Apollo and Daphne

It is a story from ancient Greek mythology, retold by Hellenistic and Roman authors in the form of an amorous vignette;

The curse of Apollo, the god of the sun and music, was brought onto him when he insulted the young Eros (a.k.a. Cupid) for playing with bow and arrows.

Apollo was a great warrior and said to him, "What have you to do with warlike weapons? Leave them for hands worthy of them. Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent that stretched his poisonous body over acres of the plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons."

The petulant Eros took two arrows, one of gold and one of lead. The gold one was supposed to incite love, while the lead one was supposed to incite hatred. With the leaden shaft, Eros shot the nymph Daphne and with the golden one, he shot Apollo through the heart. Apollo was seized with love for the maiden, Daphne, and she in turn abhorred him. In fact, she spurned her many potential lovers, preferring instead woodland sports and exploring the woods. Her father, Peneus, demanded that she get married so that she may give him grandchildren. However, she begged her father to let her remain unmarried, like Apollo's sister, Artemis.

He warned her saying, "Your own face will forbid it." By saying this he meant that she was too beautiful to keep all her potential lovers away forever.

Apollo continually followed her, begging her to stay, but the nymph continued her flight. They were evenly matched in the race until Eros intervened and helped Apollo gain upon Daphne.

Seeing that Apollo was bound to catch her, she called upon her father, "Help me, Peneus! Open the earth to enclose me, or change my form, which has brought me into this danger!"

Suddenly, her skin turned into bark, her hair became leaves, and her arms were transformed into branches. She stopped running as her feet became rooted to the ground. Apollo embraced the branches, but even the branches shrank away from him. Since Apollo could no longer take her as his wife, he vowed to tend her as his tree, and promised that her leaves would decorate the heads of leaders as crowns, and that her leaves were also to be depicted on weapons. Apollo also used his powers of eternal youth and immortality to render her ever green. Since then, the leaves of the Bay laurel tree have never known decay

Reflection:

When we love someone it is not really an assurance that they will love as the way we loved them. As a matter of fact they tend to refuse it, runaway from us. Daphne don’t want any suitor ever since. She enjoyed living in freedom. She valued most of her desire of living like Diana. Our decisions in life were influenced by our beliefs and principles. Sometimes we tend to sacrifice love just to fulfill our belief and principle. I find it just to love and to be loved. It is an overwhelming feeling to know that somebody had loved us truly. Love is a gift that everybody can receive. Most of us desired to be loved. But sometimes due to some consequences, our love was rejected. We get hurt and disappointed. Some would retrieve into doing revenge. Some would force other to love them. This is an unjust way of loving. To love somebody is to set them free. Yes, we learn to let go even though it hurts. Sometimes pursuing something which is unnecessary just ends to trouble. Trouble that may end to more tragic situation. We must love with respect to the one we love, to ourselves and to others. Love promotes peace and harmony. But if we use love in the wrong way, then trouble really enters the scenario. Love just come on our way and settle on us. But if it runs away from us, then it’s not ours. Better to be friends than to force a relationship that will not work in the future.