Page 11 - KTUDELL E-LIT | Issue 4 - January 2025

2025 LITERATURE

Just as Apollon reached out to embrace his beloved, he
found himself holding the cool, smooth bark of a laurel tree.
His heart ached with a grief so profound that the very forest
seemed to weep with him. Embracing the tree, he
whispered in a voice filled with sorrow, “Since you cannot be
my bride, you must be my tree! Laurel, with you my hair will be
wreathed, with you my lyre, with you my quiver. You will go with
the Roman generals when joyful voices acclaim their triumph, and
the Capitol witnesses their long processions. You will stand outside
Augustus’s doorposts, a faithful guardian, and keep watch over the
crown of oak between them. And just as my head with its
uncropped hair is always young, so you also will wear the beauty of
undying leaves.” (Ovid, 2015, p. 29). From that day on, the
laurel tree became Apollon’s favorite tree.

From that moment, the laurel tree became Apollon’s
emblem—a symbol of love, loss, and eternal beauty. The
evergreen leaves of the laurel, forever verdant, represented
victory and immortality. In his enduring grief, Apollon
wove a crown from its leaves, forever marking it as a
symbol of both triumph and enduring sorrow. And so, the
laurel tree’s story became woven into the very fabric of the
land, with its waterfalls said to still flow in Harbiye, carrying
the eternal tears of Daphne.

The legend of Daphne and Apollon is not only a cherished
tale of ancient Greek myth but has also cast its enchanting
spell upon cultures far and wide. The laurel’s medicinal
qualities and its use as a charm against evil were widely
known. In ancient Rome, it was a potent symbol of victory,
bestowed upon emperors and poets alike. Even today, the
laurel tree stands as a symbol of love, rebirth, and victory, a
timeless reminder of a love transformed, a beauty eternal.

The tale of Daphne and Apollon is a poignant story of
unrequited love, the transformative power of nature, and
the enduring nature of beauty. It reminds us of the passion
Author credit line and pain that love can bring, and of the importance of

ID 67346241 cherishing the natural world around us. The laurel, with its
© Dimasid10 ever-green leaves, remains a beacon of hope and new
| Dreamstime.com
beginnings, a testament to a love that, though denied in one
form, bloomed into eternity in another.

SUGGESTED READINGS
Ovid, O. (2015). The Metamorphoses of Ovid. Xist Publishing.
Hatay Book. (2020, April 20). Defne Ağacı Hikayesi - Mitoloji. Retrieved December 15, 2024, from
https://www.hataybook.com/2020/04/20/defne-agaci-hikayesi-mitoloji/?v=e7d707a26e7f.
Yaşar, H. (2021, September 23). Hatay'da efsanesi yaşayan bir mitoloji hikayesi. Fırat Haber.
https://gazete.firat.edu.tr/hatayda-efsanesi-yasayan-bir-mitoloji-hikayesi-apollon-ve-dafni.html

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