Once again, we see Aphrodite has sent her son, Eros, on a task because of something that angered her.
This time, Apollo was the victim.
Apollo was the god
of light and also the god of unmarried men. He was as beautiful
and bright as sunlight, which is why he was also known as Phoebus,
which means bright and shining. Most nymphs and mortals alike
found Apollo irresistible for both his bravery and his manly
beauty. Apollo was full of romance, as he would court
women/goddesses by singing love songs to them and treating them with
respect and thoughtfulness. Apollo was a very captivating god.
Although, most nymphs and mortals found Apollo irresistible, his first love, Daphne, did not. Apollo’s first love was actually the only one who ever resisted him. However, there are reasons for this. Aphrodite had once again been angered and requested her son, Eros, to shoot Apollo in his heart and make him in fall in love. Thus, Eros shot Apollo in the heart with one of his arrows of love and made him fall in love with the beautiful nymph named Daphne. This also pleased Eros, as Apollo had teased him earlier about carrying bows and arrows as if they were toys. Apollo had mentioned that the bows and arrows that Eros carried were nothing compared to his own. This was Eros’ chance to show him how influential his arrows truly were.
After being struck in the heart by Eros’ shaft, Apollo saw Daphne and uncharacteristic of his character chased her through the forest. He pleaded for her to come and be his love. However, Daphne was a follower of Artemis, Apollo’s sister, and loved her freedom. Daphne knew that being married to a god like Apollo would end her freedom and also cause potential problems similar to some like Hera and Zeus had seen.
Apollo was amazed by what he saw he saw his love turn into before his eyes and was filled with sorrow. He touched the new tree’s branches as they trembled and he then hugged the trunk of the tree. He vowed that since Daphne would not be his wife that she would become his sacred tree. He would wear the leaves of Daphne’s tree as his crown and always be remembered of his first love. All the winners at his games and great heroes in the years to come would be crowned with laurel leaves. He also vowed that she, like him, would have eternal youth where her leaves would never turn brown or fall but would always stay lush and green. The nymph, Daphne, hiding safely inside her tree, was grateful for this gesture and heartbroken Apollo left her side wearing a crown of laurel leaves.
Although, most nymphs and mortals found Apollo irresistible, his first love, Daphne, did not. Apollo’s first love was actually the only one who ever resisted him. However, there are reasons for this. Aphrodite had once again been angered and requested her son, Eros, to shoot Apollo in his heart and make him in fall in love. Thus, Eros shot Apollo in the heart with one of his arrows of love and made him fall in love with the beautiful nymph named Daphne. This also pleased Eros, as Apollo had teased him earlier about carrying bows and arrows as if they were toys. Apollo had mentioned that the bows and arrows that Eros carried were nothing compared to his own. This was Eros’ chance to show him how influential his arrows truly were.
After being struck in the heart by Eros’ shaft, Apollo saw Daphne and uncharacteristic of his character chased her through the forest. He pleaded for her to come and be his love. However, Daphne was a follower of Artemis, Apollo’s sister, and loved her freedom. Daphne knew that being married to a god like Apollo would end her freedom and also cause potential problems similar to some like Hera and Zeus had seen.
Apollo reaches Daphne as she turns into a
Laurel Tree.
Because of this,
Daphne ran as fast as she possibly could, but Apollo ran just as swift
as she did. Just as Apollo was about to catch her, Daphne, being the
daughter of a river god, called out to her father for help.
Suddenly her feet became rooted to the ground and her clothing turned
to smooth brown bark. Her uplifted hands turned into branches
from which leaves sprouted and she became a laurel tree. Apollo was amazed by what he saw he saw his love turn into before his eyes and was filled with sorrow. He touched the new tree’s branches as they trembled and he then hugged the trunk of the tree. He vowed that since Daphne would not be his wife that she would become his sacred tree. He would wear the leaves of Daphne’s tree as his crown and always be remembered of his first love. All the winners at his games and great heroes in the years to come would be crowned with laurel leaves. He also vowed that she, like him, would have eternal youth where her leaves would never turn brown or fall but would always stay lush and green. The nymph, Daphne, hiding safely inside her tree, was grateful for this gesture and heartbroken Apollo left her side wearing a crown of laurel leaves.
Bibliography:
Asimov, Isaac. Words from the Myths. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1961.
Brandenberg, Aliki. The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. USA: Harper Collins Publishers, 1994.
Sewell, Helen. A Book of Myths. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1942.
I chose the information from these sources and simplified them into a child’s lyric.
Asimov, Isaac. Words from the Myths. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1961.
Brandenberg, Aliki. The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. USA: Harper Collins Publishers, 1994.
Sewell, Helen. A Book of Myths. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1942.
I chose the information from these sources and simplified them into a child’s lyric.
Image Bibliography:
Apollo & Daphne 1. Painting by Giovanni, Biliverti, 1576-1644. Staatsgabrie, Stattgart.
Websource: http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/000Images/dim/daphne1-0836.jpg
Other Contents of the Storybook: Home Zeus and Hera Hera's Revenge Peleus and Thetis Hephaestus and Aphrodite
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