Greek Mythology is a fascinating body of myths, legends, and tales that heavily influenced Greek culture. The tales of gods, goddesses, monsters, heroes, and deities, still play a significant role in even today’s storytelling.<\/p>\n
The roots of Greek Mythology can be traced all the way back to 900 B.C. Even in Western civilization, the extensive influence of Greek Mythology cannot be denied. In the tall tales of gods and mortals<\/a>, some figures stand out more than others. But all are important<\/p>\n Some recognizable names and phrases in English literature derive from Greek Mythology<\/a>. The name Narcissus, is one, in particular, that has significance. The root of narcissus is “narcissism” — a word that means being vain, selfish, or having an excessive admiration or love for one’s physical appearance. While Narcissus is a Greek tale, the Romans seem to have taken it over and elaborated on it throughout history.<\/p>\n In Greek Mythology, the figure Narcissus was an extremely handsome young man who fell in love with his own reflection. He was so self-absorbed that nothing mattered to him more than his looks. He was just one of many tragic figures in the realm of Greek Mythology. There is the telling of the story by the Roman writer Ovid and one told by Covid. While the stories have variations, the key component of Narcissus’ vanity remains a constant.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The handsome Narcissus was born in Thespiae to Cephissus and a nymph named Liriope. The seer Teiresias told Liriope that Narcissus would “live a long life as long as he never recognizes himself.” By the time Narcissus was 16, he had many admirers.<\/p>\n At the time Narcissus’ mother didn’t know what that meant. As hard as many of the young maidens tried, they could never get Narcissus to show any interest. The fact of the matter is, Narcissus never thought there was a man or woman alive whose looks rivaled his.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This story of Narcissus diverges from Ovid’s original version in that a male suitor, Aminias, replaces Echo. In this version, Narcissus cruelly rejects Arminius but also gives him a sword to kill himself. Before he dies by the sword, Arminias asks the gods to curse Narcissus and make an example of him. The god Artemis<\/a> responds to give Narcissus a lesson for the pain he had inflicted upon Aminias.<\/p>\n While walking along the banks of the Stypian River, Narcissus stops for water and sees his reflection. He immediately becomes entranced and falls in love. Unable to withdraw himself from his reflection, he dies from thirst and hunger. According to the myth, Narcissus is living in the Underworld admiring the black water of the River Styx.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Narcissus had many suitors. One was a maiden named Echo who was deeply in love with him. Echo had a strong bond at one time with the Goddess Hera. She fell out of favor with Hera when Hera<\/a> accused her of providing cover for her husband Zeus’s infidelities<\/a>. As the story goes, Echo would entertain Hera while Zeus’s suitors would sneak of Mt. Olympus unseen. When she discovered Echo’s betrayal, she put a curse on her.<\/p>\n Hence the name, Echo, she was doomed to only repeat the words of others for the rest of her life. Even after she was cursed, she still continued to pursue Narcissus. When Narcissus found out about the curse that was placed on Echo, he cruelly rejected her.<\/p>\nHow Narcissus’ Reflection Influenced Him<\/h3>\n
The Greek Version of Narcissus<\/h3>\n
The Roman Version Of Narcissus<\/h3>\n