The story of Narcissus is one of the most intriguing tales from Greek mythology. It is an example of Boeotian pederastic cautionary tale – a story meant to teach by counterexample.
Narcissus was the son of the river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was famed for his beauty, causing many to fall hopelessly in love. Their advances were, however, met with contempt and ignored.
One of these admirers was the Oread nymph, Echo. She spotted Narcissus as he was hunting in the woods and was captivated. Narcissus sensed he was being watched, causing Echo to reveal herself and approach him. But Narcissus cruelly pushed her away leaving the nymph in despair. Tormented by this rejection, she roamed the woods for the rest of her life, finally wilting away until all it remained of her was an echo sound.
