The success of Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey has brought renewed public attention to the legacy of classical mythology. Many literary concepts still used today have their origins in these ancient stories: one of these is the myth of Narcissus, from which the concept of the “narcissist” is derived, so-called because it’s used to refer to people with a dangerously inflated sense of self-admiration and disregard for the feelings of others.
The character of Narcissus appears in multiple classical sources, the most famous being the one told by the Roman poet Ovid in his Metamorphoses, which also introduced the character of Echo into Narcissus’ story. The myth has captured the imaginations of those in both the past and the present. In 2018, a fresco of the story was even uncovered by archaeologists amidst the ruins of Pompeii, showing how it resonated as much with people in classical times as it continues to do in the modern world.
Echo’s Curse
The myth tells the story of an exceptionally beautiful young man by the name of Narcissus, who drew the attention of everyone who met him, and his admirer from afar, a nymph known as Echo. Before Echo met Narcissus, she had enjoyed gossiping about the misdeeds of the gods, which eventually angered the goddess Hera and caused the latter to place a curse on Echo, condemning her to only be able to say what someone had just said to her, and never again be able to say anything original of her own (the origin story of the concept of “echoing”).
Following this, Echo wandered alone, unable to connect with anyone due to the effects of the curse. She eventually noticed the handsome Narcissus, but when he attempted to open a conversation with her, she was only able to repeat back his own words to him, leaving him confused and annoyed. The heartbroken Echo then faded away, leaving only the sound of her voice behind.
A Tragic Reflection
The subsequent downfall of Narcissus varies according to the teller of the tale: in Ovid’s version, a goddess placed a curse on Narcissus after being moved by Echo’s plight; while in the account of the Greek mythographer Conon, it began when he shunned the interest of another admirer, a young man named Ameinias, whose heartbreak was likewise heard by a goddess. However, in all versions, a curse was placed on Narcissus for him to fall in love with himself and be driven to despair when he realised he could never have the object of his love.
This played out through Narcissus being drawn to a body of water where he saw his own reflection and fell for it; and as he realised he could never have the person in the water and achieve the perfect love he wanted, he eventually lost the will to live. In the version of the story which includes Echo, she watched from a distance as he said his final words and then repeated them sadly. In some versions of the myth, Narcissus made his way to the underworld after his demise, where he continued to observe his reflection in the River Styx, eternally captivated by his own image.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, a flower sprouted where Narcissus had met his end. It would eventually take his name and become known as the narcissus flower. And so, when you see such a flower today, bear in mind that its name carries the weight of a concept with more than 2000 years of cultural significance.
More Like This:
#2000YearOld #Greek #Myth #Gave #Word #Narcissist
title_words_as_hashtags]
Post Comment