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Ovid had in his Metamorphosis the legend of the laurel tree, a story that can serve as a source of inspiration for a good tattoo.
In addition, the laurel has many others meanings. Do you want to discover them? We see them below!
Apollo and Daphne: love doesn't always win
Daphne turning into a laurel tree.
Legend has it that one day Apollo was playing the pimp in front of Cupid, showing off his victories and making fun of the god of love. Cupid, in a moment of rage, aimed a golden arrow at Apollo's heart and struck him out of love for Daphne., a nymph who, in turn, received a lead arrow, so she did not want to know anything about Apollo.
Apollo got heavy and started chasing her like there was no tomorrow. And poor Daphne fled and implored her father, the river god Peneo, to help her. Her father heard her and had no other idea than to turn her into a laurel tree. Then Daphne's feet sank into the ground and became roots, and her arms, raised to the sky, were filled with branches and leaves. Apollo hugged the tree crying and adopted it as his flagship tree (not even turned into a tree could he leave poor Daphne alone).
The laurel in ancient Rome
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The laurel tree, in addition to the story of Daphne and Apollo, has many other meanings, especially related to ancient Rome. In those days se awarded the winners of different disciplines with laurel wreaths (from here comes the expression laureate) and, in addition, it was considered a symbol of purity and immortality, since it was used in many ceremonies.
The Roman emperors also adopted the laurel as a symbol, either to wear it in the form of a crown or to decorate the entrance to their houses. In fact, this plant had such a powerful sacred meaning that it was forbidden to use it in profane ceremonies.
We hope this article on the laurel tree meanings has served as inspiration for your next piece. Tell us, do you have any tattoos with this plant? Let us know in the comments!