Narcissus: A Story Behind the Word Narcissistic

 

Narcissus, /nɑːrˈsɪsəs/; in Ancient Greek and can be called Nárkissos in romanized. He was a hunter from Thespiae (ancient Greek city) in Boeotia (regional units of Greece) he was known for his beauty which was noticed by all, regardless of gender. In Greek mythology, Narcissus is known as a character who fell in love with his own reflection in water until he lost his life. Narcissus has a lot of versions of histories. In some versions, Narcissus was the son of the river god, The Cephissus and nymph Liriope, while Nonnus instead has him as the son of the lunar goddess, The Selene and her mortal lover Endymion. 

The Main Version's Story

After being “ravaged” by Cephissus The River God, the nymph Liriope gave birth to Narcissus “beautiful even as a child." Nymph Liriope consulted the seer Tiresias about the boy’s future, and Tiresias 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, a mountain nymph, had a sensory ability altered

Echo saw Narcissus, separated from his hunting friends, and she immediately following him, waiting for him to speak so her feelings might be heard. Narcissus realized he was being followed and shouted "Who's there?” Echo repeated "Who's there?” After a few rounds of this, in which Narcissus’ confuse, 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". Echo was heartbroken and she wasted away, losing her body amidst lonely glens, until nothing but her chaste verbal ability remained of her.

Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, heard the pleas of a young man who had fallen for Narcissus and ended that Narcissus was ignored and cursed him, knowing about it, he proclaimed 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 was getting thirsty. He finds a pool of water. Leaning down to drink, Narcissus sees a reflection. Narcissus did not realize it was his own reflection and fell deeply in love with it, as if it were someone else. 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.

Another Version of Stories

A later version ascribed to the poet Parthenius of Nicaea, Narcissus suicide. A version by Conon, also ends in suicide. In it, a man named Ameinias fell in love with Narcissus, in the time thet he already rejected his male suitors. Narcissus also spurned him and gave him a sword. Ameinias committed suicide at Narcissus's doorstep. He had prayed to the gods to give Narcissus a lesson. Narcissus walked by a pool of water and decided to drink some. He saw his reflection, became entranced by it, and killed himself because he could not have his object of desire. A century later the travel writer Pausanias recorded a novel variant of the story. 

In all versions, his body disappears and all that is left is a narcissus flower.