In Apollo and Daphne, why does Daphne flee Apollo?

Because she was refusing his advances. Denying the gods often had bad results in any mythology so she likely was trying to avoid that. Wheter being turned into a laurel tree by a river god as an act mercy counts, depends entirely on your pov. read more

Certain sources argue that Daphne may have been Apollo’s ‘first love’ so to speak which is why her loss appears to have moved him. He is the de facto god associated with the laurel tree and it features greatly in both his iconography as a laurel leaf crown about his head or wreathing his lyre. read more

Eros felt insulted by Apollo. He had two arrows, a gold one (which produces love) and a leaden one (which prevents love from arising). read more