**\#️⃣ Tags:** #Mythology > **🌱 Planted:** Fri 7 February 2025 --- # Read The myth of Narcissus and Echo originates from ancient Greek mythology and is most famously recounted in Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Narcissus, a youth of remarkable beauty, was prophesied at his birth to live to an old age, as long as he never came to know himself. Echo was a nymph who lost the ability to speak her own words and was cursed to repeat only the sounds and utterances of others. When Echo first came across Narcissus, she was enamoured with his beauty. She decided to follow him through the woods, but when Narcissus called out "Who's there?", Echo could only repeat the same. When she came out of the woods and revealed herself, she attempted to embrace Narcissus but he wasn't interested and cast her away. Echo then spent the rest of her days pining for Narcissus, until she withered away and there was nothing left but her voice, still speaking the utterances of others. Since Narcissus denied everyone his love, the gods fated that Narcissus could never have anything that he loved. Sometime later, Narcissus saw his own reflection as he bent down to drink water. Enamoured with his own beauty, he fell completely in love with himself. He tried to capture the image of himself but couldn't, which only made him fall in love with himself more. Narcissus remained by the pool of water looking at his own reflection without any food or water. Terrified to leave his own reflection for fear of losing it, he passed away. The myth is one of self-obsession that prevents Narcissus from being able to see, hear, or react to the needs of another. For Echo, the myth represents an inability to recognise one's own needs and subjectivity, ending with the loss of the self to the other. # Watch  --- **🈁 See Also:** - In [[Narcissistic Family|The Narcissistic Family System]], Narcissus represents the parents which are primarily involved with meeting their own needs, whilst Echo represents the child who tries to gain love, acceptance and validation by becoming reactive to the needs of the parent.