a daughter of the river Peneus by the goddess Terra, of whom Apollo became enamoured. This passion had been raised by Cupid; with whom Apollo, proud of his late conquest of the serpent Python, had disputed the power of his darts. Daphne heard with horror the addresses of the god, and endeavoured to remove herself from his importunities by flight. Apollo pursued her, and Daphne, fearful of being caught, intreated the assistance of the gods, who changed her into a laurel. Apollo crowned his head with the leaves of the laurel, and for ever ordered that that tree should be sacred to his divinity. Some say that Daphne was admired by Leucippus, son of Oenomaus king of Pila, who to be in her company disguised his sex, and attended her in the woods in the habit of a huntsman. Leucippus gained Daphne's esteem and love; but Apollo, who was his powerful rival, discovered his sex, and Leucippus was killed by the companions of Diana. Daphne was also the name of a daughter of Tirefas, priestess in the temple of Delphi. She was consecrated to the service of Apollo by the Epigoni, or according to others by the goddess Tellus. She was called Sibyl, on account of the wildness of her looks and expressions when she delivered oracles. Her oracles were generally in verse; and Homer, according to some accounts, has introduced much of her poetry in his compositions.

in Ancient Geography, a small village near to, or in the suburbs of, Antiochia of Seleucus in Syria; with a large grove, well watered with springs: In the middle of the grove stood the temple of Apollo and Diana. Its extent was 80 stadia or 10 miles; the distance from the city five miles: A place pleasant and agreeable, from the plenty of water and the temperature of the air, and its soft-breathing breezes. The grove was of bay-trees, intermixed with cypresses: which last multiplied so fast, as to occupy the whole of it. Pompey gave some land for enlarging the grove. Antiochus Epiphanes built a very large temple of Daphnaeus Apollo. The place at length became so infamous, that people of modesty and character avoided resorting thither; so that Daphnici mores became proverbial.

in Ancient Geography, a small district on the lake Samachonites, in the Higher Galilee, very pleasant, and plentifully watered with springs, which feed the Lefs Jordan; whence its name seems to arise, probably in imitation of that near Antioch of Syria on the river Orontes.

Spurge-laurel; a genus of plants, belonging to the oclandria clas; and in the natural method ranking under the 31st order, Veprecule. See Botany Index.