Weekely Photo: Sunflowers in Tuscany

 

This week best picture is dedicated to sunflowers, symbol of summer in Tuscany. I took this picture last Sunday in Mugello and I got stunned from the beauty of this flower that reminded me about Clytie and her love for the Sun.

The legend of the sunflower

In ancient Greek there was a young and beautiful water-nymph called Clytie who fell in love with Apollo, God of the Sun. She was so in love with him that used to looking at him anytime during the day while he was carrying his cart with the sun in the sky.

Once Apollo noticed her and decided to love her. But their love ended in a moment as it started. Clytie was devastated and cried for 9 days and 9 nights standing in a field and looking at the Sun. Slowly her legs became the sunflower’s stem, whilst her face became the flower, her golden hair the petals.

Clytie became a sunflower and even in this form she continues to watch her love following the path of the sun.