Daphne escaped Apollo by becoming what?

• A. a palm tree
• B. a river
• C. a statue
• D. a laurel tree

Answer: (D)

In this myth, transformation serves as a decisive escape and also explains a lasting symbol. Daphne, a pursuing Apollo, asks for protection from her divine father, and he changes her into a laurel tree so she can be safe from him. This exact transformation is why the laurel wreath becomes so closely tied to Apollo in art and ritual—the tree itself becomes his emblem. The other options aren’t part of this tale, so they don’t fit the story Daphne’s escape hinges on. So the correct answer is the laurel tree, since the myth directly describes that change and its enduring association with Apollo.