Hyperborea

The Hyperboreans were a people that lived far, far to the north. The word Hyperborea means “beyond the north”. We have very few records of them, and know only that they lived in the north and worshipped Apollo far more than other Greeks. This is my story on why. The Hyperboreans lived a peaceful life beyond the arctic circle, although at this time they had light constantly with no night because they worshiped Apollo so much and he enjoyed it. Eventually, there came a new king who believed not in Apollo or the other gods and decided none of his people should either. He tore down all monuments and temples to Apollo, killed all his oracles in Hyperborea, and destroyed all musical instruments. This angered Apollo so much, he decided to leave them totally. For 30 days Apollo was gone from Hyperborea, a full month of night. In this time the Hyperboreans killed their king and tried to rebuild the temples, but they all died of frostbite. Apollo decided to see if they had learned their lesson yet, and went back to find them dead. For 30 days Apollo shed tears for them, but when winter came again his heart hardened and abandoned Hyperborea again. This is the cycle Apollo goes through in summer and winter, and why there are long summers and winters in the arctic.