Narcissus Research Paper
IO
Greek and Roman Mythology
Narcissus and Echo
Narcissus [nar-SIS-is] was a handsome young man. He was so good-looking all the young girls who saw him wanted to be his, but he would have nothing to do with them. Even Echo [EK-oh], most beautiful of the nymphs, did not attract him, though she was desperately in love with him.
Echo was a follower and favorite of the Huntress, Diana [die-ANuh], but even Diana could not protect her against the spite and malice of a more powerful goddess, Juno [JOO-noh]. Juno was involved in her usual activity of trying to find out what Jove was doing. She suspected he was interested in one of the nymphs, but she had no idea which. Juno went spying and looking. She encountered Echo and for a few …show more content…
And so it was. Never moving, he lay there until he died. His last words were to his reflected image, "Farewell—farewell."
Echo, nearby, could do nothing to help him. All she could do was repeat his words, "farewell," saying goodbye to her beloved who had refused to be her lover. It is said that when his shade (spirit) passed over the water that surrounds the realm of the dead, it leaned over Charon's [KARE-onz] boat to see itself for the last time reflected in the River Styx. Even in death,
Narcissus could not forget himself. Nemesis had punished him, but he had learned nothing from the punishment. That was his sad fate.
But the lovely young maidens, the nymphs, whom he had rejected, were kind to him. They looked for his body to bury it, but could not find it.
Where;he had fain by the pool they found a beautiful new flower with bright colors and a strong but sweet fragrance. Still loving the youth who had caused them so much pain, they named the flower Narcissus.
Beyond the Myth
1. What do we mean when we saythat someoneshas a "fix" on himself or herself?
2. What does;it mean to "have the last word"?
3. What is the^sGientific explanation foriecrioes?
Echo
Narcissus
vanity
Greek and Roman Mythology
Narcissus and Echo
Narcissus [nar-SIS-is] was a handsome young man. He was so good-looking all the young girls who saw him wanted to be his, but he would have nothing to do with them. Even Echo [EK-oh], most beautiful of the nymphs, did not attract him, though she was desperately in love with him.
Echo was a follower and favorite of the Huntress, Diana [die-ANuh], but even Diana could not protect her against the spite and malice of a more powerful goddess, Juno [JOO-noh]. Juno was involved in her usual activity of trying to find out what Jove was doing. She suspected he was interested in one of the nymphs, but she had no idea which. Juno went spying and looking. She encountered Echo and for a few …show more content…
And so it was. Never moving, he lay there until he died. His last words were to his reflected image, "Farewell—farewell."
Echo, nearby, could do nothing to help him. All she could do was repeat his words, "farewell," saying goodbye to her beloved who had refused to be her lover. It is said that when his shade (spirit) passed over the water that surrounds the realm of the dead, it leaned over Charon's [KARE-onz] boat to see itself for the last time reflected in the River Styx. Even in death,
Narcissus could not forget himself. Nemesis had punished him, but he had learned nothing from the punishment. That was his sad fate.
But the lovely young maidens, the nymphs, whom he had rejected, were kind to him. They looked for his body to bury it, but could not find it.
Where;he had fain by the pool they found a beautiful new flower with bright colors and a strong but sweet fragrance. Still loving the youth who had caused them so much pain, they named the flower Narcissus.
Beyond the Myth
1. What do we mean when we saythat someoneshas a "fix" on himself or herself?
2. What does;it mean to "have the last word"?
3. What is the^sGientific explanation foriecrioes?
Echo
Narcissus
vanity