When the ancient Greek craftsmen and builders toiled away in 550 BC, they knew that their labors would not be in vain; they knew that they would be blessed. To the early Greeks, the legends of the Greek gods were more than legends; they were beliefs that most Greeks shared. Greek mythology is a mystery that captures the imagination of many people. The stories are wonderful and amazing and are still not fully realized for their overwhelming potential. Apollo and Artemis, in Greek mythology are characters who have remarkable stories of deception and intrigue that many Greeks based their everyday life around. The importance of Apollo and Artemis in Greek mythology can be seen in their origins, major stories, and effects on humans.
             The origins of Apollo and Artemis are similar in the beginning, but their paths diverge early on in life. The chief god, Zeus fell in love with a beautiful nymph named Leto, but Hera, Zeus' wife, was watching so Zeus turned himself and Leto into quails. "Hera saw through this ruse and cursed Leto to not be able to give birth anywhere the sun could shine, but to make it worse she sent a giant serpent named Python to chase Leto away from any spot where she could give birth." (Dowrick 4) Zeus helped Leto by sending the South Wind to float her to an island called Delos. It was small and rocky but it would work for giving birth. Python followed her out to the island anyway, but because the island was so small the wind blew it faster than Python could follow. Finally, Leto had a place where she could give birth. It turned out that Leto bore twins. The first-born was her daughter she named her Artemis. The second was a boy Leto named him Apollo.
             When Apollo was old enough to hunt. Zeus gave him a golden bow and arrow to hunt with. Apollo decided to hunt and kill the serpent that tormented his mother before he was born. He found the serpent at the base of Mount Parnassus and dashed up to the mounta...