Unit 12 Apollo and Daphne

• What did Apollo do to the women who rejected his advances? What is special about the results of the affairs? • We see something human in nature when we imagine that a transformation has taken place. Indeed, in a world where scientific explanations are difficult, it is not uncommon to imagine that one being simply turns into another. From a narrative point of view, the plot can move faster if one being simply becomes another being able to accomplish what is needed for the tale.
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How can you interpret the myths of Apollo’s unrequited love? It is an etiological myth, in that it explains how the laurel tree came to be. It is a tragedy about revenge, chasing, and refusal. It implies that love repels ration. Love turns lovers to fools. When a man is smitten with love, no matter how worthy, how wise or wellmannered he may be, still he acts foolishly for love. Wisdom properly made man and the world together. But man sinned by his folly, was condemned to mortal pain and eternally damned.
poet laureate: • A poet appointed for life by a British monarch as a member of the royal household and expected to write poems celebrating occasions of national. importance and honoring the royal family. • A poet acclaimed as the most excellent.
Discussion: • What are the similarities and differences between Greek myths and Chinese myths on the sun? • What do you think are the causes of the differences?
• What was the cause of Apollo’s love for Daphne?
• Why did Apollo decide that the laurel should be the victor’s crown and his sacred tree? • Though disappointed that he cannot have her, he can at least declare that victors win parts of a laurel tree in the form of a crown. He thus retains some degree of control over Daphne, who is now a laurel herself. • Since Apollo could no longer take her as his wife, he vowed to tend her as his tree. He also used his powers of eternal youth and immortality to render her ever green.
• “东南海之外，甘水之间，有羲和之国。 有女子曰羲和，帝俊之妻，生十日，方浴 日于甘渊”。 • “日乘车驾以六龙，羲和御之。” ——《山海经》
• 日出于旸谷，浴于咸池，拂于扶桑，是谓晨明。 登于扶桑，爰始将行，是谓胐明。至于曲阿，是 谓旦明。至于曾泉，是谓蚤食。至于桑野，是谓 晏食。至于衡阳，是谓隅中。至于昆吾，是谓正 中。至于鸟次，是谓小还。至于悲谷，是谓餔时。 至于女纪，是谓大还。至于渊虞，时谓高舂。至 于连石，是谓下舂。至于悲泉，爰止其女，爰息 其马，是谓悬车。至于虞渊，是谓黄昏。至于蒙 谷，是谓定昏。 —— 《淮南子·天文训》
How was the oracle of Delphi told? • The Oracle at Delphi was the most famous prophetess in the ancient world whose visions may have been inspired by gases rising from the earth. • The chasm beside the spring at Delphi emitted gases，and people selected a young single woman to stay there and give prophecies. This gas may have assisted the Pythia to sing her prophesies.
• Why was Daphne changed into a laurel rather than any ot百度文库er tree one might imagine? What is the symbolic meaning of the laurel? • Laurel tree is green. It doesn’t lose its greenness for either heat and cold, but stays green in every season without bearing fruit. So too virginity should remain green, and live without bearing offspring. • Daphne was so extremely cold that no man could move this girl, who wanted to live chastely. She was changed into a laurel because she was virgin and pure.
• The observation of the Sun • The perception of the Sun • The attitude towards the Sun
laurels: (Often used in the plural.) a. A wreath of laurel conferred as a mark of honor in ancient times upon poets, heroes, and victors in athletic contests. b. Honor and glory won for great achievement.
• Chinese Myths about the Sun and the God and the Goddess of the Sun：
Hou Yi Shot the Sun
• Kua Fu Chasing the Sun
• “夸父与日逐走，入日，渴欲得饮。饮于 河、渭，河、渭不足；北饮大泽，未至， 道渴而死。弃其杖，化为邓（桃）林。” ——《山海经》
Unit 12 Apollo and Daphne
What is particular about Delphi? • originally dedicated to Gaia • a holy site——the center of the universe • symbol of transference of power from matriarchal to patriarchal • The Ancients believed ordinary people could meet the gods at Delphi, a point of contact between man and mystery.
• look to one’s laurels： ’ ： Fig. to take care not to lower or diminish one's reputation or position, especially in relation to that of someone else potentially better. The older members of the team will have to look to their laurels when the new players arrive. • rest on (one‘s) laurels： ‘ ： to be so satisfied with one’s own achievements that one makes no effort to improve Despite our success, this is no time to rest on our laurels.