Essay --

Daphne was Apollos first love. It was not brought about by accident, save by the malice of Cupid. Apollo saw the boy playing with his bow and arrows and macrocosm himself elated with his recent victory everyplace Python, he said to him, What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them, recognize the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who 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. Venuss boy heard these words, and rejoined, Your arrows may strike all things else, Apollo, but mine shall strike you. So saying, he took his stand on a rock of Parnassus, and drew from his quiver two arrows of different workmanship, one to excite love, the separate to repel it. The former was of gold and s reiterate pointed, the latter blunt and tipped with lead. With the leaden shaft he struc k the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the princely one Apollo, through the heart. Forthwith the god was seized with love for the maiden, and she abhorred the thought of loving. Her delight was in woodland sports and in the spoils of the chase. lovers sought her, but she spurned them all, ranging the woods, and taking no thought of Cupid nor of Hymen. Her father often said to her, Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law you owe me grandchildren. She, hating the thought of marriage as a crime, with her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, threw her arms around her fathers neck, and said, Dearest father, grant me this favour, that I may ever remain unmarried, like Diana. He consented, but at the same time said, Your make face will forbid ... ...ll her limbs her bosom began to be enclosed in a tender bark her hair became leaves her arms became branches her foot stuck fast in the ground, as a root her face became a tree-top, retaining nothing of its form er self but its beauty, Apollo stood amazed. He touched the stem, and felt the flesh tremble under the new bark. He embraced the branches, and lavished kisses on the wood. The branches shrank from his lips. Since you cannot be my wife, said he, you shall assuredly be my tree. I will wear you for my crown I will decorate with you my harp and my quiver and when the great Roman conquerors lead up the triumphal pomp to the Capitol, you shall be woven into wreaths for their brows. And, as eternal youth is mine, you also shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay. The nymph, now changed into a Laurel tree, bowed its head in grateful acknowledgment