greek mythology
Laid Bare
I’ve always had a thing for girls turning into trees. It reminds me of that story of Apollo and Daphne. It went something like this…
Apollo sees Cupid playing with his bow and arrows. He makes some plagiarizing comment which makes Cupid angry. In return Cupid shoots Apollo with a sharp golden arrow through the heart to make him fall in love. Then he shoots a blunt arrow tipped with lead into Daphne to make her hate the thought of love. Apollo sees Daphne and becomes obsessed with her. Every moment he becomes more and more enamored. As she runs from him, Apollo pursues her like an animal after it’s prey. As he gets closer to her, she panics and begs her father for help, “Help me, Peneus! Open the earth to enclose me, or change my form, which has brought me into this danger!” At these words her body stiffens and her feet become roots. Apollo shocked tries to embrace her branches, kiss the wood that is her body.
*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. With you I will decorate 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. * quoted from www.online-mythology.com
That cupid is so evil….
