Sometimes the gods changed people into other forms out of kindness. There was the water nymph Clytie who once saw Apollo as， with his sister Diana，he went hunting through the forest.
Apollo was the most beautiful of all the gods. Clytie had never seen anyone so splendid or so glorious. She loved him at once. But Apollo hurried by without even noticing her as she stood beside her little stream.
Clytie followed him，hoping that he would speak to her. But the hunting party soon reached the edge of the wood，and Apollo rose in a pale cloud，and disappeared toward the east.
The sky was gray，and there had been no sunshine all morning because Apollo，God of the Sun，hunting on earth，had not driven his chariot across the heavens.
Clytie watched the gray sky longingly. In a little while the mist began to scatter，and a pale yellow glow ran around the curvingedges of the clouds. Then，with a burst of light the chariot of the sun appeared，midway on its course.
"""That is his chariot，""said poor Clytie with a sigh，as she sat down on the ground to watch it."
All afternoon she watched it. Every day for nine days she sat in the same place，looking upward and longing forApollo to come to earth that she might see his face.
She forgot to eat and grew thinner and thinner.
At last the gods grew sorry for her and changed her into a great golden sunflower. Her seeds spread over the earth and grew. Wherever the sun shown，they raised their yellow heads to its light and turned， now east，now west，forever following the course of Apollo's chariot as it passed across the sky.

诸神有时候将人变成其他的形状乃是出乎慈悲心肠。从前，有一个水泽女神柯莱蒂，她在阿波罗与他妹妹狄安娜狩猎经过森林的时候，见到了阿波罗。
阿波罗是众神中最英俊的，柯莱蒂从来没有见过任何人是如此俊美，如此的神采奕奕！她马上就爱上了他。但是，阿波罗匆匆走过，那时她站在她的小河边，阿波罗甚至都没注意到她。
柯莱蒂跟在他后面走，希望他会和她说话。但是，这群狩猎者很快就抵达森林边缘，只看到阿波罗乘上一朵灰白色的云块，消失在东方。
这时天色阴暗，整个早晨都没有阳光，因为日神阿波罗在尘世狩猎，不曾驾着他的日车横越天际。
柯莱蒂热切地凝视灰色的天空。瞬间云消雾散，金黄色的光芒缭绕在云朵周遭的弯曲边缘。接着，阳光乍现，日车出来了，正奔驰在半路之中。
当时她正坐在地上望着它，可怜的柯莱蒂叹息道："那就是他的日车！"
整个下午，她都注视着太阳，一连九天，每天都坐在同样的地方仰视着，渴望阿波罗降临尘世，如此一来，她就可以看看他的容颜。
她忘记了吃东西，逐渐消瘦下去。
最后，众神开始怜悯她，将她变成了一大朵金黄色的向日葵，她的种子在整个世间散播、生长。在太阳普照的任何地方，它们都抬起金黄色的头向着日光，随着太阳的旋转忽东忽西，当阿波罗的日车横跨天空的时候，永远跟随着它的轨迹转动。