Origins
Leto
In Greek Mythology, Zeus is married to Hera, the goddess of marriage, who is considered to be the Mother of All Gods. Zeus, however, had an affair with Leto, the Titan over motherhood and fertility. When Hera found out, she became outraged with jealousy and forced Leto to search the land for a place to give birth as a curse. Part of the curse was that Leto couldn't give birth anywhere on land or an island at sea, but she found refuge on Ortygia, the island of her sister Asteria. This is where Artemis was born, who then helped her mother to Delos, which was thought to be a floating island. In reality, Delos is located in the Aegean, in the center of a ring of islands. It was considered nearly impossible to reach because of the strong under currents, needing the help of Artemis. Since it was a floating island, it was not a part of the constrictions Hera had set. Before Apollo's birth, it was said the island had been encircled by swans, making it one of his sacred animals. Days after his birth, Apollo demanded a bow and arrow, which Hephaestus made for him, giving him another one of his trademarks.