I am the Unmarried Daphne: a poem from Faustus Sabaeus

Name: Faustus Sabaeus Date: 16th century CE   Region:  Brixia [Brescia, modern Italy] Citation:   Illustrated Myths of Ovid

I am the unmarried Daphne

I am friend to harp and bow [1] 

I provide visions to prophets [2]

I am an imperial honor. [3]

I am always blooming,

I can always repel lightning. [4]

Apollo wears my crown in triumphal ceremonies.

But: what if I hadn’t been so hard-hearted

To the man I rejected

To the man I fled?

I was pretty,

But a stupid girl

And powerless against him.

 

[1]  a reference to the different types of things made from wood from the bay tree 

[2] bay leaves were used in religious ceremonies during divination

[3] in Roman cultures, crowns made of laurel / bay trees were symbols of victory

[4] bay trees were thought to repel lightning

 

--Faustus Sabaeus, Picta Poesis Ovidiania

Innuba sum Laurus: Cytharis & amica pharetrae:

Somnia vaticainans: imperialis honor.

Usque virens, ac usque valens depellere fulmen:

Meque triumphail cinxit honore Deus;

Quem sprevi, & fugi, quid si non dura fuissem?

Pulchra, sed insipiens virgo, et inepta fui.

 

Faustus Sabaeus [16th century, modern Italy] was a librarian of the Vatican library who composed numerous poems on mythology-based themes.

Marco Antonio Tritonio: A List of the Chaste

Chaste / Celibate / Asexual:

Anaxarete

Arethusa

Daphne

Eperie

Hippolytus

Lotos

Musae

Narcissus

Syrinx

Many people preserve their chastity, and we can easily list a bunch from literature, but these are a few examples that are relevant to everyone:

ANAXARETE: was a maiden from Cyprus who was never worn down by her suitor Iphis’* begging to court her [cf. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, book 14, story 17]

ARETHUSA: was a nymph and companion of Diana who valued her chastity so much that turned into a spring when the river god Alpheus tried to attack her [book 8, story 17] 

DAPHNE: was the daughter of the river god Peneus and object of Apollo’s desire who valued her chastity so much that she would rather turn into a laurel tree instead of being courted by him [book 1, story 9]

EPERIE was one of the nymphs who died of a snake bite while running away from Aesacus’ attack [book 2, story 2]

HIPPOLYTUS: was the son of Theseus. When he was desired by his stepmother Phaedra, he was never worn down by her prayers to court him [book 17, story 45] 

LOTOS: was a nymph who was turned into a tree to preserve her chastity while fleeing Priapus’ attack [book 9, story 6]

THE MUSES were so chaste that when they were imprisoned and anticipated being attacked by Pyreneus, they turned into birds and flew away. They would rather lose their original form than give up their chastity [book 5, story 4]

NARCISSUS: of course Narcissus is listed here, since he was never swayed by Echo’s attempts to date him [book 3, story 5]

SYRINX: of course we have to list Syrinx, who transformed herself into a reed when she was escaping the god Pan’s attack [book 1, story 12] 

* Iphis was a common first name. This is not the same Iphis in the myth of Iphis & Ianthe

-- --M. Antonii Tritonii Utinenis, Mythologia, 1560 p. 15-16

CASTI

• Anaxarete
• Arethusa
• Daphne
• Eperie
• Hippolytus
• Lotos
• Musae
• Narcissus
• Syrinx

Castitatem plurimi semper faciendam & si ex historiis facile colligere possumus, id tamen ex iis etiam, quae afferemus exemplis unicuique patebit.

ANAXARETE Cypria virgo Iphidis amantis precibus ad lasciviam nunquam potuit adduci [lib xiiii.fab.xvii]

ARETHUSA nympha Dianae comes tanta fuit castitate, ut cum illam Alpheus fluvius vehementius persequeretur, in fontem abire non recusarit. [lib.viii.fab.xvii]

DAPHNE Penei fluvii filia tanta fuit castitate, ut ab Apolline amata in laurum potius converti, quam illum voluerit audire [lib.i.fab.ix]

EPERIE una & ipsa ex nymphis, ne ab insequenti raperetur Aesaco, inter currendum serpentis ictu interiit. [lib.ii.fab.ii]

HIPPOLYTUS THesei filius cum a Phaedra noverca adamaretur, nullis precibus adduci potuis, ut ei congrederetur. [lib.xviii.fab.xlv.]

