Question

What is the purpose of the myth, apollo and daphne?

Answer 1

It explained why apollo was always wearing leaves of a bay laurel tree in a wreath on his head. also it shows that the actions apollo took on daphne came back to him and shows that you will  be treated as you treat others as well as the fact that it shows the more natural aspect of the roots of mythology.. when daphne turns into a bay tree to escape apollo<span />

Answer 2

Well Apollo was the god of the light, sun, truth, prophecy, healing, plague, music, poetry, and much more!
Daphne was to be told that she told her father that she wanted to be a virgin like Artemis.
~And also, Daphne was Apollo's very first love. In which Apollo set out to capture her heart. (to get her to love him) 
-But Apollo mocked Eros (god of love, a.k.a cupid)  for playing with his little bows and arrows; Since they were meant for wars instead of love. (so thought Apollo)
 Eros was so angry, that he purposly shot an arrow made of lead, at a tree nymph (named Daphne)  to make her hate Apollo! The one that loved her! Not only did he shoot one at Daphne, but he also shot a pure gold arrow at Apollo so that he “amat visaeque cupit conubia Daphnes” (loves and desires marriage to Daphne having been seen).
 Apollo soon began to chase after Daphne... But they were evenly matched in their own speed, only until Apollo asked Eros to help him catch her. Seeing that Apollo was bound to catch up, Daphne asked her father ,Peneus, to make her “mutando perde figuram” (lose by changing my shape). So he answered her request, and he turned his daughter into a tree.
 Then, Daphne began running slower and slower as her feet joined with the earth... But, thats not all. When Apollo finally caught up, she had become a complete tree.
 Apollo was completely heartbrocken throughtout this; So hat he did was, he simply hugged the “membra lacertis oscula dat ligno” (tree with his arms and gives kisses to the wood) although it shrank away from his very touch. In conclusion, he there on out swore to always, ALWAYS, tend to the tree and every bay laurel tree since then has been said to have leaves that never grow old.... :)