Daphne Roman poet Ovid does a retelling of this Greek legend, which appears in his work Metamorphoses. The pursuit of a local nymph by an Olympian god, part of the archaic adjustment of religious cult in Greece, was given an arch anecdotal turn in the "Metamorphoses" by the Roman poet Ovid (died AD 17). According to this version Apollo's infatuation was caused by a golden-tipped arrow shot at him by Cupid, son of Venus, who wanted to punish Apollo for having insulted his archery skills by commenting "What hast thou to do with the arms of men, thou wanton boy?", and
Nymph not specified in the source texts. For lists of Naiads, Oceanids, Dryades etc. see respective articles. Nymph A nymph ( "nýmphē," Ancient: Modern: ) in Greek mythology is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from other goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste wives and daughters of the Greek "polis". They are beloved by many and dwell in mountainous regions and forests