The most beautiful statue of him is the Apollo Belvedere, which represents him at the moment of his conquest of the Python. […] The statue became so beautiful under his practised hand that even before it was entirely finished its author loved it. […] His statues were considered sacred boundary marks, and their removal punished by death. […] No temples were dedicated to him, and statues of this god are very rare. […] The Lacedæmonians paid the most heed to them, and invariably placed their statues side by side.