The quick footed maiden made the best of her legs，but the passionate Apollo pressed hard upon her.Through rough fields and pathless woods she ran，but the sound of his pursuing feet ever grew nearer.As Apollo ran，he begged his beloved maiden to slow down，for he feared that she might fall and hurt her sparkling skin on the rocky roads.But the escaping maiden never cared so much about that.She did not even throw one glance backwards.Seeing that Apollo was bound to catch her，she called upon her father，"Help me，Peneus！Open the earth to enclose me，or change my form，which has brought me into this danger！"No sooner had her prayer been realized than answered，for she had instantly found herself glued to the ground and a layer of soft bark growing over her fair skin.She had been turned into a laurel tree.Sighing，Apollo put his arms around the tree trunk，and the trunk responded by turning thinner.However，Apollos passion did not cease，he cried out，"Certainly you could not be my love，but at least you could be my tree！"To show his undying love for the maiden，he decided that the laurel would be one of his favorite trees and should be the prize of honor and fame for deathless poets and poetry.Thus the most outstanding poet always desires to be made a poet laureate.
25.达芙妮
达芙妮是位妩媚动人的仙女，她是河神珀纽斯的女儿，而阿波罗则是一位伟大的战士和骄傲的神。一天，集男子气概、英俊潇洒、足智多谋于一体的阿波罗在与巨蟒皮同的战斗中赢得了胜利，他来到爱神——厄洛斯（丘比特）那里，厄洛斯正在把玩着自己的武器。
阿波罗对厄洛斯说：“无礼的小鬼，你摆弄这些看上去像战争武器的东西干什么呢？还是把它们留给那些配得上使用它们的人手中去吧！”
厄洛斯被激怒了，他回答说：“你的箭也许能刺透其他的任何东西，阿波罗，可是我的箭却能刺透你。”
说完这番话，厄洛斯向阿波罗射出了一支让他爱上美丽的达芙妮的箭，却向达芙妮射出了一支让她逃避阿波罗的箭。结果，只要一看见阿波罗，达芙妮就会用她最快的速度逃跑。
健步如飞的仙女以最快的速度奔跑，但热情的阿波罗穷追不舍。她越过粗犷的原野，穿过人迹罕至的树林，但他的脚步声愈加逼近。阿波罗一边追赶，一边乞求心爱的仙女放慢脚步，因为他担心仙女在坎坷崎岖的路上跌倒，擦破她那闪光的皮肤。但逃跑中的仙女毫不在乎这些。她甚至没朝身后瞥一眼。眼看阿波罗就要追上了，她向她的爸爸求救：“救救我，珀纽斯！让大地把我包围吧，或者把我变成其他东西吧，这外形让我陷入这样的劫难。”她的祈祷一发出，就得到了回应。因为她很快就发现自己紧附着地面，紧接着，她娇嫩的皮肤上长出了一层松软的树皮，她被变成了一棵月桂树。阿波罗唉声叹气地抱着树干，回应他的却是树干变得愈加纤细了。尽管如此，阿波罗的热情却没有就此停止，他大声喊道：“你不能成为我的爱人，但是至少你可以成为我的树！”为了表示他对仙女始终不渝的爱情，他决定将月桂树作为他最喜爱的树种之一，并决定将它作为一种对荣誉与名望的奖励，把它授予那些永恒的诗人和流芳百世的诗歌。因此最杰出的诗人总希望获得“桂冠诗人”的称号。
Daphne 达芙妮
单词短语透视
1.blooming[blu?m??]adj.盛开的；妙龄的；青春焕发的
例句 As a blooming girl，loving beauty is her nature.
正值妙龄的女孩子，爱美是她们的天性。
2.maiden[me?dn]n.少女；姑娘；未婚女子
例句 In the story，the prince woos and wins the fair maiden.
在故事中，王子向少女求婚并娶到了那位漂亮的少女。
3.handsomeness[h?nds?mn?s]n.英俊；端庄健美
例句 If she likes me from the handsomeness，this is not good.
如果她只是喜欢我长得帅，那可不是好事。
4.victory[v?kt?r?]n.胜利；成功
例句 We drank to her victory.我们为她的胜利干杯。
5.saucy[s?：s?]adj.无礼的；傲慢的；莽撞的
例句 The teacher didn‘t like the boy's remarks and told him not to be saucy.老师不喜欢那孩子说的话，告诉他不得无礼。
6.offend[?fend]v.触怒，冒犯（某人）；伤（某人）的感情
例句 She may be offended if you dont reply to her invitation.
