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.

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.