Cyparissus

Here is another tale of a god loving a mortal youth that went tragically wrong. Apollo was known to love several young men, most notably Hyacinthus, but here you will find a very short tale of Cyparissus (Κυπάρισσος).

Cyparissus was a boy in living on the island of Ceo. He had a stag for a pet. Cyparissus loved this stag so much that he became inconsolable when he accidentally killed it with his javelin.

Cyparissus
Painting from the House of
the Vettii, Pompeii. 62-79 AD

Apollo tried everything to comfort Cyparissus, but to no avail. Apollo granted the boy’s wish: to mourn for his favourite stag, forever. Apollo transformed Cyparissus into a cypress tree.