LOTOS nympha Priapi fugiens vim, ne castitatem ammitteret suam, in arborem versa est. [lib.ix.fab.vi]

TAM castae fuerunt Musae, ut cum sibi a Pyreneo, qui Daulida Phocis urbem incolebat, vim sensissent inferri, iamque in thalamo stuprandae clausae forent, in volucres commutatae sumptis aliis effugerint, sicque pristinam potius formam, quam castam voluntatem noluerunt commutare. [lib.v.fab.iiii]

NARCISSUS etiam inter castos merito est numerando, cu mEcho nymphae illecebris commoveri nunquam potuerit. [lib. iii.fab.v]

NEC minus Syrinx castissima praedicatur, quae ut Pana Deum amantem fugeret, in arundinem se transformari postulavit. [lib.i.fab.xii]

A List of Those Who Boldly Rejected Romantic Love: M. Antonii Tritonii Utinensis, Mythologia

This author uses Ovid's myths to showcase his own medieval Christian beliefs.   The topic "protervi," ["bold, shameful, wanton"] lists women (and one man) who brazenly reject romantic love. Their one connecting attribute--an unapologetic demand for bodily autonomy--is seen as a vice instead of a virtue in the eyes of this medieval author.  

 

THE BOLD

Includes:

• Anaxarete
• Arethusa
• Daphne
• Eperie
• Lotos
• Narcissus 
• Scylla  
• Syrinx

·       ANAXARETE: In the case of her own boldness in regards to love, since she caused her suitor Iphis* to hang himself. But she also paid the penalty for her own boldness, for Venus turned her into a boulder because of this. [cf. Ovid’s Metamorphoses book 14, story 17]

ARETHUSA: a nymph who was deservedly transformed into a spring while fleeing her suitor Alpheus  [book 5, story 17]

DAPHNE: The daughter of the river god Peneus, who never caved in to her suitor [Apollo]. She was transformed into a laurel / bay tree. [book 1, story 9]  

EPERIE: a nymph who while fleeing her suitor Aesacus, was killed by a snake bite.  [book ii, story ii]

LOTOS: running away from Priapus, she was transformed into a tree [book 9, story 6]

NARCISSUS: displayed his boldness when he fled from the nymph Echo’s advances [book 3, story 8]

SCYLLA: a nymph who hid under the waves every time the sea god Glaucus flirted with her. Finally she was transformed into an underwater rock that was dangerous to sailors [book 14, story 1]

SYRINX: an exceedingly pretty Naiad whom Pan loved, who could never shake off Pan’s advances. Because of her boldness, she was transformed into a reed. [book 1, story 12]

* Iphis is a common name in the ancient world; this is not the same Iphis from the myth of Iphis & Ianthe

 --M. Antonii Tritonii Utinenis, Mythologia, 1560

 PROTERVI

• Anaxarete
• Arethusa
• Daphne
• Eperie
• Lotos
• Narcissus
• Scylla
• Syrinx

ANAXARETE Cypria sua protervitate fuit in causa, ut amator Iphis laqueo se strangularet, sed illa quoque protervitatis suae meritas poenas dedit, nam Veneris voluntate in saxum versa est.[lib.xiiii.fab.xvii] 

ARETHUSA nympha Alpheum amantem fugiens merito in fontem abiit. [l.v.f.xvii]

DAPHNE Penei fl[uminis] filia ab Apolline amata nunquam voluit amanti assentiri. unde in laurum versa est [lib.i.fab.ix]

 EPERIE nympha Aesacum amantem fugiens serpentis ictu interiit. [lib.ii.fab.ii]

LOTOS quoque Priapum evitans in arborem transfigurata est. [lib.ix.fab.6] 

NARCISSUS protervus extitit, cum Echo nympham aufugeret. [lib.iii.fab.viii] 

SCYLLA nympha quotiens a Glauco Deo marino blandis vocabatur verbis, toties se sub undas abscondebat, unde in saxum postremo nautis periculosum conversa fuit. [lib.xiiii.fa.i]

SYRINX Naiadum pulcherrima a Pane adamata flecti nunquam potuit, ob quam protervitatem in arundinem fuit commutata [lbi.i.fab.xii]

I Will Never Be Yours: An Ace Daphne Confronts Apollo, M. Marullus

Daphne: I’ll Never Be Yours, Apollo

Name: Michele Marullo Tarchaniota Date: 1330 – 1408 CE Region:   Constantinople [modern Turkey] / Volterra [modern Italy] Citation:   Illustrated Myths of Ovid (1580) 17

I am now safe from your divinity,

As a newly transformed bay tree!

