About five thousand years before the 23rd century, powerful beings including Apollo lived among the ancient Greeks, who worshipped them as gods, before they left Earth.
According to the being who called himself Apollo, he and his companions came to Earth about five thousand years before the 23rd century and settled among the people of ancient Greece. Their command of matter and energy led the Greeks to honour them as the gods of Olympus. When worship faded, the visitors left Earth and eventually faded away.
Apollo alone waited on Pollux IV for humans to reach the stars. In 2267 he captured the Enterprise and demanded that its crew worship him. Kirk's people refused and destroyed the source of his power, and Apollo spread himself upon the wind.