Daphne, daughter of the river god Peneus, follower of Diana, was an independent, love-and-marriage-hating young huntress. She became the unfortunate victim of the god Apollo’s desire.

When Apollo destroyed the serpent Python at Delphi, he was mightily pleased with his achievement. To commemorate his victory, he established the sacred Pythian games, where successful athletes were crowned with branches of oak or beech.

One day, catching sight of Cupid with his little bow and arrow, he mocked the boy. Cupid responded, “Your bow may pierce everything else, but mine will pierce you.” Later, he took two arrows out of his quiver. One was tipped by gold to kindle love, and with it he struck Apollo. The second, blunt and tipped by lead to put love to flight, he aimed at the lovely nymph, Daphne.

Daphne already had a reputation for rejecting amorous advances. She had denied her many suitors, even convincing her father Peneus that she might be like the virginal goddess Diana and go off to the deep woods in the company of her fellow nymphs, blissful in her freedom.

When Apollo saw Daphne, he was overwhelmed with love and committed to having her. Apollo discovered a rival in this case, Leucippus, who had disguised himself as a woman that he might be in the company of the chaste nymph. Apollo revealed the disguise by advising the nymphs to bathe naked, whereupon the disguise was betrayed, and the nymphs tore Leucippus to pieces.

Apollo then pursued Daphne, but she fled from him in terror. The more Apollo called to her of his love, the faster she fled from him. Nearly at the end of her strength in flight, she called out to her father, Peneus, to save her from the embraces of Apollo. Her prayer was answered. As Apollo was about to clasp her in his arms, she was transformed into a laurel tree. He embraced the tree, still quivering from the chase. Even transformed, Apollo still loved her, and made the laurel his sacred tree and gave it never-fading leaves. Wreaths of laurel crowned victors at the Pythian games, and leaves of laurel were chewed by the priestesses of Apollo to inspire them in prophetic powers.

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