Narcissus
Do you like this story?
Narcissus is remembered for having fallen in
love with his own reflection.
In greek mythology was the son of River God Cephisus and nymph Lyriope, beautiful youth who refused all offers of love, including that of Echo. When Narcissus was sixteen he was walking in the woods and Nymph Echo saw him and felt madly in love with him, but her love was not returned, and she disappeared from woods and mountains, fading away. It is told that not even her bones remained, having been turned into stone, but that her, voice made utterly brief by the anger of Hera, still lives in her. Besides Echo many other nymphs and youths sought Narcissus' love, but were ignored by him. Finally one of them prayed to the gods:
An alternate version of the Narcissus myth is that Narcissus had a
twin sister who he loved greatly. In some versions he is in love with
his sister, which was not uncommon in greek mythology.
The two dress the same and are always together until the sister dies.
Narcissus chances to look at the water after her death, and seeing his
own reflection, believes it to be his sister.
As a result, Narcissus is not mesmerized by himself, but instead mesmerized by a lost love. This myth is somewhat beautiful in the concept that a person literally creates the memories of lost love ones and thus keeps them alive. However, Narcissus dwells too long at the water. The Narcissus flower, which often grow near lakes and water sources, are so named to symbolize Narcissus still waiting by the water for his lost sister, and always caught by the past.
In greek mythology was the son of River God Cephisus and nymph Lyriope, beautiful youth who refused all offers of love, including that of Echo. When Narcissus was sixteen he was walking in the woods and Nymph Echo saw him and felt madly in love with him, but her love was not returned, and she disappeared from woods and mountains, fading away. It is told that not even her bones remained, having been turned into stone, but that her, voice made utterly brief by the anger of Hera, still lives in her. Besides Echo many other nymphs and youths sought Narcissus' love, but were ignored by him. Finally one of them prayed to the gods:
"So may he
himself love, and not gain the thing he loves!"
)
Nemesis, though, the Goddess of Revenge, heard the pray and decided to
punish Narcissus. Narcissus
sees himself in the pond and he is amazed by the beauty of the
reflection. Once he figured out that his love could not be addressed, he
killed himself.
As a result, Narcissus is not mesmerized by himself, but instead mesmerized by a lost love. This myth is somewhat beautiful in the concept that a person literally creates the memories of lost love ones and thus keeps them alive. However, Narcissus dwells too long at the water. The Narcissus flower, which often grow near lakes and water sources, are so named to symbolize Narcissus still waiting by the water for his lost sister, and always caught by the past.
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