I, a maiden who stayed a maiden,

I, who was mean to her stalker.

And now he hugs my naked branches and tells me to rejoice that I am now his.

I may be your tree, but I’ll not be your spouse. [1]

 

Daphne: I’ll Never Be Yours, Apollo

Tuta suis monstris, et iam nova Laurea Daphne:

Aspera amatori sic quoque virgo suo:

Nunc ait, exulta ramos complexus inanes:

Ut tua sim, coniunx non ero nempe tua.

 

---

[1] A reference to the famous line of the version in Ovid’s Metamorphoses 1.557-558 [“'at, quoniam coniunx mea non potes esse, /  arbor eris certe' dixit 'mea!” / “But since you cannot be my wife, you can be my tree!”].

Michele Marullo Tarcaniota [1458 – 1500 CE, Constantinople, modern Turkey / Volterra, modern Italy] was a famous scholar and author known for his Greco-Roman mythology-themed poetry.

Apollo, Unlucky in Love: Faustus Sabaeus

Name: Faustus Sabaeus Date: 16th century CE   Region:  Brixia [Brescia, modern Italy] Citation:   Illustrated Myths of Ovid

While darling Venus was weeping over her slain Adonis,

Pretty Apollo wandered over and told her,

“Oh sister, one loss pains you, but

I suffer twice as much.

Although I appear happy, I am still grieving them.

My darling loves will forever live on,

Daphne, who had too much pride

And Hyacinthus, who had too little luck."

Extinctum preciosa Venus plorabat Adonim;

quum super accessit pulcher Apollo & ait,

Una, soror, te cura angit; me bina remordet,

usque adeo, laetus sim licet, ut doleam.

cari inquam semper vivetis amores,

dura nimis Daphne; fauste Hyacinthe parum.

Faustus Sabaeus [16th century, modern Italy] was a librarian of the Vatican library who composed numerous poems on mythology-based themes.

In Praise of the Ace Champion Daphne, Faustus Sabaeus (1580)

In Praise of Daphne

Name: Faustus Sabaeus Date: 16th century CE   Region:  Brixia [Brescia, modern Italy] Citation:   Illustrated Myths of Ovid,  p. 16

To Daphne

O Daphne, chaste maiden,

There are those who criticize you

Because you rejected the love of a beautiful god.

But I’m not going to, for you became the glory of prophets,

Who loves those who triumph in their chastity.

If you can spurn both Apollo and even Love herself,

I’m not surprised that you can also expel evil spirits

And are immune from the bolts of Jupiter [1]

 

---

[1] According to lore, laurel/bay trees repel lightning.

 

In Praise of Daphne

Ad Daphnen

Sunt qui te damnant, Daphne o castissima virgo:

quod tam formosum spernis amata Deum.

Arguo non ego te: quia facta es gloria vatum,

atque triumphantum virginitatis amans.

Nec miror, Phoebum si spreveris, atque Cytheren

Daemonas expellens, nec Jovis arma timens.

Faustus Sabaeus [16th century, modern Italy] was a librarian of the Vatican library who composed numerous poems on mythology-based themes.

M/M: Apollo Mourns Cyparissus

Cyparissus still weeps, mourning his slain stag.

When he saw his lover's limbs covered in bark,

Apollo exclaimed, "O forest, why do you double my pains?

You have my Daphne, you have my Cyparissus."

--Act. Syncerus. Sannazarii, published in Picta Poesis Ovidiana (1580)

Flebat adhuc maerens cervo Cyparissus adempto:

quum sua conspexit cortice membra tegi.

Delius exclamat: quid nostro silva dolore

crescis? tu Daphnen, tu Cyparisson habes.

Dangerous Beauty: Daphne's Rescue. Lactantius Placidus, Narr. 1.9

 

Name: Lactantius Placidus Date:  5th or 6th century CE Region:    Unknown Citation:  Plots of Ovid’s Myths, Book 1, Story 9

Daphne, the daughter of the river Peneus, was the most beautiful maiden in Thessaly. She was so pretty that her beauty attracted the attention of the gods. When Apollo caught sight of her, he was stunned by her curves. When she wouldn’t date him regardless of his promises or begging, he decided to attack her. Trying to get away, called upon her father to help guard her virginity (which he had allowed her to keep). Peneus, hearing his daughter’s prayers, helped her and turned her into a laurel tree in order to escape Apollo’s attack.

