Apollo and Daphne

Apollo and Daphne is a transformation myth. No written or artistic versions survive from ancient Greek mythology, so it is likely Hellenistic in origin. It was retold by Roman authors in the form of an amorous vignette. History The earliest known source of this myth is Parthenius, a Greek poet who lived during the 1st century BCE, however, the most well-known and lyrical telling was by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses (I.438-567), a collection of Greek fables first written in 8 CE. Mythos Purpose The myth purportedly explains the origin of the laurel tree and its connection to Apollo, although "Apollo was emphatically associated with the laurel before the advent of the Daphne myth."