The conflict between the ancient gods Apollo and Dionysus can be found troughout history and arts. It was the german philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who first wrote about opposing human character traits, represented by these two gods. Apollo as the god of the sun, order, perfection, music. Dionysus as the god of wine and madnes - but also strifing and creativity. This battle can not only be found in the classical ancient world. It can be found in all of us. It lays within every human being. We all are permanently strifing for one perfect moment, to get drunk in the music around us, madly reaching for the sun. We all are aspiring for the higher goods, for more, for god. Until we fall. Ad alta. Ad deus. Ad bestias.
The more desperate we reach out to perfection we are condemned to fail.
It's the endless struggle between rising high and letting loose which marks man's vigor - destructive as well as creative. Apollo stays an unreachable idol for perfection and olympic glory but we, who we are just men,try our best matching him. But in our striving we become more and more imperfect. Though, isn't it that very imperfection that makes art true and beautiful? Whom will you follow? The god or the man?
Apollo And The Artist