The sun's setting on the day men celebrate the Feast of the Vine. Daphne's alone. She finds the sounds of nature mystical, the murmur of the spring, the blossoming, sheltering trees sublime, my brothers. Her childhood friend, Leukippos, interrupts her contemplations. He wants to win her heart and love her. She refuses him. Maids bring her a robe and jewellery – she rejects them; she finds the feast, dedicated to Dionysos, sinister and alien to her nature. At her mother Gaea’s behest, she enters the room. Apollo appears, in disguise, feeling powerfully drawn to her. She feels as if vague longings within her are being fulfilled and listens, deeply moved, to his words of love. But when he, calling her sister, takes her into his arms and kisses her, she's filled with fear. The feast commences; disguised men led by Peneios; the women, by Gaea. Leukippos, who followed the maids advice and disguised himself as a girl, uses the opportunity to close in on Daphne. Apollo steps forward in fury, saying that the feast has been desecrated and the god dishonoured by such an ignominious trick. Thunder is heard. All flee. Apollo takes the young rival, who has now shed his female attire, to task. Daphne, realising she's been cruly tricked, twice, demands the truth. The Sun God reveals his true identity and asks Daphne to go with him. She refuses. When Leukippos calls him a liar the furious god kills him. Daphne, distraught, throws herself over the body her old friend; Apollo begs the gods for forgiveness and asks that he might win Daphne back, not in human form, but transformed into an eternally green laurel tree. Daphne, trying to hurry away suddenly stands motionless, as if spellbound. In the shimmering rays of the moon her transformation begins.