Apollo and Daphne

The Epic of Gilgamesh and Ovid’s Metamorphoses depict the role of gods as the gods overpower, lead, help, seduce, and explain how the world came about. Each god has a distinct purpose and job to fulfill and he or she accomplishes these tasks by either helping or punishing someone. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Ovid’s Metamorphoses portray similarities such as unleashing the floods and why the floods were brought upon the earth, however the gods also portray different personalities. In the two stories

committed by mortal men. Much of the Daphne and Apollo story carries a sense of excitement and titillation as Ovid replaces sexually explicit rape with descriptions of Daphne’s beauty and her running away: “She was graceful to see, as the wind bared her limbs and its gusts stirred her garments … he gave the fleeing maiden no respite, but followed close on her heels, and his breath touched the locks that lay scattered on her neck.” (Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.526-7, 541-3) Apollo could have seized and raped her

reached the notoriety of Apollo. He was the most widely worshiped god, his character extending far out of Ancient Greece, with temples dedicated to his name as far as Anatolia, Turkey, and Egypt. His influence spread through the ancient world through the Oracle of Delphi, as he was known to protect mankind with evil, but also as the god of light, music and dance, poetry, healing, medicine, plagues, divination, prophecy, and truth, as well as the patron of archers. Apollo enjoyed a myriad of domains

Apollo has been variously recognized as god of sunlight, music and writing, truth and prophecy, plague, poetry, and, oracular and visions as well as divination, healing and medicine, archery, law, order, moderation, and of the Muses in the arts, sciences. Apollo is associated with purification and truth. It is said that a lie could never come from his lips, apollo’s results all oath are sworn to him as proof that they will not be broken. Apollo has many spirit animals, such as; crows, ravens,

It is said that Apollo insults Cupid, who in return shoots him with an arrow of gold. Apollo is overcome with immense desires of love towards Daphne, but to his dismay she is hit with a dull arrow made of lead, which causes her to abhor such feelings of love. Apollo chases her relentlessly until she cries out in prayer to her father, the river god. Her father grants her wish and turns her into a Laurel tree right before Apollo is able to grab her. The myth of Apollo and Daphne is one of tragedy

their religion. These interesting stories have been studied and shared for hundreds of years and are still very popular today. One of these Greek gods is Apollo, the god of the sun and light. He is also the patron of prophecy, inspiration, music, poetry, literature, archery, hunters, healing and medicine. As one of the twelve Olympians, Apollo is known as a great god that many worshiped and is a very large influence in both ancient Greek mythology and modern-day books and films. He is often considered

poems have more substance to them than just a simple story. This leads to the thought that Ovid views love as very complicated and not always as easy as everyone thinks based on his poem the Metamorphoses. Some scenes that show this is when Apollo is chasing Daphne and she is scared. Another example is when Jove changed Io into a cow and Juno knew Jove was lying about something. Even the scene where Pyramus and Thisbe are running away together. All these scenes show different couples struggling with

the theme of metamorphosis or transformation. An example of transformation is in book I when Apollo speaks unfavorably to Cupid, who shoots two arrows in revenge. The first arrow causes Apollo to fall in love. Apollo goes after Daphne, but she rejects him. Apollo begs and insists, and Daphne cries out to her father for help. He reacts by transforming her into a laurel tree. Not entirely discouraged, Apollo flounders the tree. At this point, Jupiter notices a young nymph, Io, and his heart suddenly

The Iconography of the Laurel Wreath Historically, wreaths, particular in Ancient Greece, were used to symbolize glory, power and youthfulness. Wreaths, comprised of varying berries and branches, became a representation of a particular polis or an offering to a specific deity. Therefore, throughout ancient Greek art, wreaths are placed on subjects in pottery, paintings and sculpture. The gold wreath, simply titled Wreath, at the Getty Villa, is made up of two wires that fasten in the front with

almost put a date to the starting point to the oppression of women. In texts such as The Iliad and Metamorphoses women are used as a means to the male satisfaction, in The Iliad Paris’s mother, Aphrodite gave Paris Helen as a reward. In Metamorphoses Apollo takes Daphne’s transformation and makes it his symbol. The Metamorphoses is a prime example of how in the tales of ancient Greek women having their lives ruined by men. In the