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The first love of
Apollo was Daphne 1, who
refused him and fled, turning in her flight into a
laurel-tree.
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Love disguised as Friendship
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Leucippus 4, son of King
Oenomaus 1 of Pisa and
brother of Hippodamia 3, the wife of
Pelops 1, fell in love
with Daphne 1. In order to approach her, however,
he decided not to court her openly, for she was
believed to avoid the male sex. Instead he wore
woman's clothes, and disguised as a maiden joined
her, saying that he was a daughter of
Oenomaus 1, and that
he would like to share her hunting. And since
Friendship is allowed to take steps that are
alarming when taken by Love, Daphne 1 soon became
fond of him, embracing him and clinging to him at
all times. And so, because he was thought to be a
maiden, surpassed all others in birth and skill in
hunting, and besides was very gentle, he drew
Daphne 1 into a close friendship.
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Death of Leucippus 4
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But Apollo, they say,
was also in love with the girl, and out of jealousy
and anger put into her mind to go swimming in the
river Ladon, in western
Arcadia, together with
the other girls. On their arrival to the river,
they all began to strip, and when they noticed that
Leucippus 4 was unwilling to do the same, they tore
his clothes from him. Then, seeing he was no maid,
they felt outraged and killed him with their spears
and daggers, for, as they saw it, his friendship
was as false as his love was forbidden.
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Apollo insults
Eros
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How did Apollo fall in
love with Daphne 1? This happened after a dispute
with Eros. For the god of
the silver bow, seeing Eros
bending his own bow said to him:
"What are you
doing with the arms of men, you wanton boy ? That
weapon befits my shoulders ... Be content with your
torch to light the hidden fires of love, and lay
not claim to my honours."
[Apollo to
Eros. Ovid,
Metamorphoses
1.457]
And to these words of one unexperienced in love,
Eros replied:
"Your dart may
pierce all things else,
Apollo, but mine shall pierce you; and by
as much as all living things are less than deity,
by so much less is your glory than mine."
[Eros to
Apollo. Ovid,
Metamorphoses
1.463]
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Eros shoots against
Apollo and Daphne 1
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Having spoken thus,
Eros, flying up to the peak
of Mount Parnassus, shot an arrow with a sharp
point of gold against the god, thus kindling his
love. And taking a blunt dart tipped with lead, he
smote the heart of Daphne 1, thus putting her to
flight.
This is how Eros, using
darts of opposite effect, causes hearts to burn
with pain and despair, or freeze with indifference
or terror.
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Effect of Eros' darts
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Since that day Daphne 1 ignored all suitors, not
caring for love or wedlock, and only wishing to
enjoy perpetual virginity, while
Apollo was, for the first
time, consumed by the flames of love. And love,
they say, is more powerful than the gift of
prophecy, for Apollo,
though possessing this gift, could not see that his
pursuit would be fruitless.
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The heart cannot change
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For the heart that has been pierced by
Eros' blunt dart cannot be
conquered, even if the assailant were the son of
Zeus, or he who inspires
all sciences and arts, or he who knows harmony and
turn it into music, or he who sees what is to come.
All this and more is
Apollo, the greatest
healer of all, and yet unable to heal his own
heart, pierced by Eros with
the sharp golden point.
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The Laurel
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So when Daphne 1 saw
Apollo coming towards
her, she had to escape. And it is said that while
Apollo pursued her, she
implored to Zeus to
disappear from sight. And as her prayers were
heard, she was turned into a laurel tree. That was
all that remained of her, but
Apollo broke a branch
from the tree, and placing it on his head declared:
"Since you
cannot be my bride, you shall at least be my tree.
My hair, my lyre, my quiver shall always be
entwined with you, O laurel."
[Apollo. Ovid,
Metamorphoses
1.556]
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Daphne 1 turns into a
laurel tree
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Namesake
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Daphne 2 is daughter of the seer
Tiresias.
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Abolengo
Album - High Resolution Genealogical Charts
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Names in this chart
Amyclas 1, Apollo,
Atlas, Cleocharia, Creusa
3, Daphne 1, Diomede 2, Eurotas, Eurynomus
5, Gaia, Lacedaemon,
Lapithus 1, Lelex 2, Orsinome, Peneus, Pleione,
Sparta, Stilbe, Taygete,
Zeus.
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