Daphne, Penei fluminis filia, cum omnium virginum, quae in Thessalia essent, speciosissima haberetur, adeo quidem ut deos pulchritudine sua caperet, Apollo etiam cum illam conspexisset, forma eius expalluit. Quam cum neque pollicitis neque precibus adire potuisset, vim ut adferret instituit. et illa cursu conspectum eius effugere cupiens, patrem invocavit, ut virginitati usae, quam sibi permiserat, ferret auxilium. cuius ille auditis precibus filiam deorum auxilio, ut vim effugeret, in laurum convertit.

Lactantius Placidus [5^th or 6^th century CE] is the name of the author attributed to a prose summary of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, but little is known about the author or his time period.

Daphne's Escape: Pseudo-Palaephatus XLIX

 Ladon’s Tale

Mother Earth manifested herself into a body to mate with the river Ladon; she conceived from this union and gave birth to Daphne. Pythian Apollo fell in love with her, and wooed her with words; however, Daphne wished to preserve her chastity, and refused to be wooed.  Apollo therefore pursued her, then finally hunted her down; she was forced to flee.

When Daphne could no longer hold out against him, she called for Mother Earth to help her. She begged to be swallowed up into the earth again in order to preserve the virginity. Mother Earth answered her prayers, and hid Daphne within herself. After some time, a laurel tree emerged from the earth. Apollo, eager for love, took her blossoming branches in his arms, refused to leave it.  He took her branches in his hands and began to adorn his temples with her leaves.

De Ladone Narratio

Terrae visum fuit cum Ladone fluvio ad coitum descendere et posteaquam cum eo se miscuit, ex cuius compressu concipiens, Daphnem gignit. Hanc Apollo Pythius amavit, verbaque amatoria ad illam faciebat; sed cum ipsa castitatem servare vellet, illum minime audire volebat, necesseque ei ob id erat puellam aversantem insequi, veluti sic illam denique persequebatur: quae cum fugeret, denegare ei quicquam non prius ausa est, quam terram matrem suam in auxilium advocaret, a qua precibus petebat, ut sese iterum intra se admitteret, ac in eadem virginitate talem, qualis nata erat, custodiret, quod et mater fecit, Daphne nanque intra se occultavit. Post vero tempus, illud e terra egressa Daphne, arborque facta, eodem in loco pullulabat, cuius ramis, cum propeter amoris impatientiam, deus inhaereret, illi quo minus in lauram commutaretur resistere nullo modo potuit. Nam manus illius iam intra arboris truncu comprehendi caputque et reliqua corporis frondibus ornari coepere, sine quibus lauri foliis ut dicitur Tripos in Boeotia, ubi antrum erat, nullo modo erigi poterat.

--Pseudo-Palaephatus, Peri Apiston / Incredibilia 49; Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

 Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.

Apollo, Unlucky in Love: Lucian, Dial. Deorum. 17.2

Apollo, Unlucky In Love

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  Dialogues of the Gods 15.2

I, Apollo, am unlucky in love. I have loved two people more than anyone: Daphne and Hyacinthus. But Daphne ran away from me, and hated me to the point that she would rather become a tree than love me; and Hyacinthus was killed by a discus, and now all I have left of them are crowns.

ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ ἄλλως ἀναφρόδιτός εἰμι ἐς τὰ ἐρωτικά: δύο γοῦν, οὓς μάλιστα ἠγάπησα, τὴν Δάφνην καὶ τὸν Ὑάκινθον, ἡ μὲν Δάφνη οὕτως ἐμίσησέ με, ὥστε εἵλετο ξύλον γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐμοὶ ξυνεῖναι, τὸν Ὑάκινθον δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ δίσκου ἀπώλεσα, καὶ νῦν ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων στεφάνους ἔχω.