对于她的邀请，你要是不回个信儿的话就可能把她得罪了。
7.flee[昀i?]v.逃避，逃离（某人或某事物）
例句 During the civil war，thousands of people fled the country.
在内战期间成千上万的人逃离了这个国家。
8.passionate[p???n?t]adj.出於或表现强烈感情的
例句 I never thought they could be so passionate and helpful to each other.我从没有想到他们竟然能够如此充满热情，乐于助人。
9.sparkling[spɑ?.kl??]adj.闪闪发光的，发泡的
例句 The soldiers wore sparkling armor.Banners fluttered in the breeze.战士们穿着闪亮的盔甲，旌旗在风中飘扬。
10.bound to 一定做某事
例句 The weather is bound to get better tomorrow.
明天天气一定会变好。
11.call upon 号召，请求
例句 He engaged himself not to call upon his father for help.
他发誓不去请求父亲帮助。
12.enclose[?nkl?uz]v.用墙、篱笆等围住某物
例句 Youd better enclose the garden with a higher wall.
你最好用高一点的墙围住庭院。
13.instantly[?nst?ntli]adv.立即地；即刻地
例句 Instantly she became aware of her mistake.
她立即意识到了自己的错误。
14.glue[glu?]v.紧附于，不愿离开，似胶般固着于（某事物）
例句 Hes glued to the television.他目不转睛地看着电视。
15.bark[bɑ?k]n.树皮
例句 The bark was riven off from the trunk.
树皮从树干上被扯了下来。
16.laurel[l?r?l]n.月桂类；月桂树
例句 After the Mid-Autumn Festival，laurels are in blossom.
中秋节过后，这些月桂树开花了。
17.trunk[tr??k]n.树干
例句 The car hit the trunk of a tree and the driver was seriously injured.那辆车撞到了树干，而且司机还身受重伤。
18.respond[r?sp?nd]v.（对某事物或对他人的行动）反应，回应，响应
例句 I kicked the dog，which responded by growling.
我踢了那条狗，它便狂吠起来。
19.cease[si?s]v.停止；中止
例句 The factory has ceased ****** bicycles.
那工厂已停止生产自行车了。
20.undying[，?nda???]adj.不死的；不朽的；永恒的
例句 Davids undying love for his wife is very touching.
戴维对他妻子忠贞不渝的爱极其感人。
21.laureate[l??ri?t]n.桂冠诗人
例句 He was appointed poet laureate in 1843.
他于1843年被授予桂冠诗人。
神话背后的习语
rest on ones laurels 意思为自满，不思进取
月桂树是阿波罗的圣树，在希腊语中，月桂树就叫Daphne，在英语里，月桂树称作laurel；用月桂树枝编成的桂冠叫laureate，古代希腊人和罗马人把这种冠冕即桂冠授予杰出的诗人、英雄或竞技优胜者，桂冠诗人即为poet laureate；后来欧洲把桂冠作为光荣称号，这一习俗一直流传至今。因此，laurel往往喻指“桂冠”、“荣誉”或“殊荣”，且常以复数形式出现，gain/win（ones）laurels，分别表示“赢得荣誉”；rest on ones laurels，意思为自满、不思进取。
例如 The musician did not rest on his laurels but continued to compose great works even in his declining year.这位音乐家并不停留在现有的成就上，在晚年仍然继续创作出了杰出的作品。
Under no circumstances should anyone be allowed to rest on his laurels.在任何情况下，谁都不应该不思进取。
He won the regional laurels and went on to the finals.他赢得了地区冠军后进入决赛。
as shy as Daphne 表示少女羞羞答答的样子
英语里用as shy as Daphne表示少女羞羞答答的样子。
例如 As shy as Daphne，the girl is always coy of speech in public.这女孩非常羞怯，在公共场合总是腼腆的说不出话来。
Would you please tell me the name of that girl who looks as shy as Daphne？你能告诉我那位羞答答的女孩叫什么名字吗？
26.The Golden Touch
Midas was the king of Phrygia.Once，Dionysus found his old school master and foster father，Silenus，missing.The old man had been drinking，and had wandered away drunk，and was found by some peasants，who carried him to their king，Midas.Midas recognized him，and treated him hospitably，entertaining him for ten days and nights with politeness，while Silenus entertained Midas and his friends with stories and songs.On the eleventh day，he brought Silenus back to Dionysus.Dionysus o ffered Midas his choice of whatever reward he wanted.