The story of Narcissus / エコーとナルキッソス

Zeus, the King of the Olympians, was known for his many love affairs. Sometimes the young and beautiful Nymph Echo would distract and amuse his wife Hera with long and entertaining stories, while Zeus took advantage of the moment to ravish the other mountain nymphs. When Hera discovered the trickery she punished the talkative Echo by taking away her voice, except in foolish repetition of another's shouted words. Thus, all Echo could do was repeat the voice of another.

Echo by Alexandre Cabanel

Echo fell in love with a vain youth named Narcissus, who was the son of the blue Nymph Leiriope of Thespia. The River god Cephisus had once encircled Leirope with the windings of his streams, and thus trapping her, had seduced the nymph. Narcissus was their child.

Concerned about the baby's welfare, Leirope went to consult the oracle called Teiresias regarding her son's future. Teiresias told the nymph that Narcissus "would live to a ripe old age, as long as he never knew himself."

Narcissus was beautiful as a child and grew even more so as he matured. By the age of sixteen he had left a trail of broken hearts, from rejected lovers of both sexes. Narcissus wanted nothing to do with falling in love with anyone and rebuffed all attempts at romance.

One day when Narcissus was out hunting stags, Echo stealthily followed the handsome youth through the woods, longing to address him but unable to speak first. When Narcissus finally heard footsteps and shouted "Who's there?", Echo answered "Who's there?" And so it went, until finally Echo showed herself and rushed to embrace the lovely youth.

Narcissus by Adolf Joseph Grass (1867)

He pulled away from the nymph and vainly told her to get lost. Narcissus left Echo heartbroken and she spent the rest of her life in lonely glens, pining away for the love she never knew, until only her voice remained.

A man named Ameinius was one of Narcissus' most ardent admirers, and repeatedly vied for his attention. The conceited youth responded by sending his suitor a sword, telling him to prove his adoration. Ameinious proceeded to plunge the sword into his heart, committing suicide to demonstrate his love, but not before he beseeched the gods to punish the vain Narcissus.

The goddess of the hunt, Artemis, heard the plea and made Narcissus fall in love, but a kind a love that couldn't be fulfilled. Narcissus came upon a clear spring at Donacon in Thespia and, as he bent low to take a drink, for the first time caught sight of himself reflected in the pool. Try as he might to touch this exquisite person in the waters, however, he never could.

painted in 1903, by John William Waterhouse

For hours he sat enraptured by the spring, at last recognizing himself but tortured by the realization that he could never possess the object of his infatuation. Narcissus was tormented, much as he had tormented all those who in the past had been unlucky enough to fall in love with him.

Finally unable to stand the agony Narcissus plunged a dagger in his heart and died, calling out a last goodbye to his reflected image. Where his blood soaked the earth sprung up the white narcissus flower with its red corollary. Now you know how Daffodils came to be.

エコーとナルキッソス

おしゃべりなニンフのエコー は、ゼウスの浮気の手助けをしたことによってヘラから怒りをかった。 彼女は自由に話す能力を奪われてしまい、相手の話しの最後の一言を繰り返す以外は話せなくなってしまったのだ。 そんな時、彼女は恋をした。自惚れが強く高慢で有名な美少年、ナルキッソスである。 彼は言い寄ってくる女たちには見向きもせず、冷たくあしらっていた。 自分の気持ちを伝えることが出来ないもどかしいエコー。彼はエコーを突き放した。 悲しみに暮れるエコーは森の洞窟に身を潜めたが、想いを断ち切れない彼女はやせ細り、 ついには声だけになって、森の奥から人の声に反応してそれを繰り返すようになった。 

一方、エコーの苦しみなどまったく知らない冷酷なナルキッソスは、神によって罰を与えられた。 ある日、狩りの途中で泉に喉を潤しにやってきたナルキッソスは、泉に映った自分に恋をしてしまう。 決して報われることのない恋だった。彼は次第にやつれだし、やがては水辺で息絶えて、 そこには白い花びらの水仙が残ったという。 このようにして、山彦の「エコー」と自惚れの「ナルシスト」 という言葉が生まれた。