Linnea

  • Pingback:Mythology: “Apollo”/ Poem: “Hymn to Apollo” by Geofrey Crow (@GigglingStream) / “@Saltoalreverso #7″.- | La Audacia de Aquiles
    Posted at 21:49h, 18 June Reply

    […] He was often equated with Celtic Gods of similar characteristics. [Read more on the Celtic version of Apollo at Linnea Tanner’s blog, “Apollo’s Raven”: “Ancient Celtic Religion: Apollo, God of Sun” and “Apollo and Coronis; White Raven; Association with Healing”].- […]

  • Cathleen Townsend
    Posted at 18:03h, 04 October Reply

    Lovely post. I’ve never heard that story before, and you told it well. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    • Linnea Tanner
      Posted at 02:20h, 07 October Reply

      Thanks, Cathleen, for your feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed it. It is one of my favorite myths about Apollo how turn the white raven black when it brought him ill tidings about his lover’s affairs. There are certainly multi-layers of what the myth means. Have a great week.

      Regards,
      Linnea

  • Pingback:Bird of Death – London Photographer & Berlin Photoblog
    Posted at 13:47h, 02 May Reply

    […] of death in many different and distinct cultural traditions. For example, in Greek mythology, the god Apollo sent a white raven to spy on one of his mortal lovers, and when he reported that she had been unfaithful, Apollo cursed him by scorching him black, which […]

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    Posted at 03:01h, 18 November Reply

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  • Pingback:Apollo and Coronis – Myth on the Web
    Posted at 16:47h, 10 December Reply

    […] children with various women, one of which was Princess of Thessaly, Coronis of Larissa.  The original webpage uses the myth as support for Apollo being the god of healing and briefly mentions the raven. This […]

  • Pingback:Source Analysis: Apollo and Coronis – Myth on the Web
    Posted at 16:55h, 10 December Reply

    […] topic of the original webpage is establishing Apollo as the god of healing and his association with healing and medicine through […]

  • Pingback:How to Feed Wild Birds – The Questing Feast
    Posted at 09:04h, 17 August Reply

    […] for the birds themselves, as Greek myth claims that the raven was scorched black after it informed Apollo of the unfaithfulness of his lover, Coronis. I prefer to invite them to the table with nothing expected in return except for their good […]

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