Apollo: Ego vero alias quoque habeo Venerem minus propitiam ad res amatorias; quippe etiam quos duos maxime praeter ceteros amavi, Daphne & Hyacinthum, illa quidem aufugit, atque odit me, adeo ut in lignum converti maluerit, quam mecum rem habere: hic autem a disco interfectus est, et nunc pro illis coronas habeo. Translated into Latin by Jacob Micyllus

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

Christianizing the Myth of Apollo & Daphne: John Gower Confessio Amantis 3.1685ff

Christianizing the Myth of Daphne and Apollo

Name: John Gower Date: 1330 – 1408 CE Region:   [modern England] Citation:  Confession of a Lover 3.1685ff

Here the narrator provides an example about those who use being in love as an excuse to pressure those who aren’t ready. And he provides an example, explaining how Phoebus [Apollo] loved a very beautiful woman named Daphne, and pressured her way too much for love. This angered Cupid and he wounded Phoebus’ heart with a golden arrow, making him burn for love even more fiercely; but he struck Daphne’s heart with a lead arrow, and she became very aloof to him. And so the more passionately Phoebus pursued Daphne in love, the more standoffish she became, and ultimately disdained Phoebus’ attraction for her with her whole heart.

Christianizing the Myth of Daphne and Apollo

 Hic ponit Confessor exemplum contra illos qui in amoris causa nimium festinatione concupiscentes tardius expediunt. Et narrat qualiter pro eo quod Phoebus quamdam virginem pulcherimam nomine Daphnem nimia amoris acceleratione insequebatur, iratus Cupido cor Phoebi sagitta aurea ignita ardentius vulneravit: et econtra cor Daphnae quadam sagitta plumbea, quae frigidissima fuit, sobrius perforavit. Et sic quanto magis Phoebus ardentior in amore Daphnem prosecutus est, tanto magis ipsa frigidior Phoebi concupiscentiam toto corde fugitiva dedignabatur.

John Gower [1330 – 1408 CE, modern England] was a 14th century English poet. He was a contemporary and peer of Geoffrey Chaucer; both authors use overlapping characters and themes. Although his Confession of a Lover [Confessio Amantis] was written in English, the Latin text of this story was taken from the summaries that the author wrote for each chapter in Latin.

Daphne or Hyacinthus? The Two Loves of Apollo, Greek Anthology 9.751

 The signet ring is made of Hyacinthus’ gemstone,*

But it portrays Apollo and Daphne on it:

Which one is more important to Apollo?

Sigillum est Hyacinthus: Apollo autem est in eo

et Daphne: utrius magis est Latoides?

 

ἁ σφραγὶς ὑάκινθος: Ἀπόλλων δ᾽ ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῇ

καὶ Δάφνη: ποτέρου μᾶλλον ὁ Λητοΐδας;

--Plato Minor, Greek Anthology IX.751

The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10^th century CE and one from the 14^th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets. 

* Hyacinth stone is a type of blue gemstone

I Don't Owe You Grandchildren: Daphne, Ovid's Meta.1.481-487

I Don’t Owe You Grandchildren

Name:   Ovid Date:     43 BCE – 17 CE Region:    Sulmo [modern Italy] Citation: Metamorphoses 1.481 – 487

In his mythology-based epic poem The Metamorphoses, the poet Ovid uses the myth of Daphne and Apollo to explore the expectations of Roman women to marry and have children using the nymph Daphne as a foil to those expectations:

     

Often her father said, “Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law. Daughter, you owe me grandchildren!”

But Daphne, despising romance, would blush, embrace her father and reply, “Let me enjoy my virginity forever,dearest father! The goddess Diana's father let her do so; let me be free, too!”

 

I Don’t Owe You Grandchildren

Saepe pater dixit: “Generum mihi, filia, debes,”

Saepe pater dixit: “Debes mihi, nata, nepotes;”

illa velut crimen taedas exosa iugales

pulchra verecundo suffuderat ora rubore

inque patris blandis haerens cervice lacertis

“Da mihi perpetua, genitor carissime,” dixit

“virginitate frui! Dedit hoc pater ante Dianae.”

Ovid [Publius Ovidius Naso; 43 BCE – 17 CE, modern Italy] was one of the most famous love poets of Rome’s Golden Age. His most famous work, the Metamorphoses, provides a history of the world through a series of interwoven myths. Most of his poetry is erotic in nature; for this reason, he fell into trouble during the conservative social reforms under the reign of the emperor Augustus. In 8 CE he was banished to Bithynia [modern Turkey], where he spent the remainder of his life pining for his native homeland.