Apollo was an expert archer. Upon insulting Eros for playing with arrows, Apollo was shot by the petulant god with a gold-tipped arrow which turned him into a hopeless romantic. He also shot Apollo’s first love Daphne, with a lead-tipped arrow that incited feelings of hate towards love. And hence started a hopeless chase.
Daphne pleaded to Zeus,the god of the gods, to transform her so that Apollo could not find her. Granting the young nymph’s wish, Zeus turned her into a daphne tree.