Branchus (lover of Apollo)

When giving birth, his mother had a vision of the sun entering her mouth, passing through her stomach and emerging from her genitals.

[a] The seers took this to be an excellent omen, and so her son was named Branchus, since the sun had passed through her bronchia (throat).

After Branchus suddenly disappeared, an altar was built on the place he kissed Apollo.

One day, Apollo left Delos on a dolphin and reached a place called hiera hyle (sacred woods).

In order to persuade Branchus to abandon the herding and accompany him instead, Apollo guaranteed the safety and promised a supply of good grazing to the flocks.

[8][9] On becoming a prophet, Branchus is said to have transplanted a shoot of the laurel tree at Delphi in the precinct of Didyma.