Narcissus
A beautiful youth who rejected all lovers and fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Unable to embrace the image, he wasted away and became a flower.
The Legend of Narcissus
Son of the river god Cephissus, Narcissus was so beautiful that nymphs, mortals, and even Apollo admired him, but he rejected every lover. The nymph Echo wasted away after his cruelty until only her voice remained. Artemis (or Nemesis) punished Narcissus by leading him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection. Unable to embrace the image, he wasted away and died. From his body sprang the narcissus flower. The tale parallels the divine punishments of Arachne and Niobe — beauty and pride that offend the gods of Olympus bring destruction.
Parents
Cephissus and Liriope
Symbols
Fun Fact
The clinical term "narcissistic personality disorder" traces directly back to this myth of fatal self-absorption.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Hyacinthus
🗡 heroBeautiful youth killed by a discus
Hyacinthus was a Spartan prince of extraordinary beauty loved by both Apollo and Zephyrus — his accidental death gave birth to the hyacinth flower.
Psyche
🗡 heroMortal whose love conquered a god
Psyche was a princess so beautiful that Aphrodite was jealous — she married Eros in darkness and lost him when she looked, then won him back through impossible labours.
Daphne
🗡 heroNymph who became a laurel tree
A nymph who prayed to be transformed rather than submit to Apollo's pursuit. She became the laurel tree, forever sacred to the god who could not have her.
Tyro
🗡 herolove
Beautiful princess who fell in love with the river god Enipeus, only to be seduced by Poseidon disguised as the river.
Acis
🗡 heroLove, rivers
Sicilian shepherd youth beloved by the sea-nymph Galatea and crushed by the jealous Cyclops Polyphemus
Deianeira
🗡 herolove, destruction
The wife of Heracles whose love inadvertently killed the greatest hero in Greek mythology when she used the poisoned shirt of Nessus.
Iphis of Argos
🗡 heroUnrequited Love, Class, Suicide
Poor Argive youth who died of unrequited love for Anaxarete, who was then turned to stone.
Galatea
🌿 nymphSea nymph loved by a Cyclops
Galatea was a Nereid loved by the Cyclops Polyphemus — but she loved the mortal Acis.
Liriope
🌿 nymphrivers, prophecy
A river nymph who was the mother of Narcissus and the first person to consult the prophet Tiresias.
Adonis
🗡 heroBeautiful youth loved by Aphrodite
Adonis was a youth of such extraordinary beauty that Aphrodite herself fell in love with him — his death and annual rebirth became a metaphor for the cycle of seasons.
Narcissus and Echo
💭 conceptNarrative
The intertwined fates of a youth who loved only his own reflection and a nymph cursed to repeat others' words
Phaon
🗡 herobeauty
Ferryman of Lesbos made supernaturally beautiful by Aphrodite, said to have been loved by the poet Sappho.