Sunday, August 14, 2011

Could it be narcissism?

Yup..sounds narcissistic to me. But in the story, while he was haughty and rather snobbish, he didn't know of his true beauty until sometime past his 16th birthday. He had rejected the embrace of the nymph Echo, who thereupon prayed to Venus to take revenge on him for rejecting her so. Venus heard this prayer and sent Narcissus his punishment. He came across a deep pool in a forest, from which he took a drink. As he did, he saw his reflection for the first time in his life and fell in love with the beautiful boy he was looking at, not realizing it was himself. Eventually, after pining away for a while, he realized that the image he saw in the pool was a reflection of himself. Realizing that he could not act upon this love, he tore at his dress and beat at his body, his life force draining out of him. As he died, the bodyless Echo came upon him and felt sorrow and pity. His soul was sent to "the darkest hell" and the narcissus flower grew where he died. It is said that Narcissus still keeps gazing on his image in the waters of the river Styx.

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