LAUREL. 247 
LAUREL. 
The Greeks and the Romans consecrated Laurel 
crowns to every species of glory. With these they 
adorned the brows of warriors and poets, of orators 
and philosophers, of vestals and emperors. This 
beautiful shrub grows abundantly at Delphi, on the 
banks of the river Peneus. There its aromatic and 
evergreen branches shoot up to the height of the 
loftiest trees ; and it is alleged that by means of 
some secret virtue they avert lightning from the 
spots which they adorn. 
According to ancient fable, the fair Daphne was 
the daughter of the river Peneus. Apollo fell in 
love with her, but she, preferring virtue to the love 
of the most eloquent of the gods, fled in order to 
avoid the seducing magic of his words. Apollo 
pursued, and was on the point of overtaking her, 
when the nymph invoked her father and was 
changed into a Laurel. The god, finding that it 
