'', oil painting by Baroque artist
Caravaggio. Several versions of the myth have survived from ancient sources, one from Pausanias, the Greek traveler and geographer of the second century AD, and a more popular one from Ovid, published before 8 AD, found in Book 3 of his
Metamorphoses. This is the story of
Echo and Narcissus. In Ovid's narrative, the framing revolves around a test of the prophetic abilities of
Tiresias, an individual who has experienced life as both a man and a woman. His sight was taken from him during a dispute between
Juno and
Jove; siding with Jove led to his blinding by an enraged Juno. In compensation for his lost sight, Jove granted him the gift of prophecy. The prophecy that solidified Tiresias's reputation is the tale of
Echo and Narcissus.
Ovid After being "ravaged" by the river god
Cephissus, the nymph Liriope gave birth to Narcissus, who was "beautiful even as a child." As was the custom, she consulted the seer Tiresias about the boy's future, who predicted that the boy would live a long life only if he never "came to know himself". During his 16th year, after getting lost while hunting with friends, Narcissus came to be followed by a nymph, Echo.
Echo Echo was an
Oread (mountain nymph) and, like Tiresias, had a sensory ability altered after an argument between Juno and Jove. Echo had kept Juno occupied with gossip while Jove had an affair behind her back. In another similar version by Ovid, Echo kept the goddess Juno occupied with stories while Zeus's lovers escaped Mount Olympus. As a punishment, Juno took from Echo her agency in speech; Echo was thereafter never able to speak unless it was to repeat the last few words of those she heard. Echo had deceived using gossip; she would be condemned to be only that from then on. Meanwhile, Echo spied Narcissus, separated from his hunting friends, and she became immediately infatuated, following him, waiting for him to speak so her feelings might be heard. Narcissus sensed he was being followed and shouted "Who's there?" Echo repeated, "Who's there?" While this interaction continued, Echo came close enough so that she was revealed, and attempted to embrace him. Horrified, he stepped back and told her to "keep her chains". Heartbroken, Echo wasted away, losing her body amidst lonely glens, until nothing of her but her chaste verbal ability remained.
Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, heard the pleas of a young man,
Ameinias, who had fallen for Narcissus but was ignored and cursed him; Nemesis listened, proclaiming that Narcissus would never be able to be loved by the one he fell in love with. After spurning Echo and the young man, Narcissus became thirsty. He found a pool of water which, in Ovid's account, no animal had ever approached. Leaning down to drink, Narcissus sees his reflection, which he finds as beautiful as a marble statue. Not realizing it was his own reflection, Narcissus fell deeply in love with it. Thus both Tiresias's prophecy and Nemesis' curse came true in the same instance. Unable to leave the allure of this image, Narcissus eventually realized that his love could not be reciprocated and he melted away from the fire of passion burning inside him, eventually turning into a gold and white flower.
Versions without Echo Ovid was probably influenced by an earlier version ascribed to the captive Greek poet
Parthenius of Nicaea, composed around 50 BC and rediscovered in 2004 by Dr Benjamin Henry among the
Oxyrhynchus papyri at
Oxford. This version is very concise and makes no mention of Echo. In all versions, his body disappears and all that is left is a
narcissus flower. depicts Narcissus gazing at his own reflection. == Interpretation ==