In mythology, the laurel is a symbol of peace and victory. It appears as a symbol on the heads of Olympic champions and crowns of kings returning victorious from war. Sometimes, due to its evergreen nature, the laurel becomes a symbol of the tree of life and immortality. This symbolic attribute given to the laurel actually originates from ancient times.

Apollo, the son of Zeus, is a handsome, tall, kind-hearted, talented god of prophecy and foresight, as well as the god of light and brightness. One day, while roaming the skies, Apollo encounters Python, a serpent and the son of Gaia, the earth mother who gives prophecies. Using his archery skills, Apollo kills the Python. In fact, he kills the Python to become the sole prophet. However, because of his kind-hearted nature, he feels guilty and does not want his divinity to be tainted. To ease his conscience, he descends to earth for seven years and works as a shepherd in the mountains.

One day, while wandering through the mountains, Apollo encounters Eros, the god of love, sex, and creative reproduction, and the son of Aphrodite. Apollo belittles Eros, and therefore love itself, saying that his own arrows can kill a living being, whereas Eros’s arrows can only cause heartache. With this statement, Apollo underestimates Eros and his power, comparing it to his own warrior strength. However, Eros knows that his arrows can strike even the gods. In response, he prepares two arrows, one of gold and one of lead, infused with love and hatred. The golden arrow, which causes love, strikes Apollo’s heart, while the lead arrow strikes the heart of Daphne (Defne), the daughter of Peneus, one of the Greek river gods. The arrow in Daphne’s heart causes her to hate Apollo with all her being.

Daphne, a beautiful and alluring water nymph, is noticed for her charm. Since she is also fond of hunting, she spends her time in the forest and mountains. Men fall in love with her because of her beauty and constantly watch her. Daphne, in fact, is a girl who takes after Artemis; she wishes to remain a virgin and stay away from men, as she has dedicated herself to Gaia.

As Apollo, burning with the first flames of love in his heart, constantly pursues Daphne, she runs away, rejecting his love. She flees, and Apollo chases her. Apollo cries out in love:

‘Don’t run, I love you!’

‘You’re either mine or the earth’s!’

This chase continues. At one point, Apollo gets very close; Daphne feels his breath on her hair. She stops for a moment, digs into the ground with her foot, and begs the earth mother (Gaia):

‘Oh mother earth, cover me, hide me, protect me!’

Daphne pleads so earnestly that she begins to take root in the ground, her chest becomes covered with a grey bark, and her fragrant hair transforms into leaves. This is why the leaves of the laurel tree have such a beautiful scent.

When Apollo reaches Daphne, it is too late; he finds himself embracing the trunk of a tree. As he holds the tree, he can still hear Daphne’s heartbeat deep within. With the pain of his unrequited love, Apollo cries out:

‘Daphne, from now on, you will be Apollo’s sacred tree. Your ever-green leaves will be my crown. Great heroes, those who triumph in wars, will adorn their foreheads with your leaves. In songs and poems, our names will always be mentioned together.’

From that day on, the laurel tree became Apollo’s sacred tree, and its leaves became a symbol of victory. From that day forward, Apollo always wore a crown made from the branches of this tree. In Apollo’s temples, priests chewed laurel leaves in an attempt to become like Apollo, the god of prophecy, and to see the future. In fact, Apollo’s temples were surrounded by laurel trees.

The place known today as Harbiye, in the province of Hatay, was known in the Roman period as the Apollo Cult, a place surrounded by laurel forests, and associated with love and passion. In the Roman era, entrance to this forest was forbidden.

Since the laurel is a plant that loves sunny places, it has been associated with Apollo, the god of light and brightness, and, due to its evergreen nature, it has also become a symbol of immortality.”