One day, Apollo saw Eros (or Cupid) sitting nearby, and decided to boast about his slaying of the monstrous snake, Python. Apollo said that Eros' arrows could do nothing compared to his arrows. Eros, being infuriated, shot an arrow, which provoked love, at Apollo, thus making Apollo fall in love with the first person of the opposite sex. Next, Eros shot an arrow, which repelled love, at Daphne, a river nymph. Consequently, the next person of the opposite sex that Apollo saw was Daphne. Apollo fell madly in love with Daphne; however, Daphne, wished only to never marry anyone. Apollo chased Daphne, while Daphne tried to run as far as her legs would take her. As Apollo started gaining on her, she called to her father, the River God, to help her get away from Apollo. Daphne's father immediately changed her into a laurel tree, and as Apollo could no longer have her as his wife, he took the leaves from the tree and decorated his crown with them. From then on, the laurel tree was sacred to him.
Apollo and Daphne
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