Ovid's Metamorphoses (selections) Week 5: Ancient Rome - Assignments - Reading - Resources - Images

Echo and Narcissus Reading time: 4 minutes. Word count: 700 words.

Tiresias makes a prophecy when Narcissus is born

Famous throughout all the Aonian cities, Tiresias gave faultless answers to people who consulted him. Dusky Liriope, the Naiad, was the first to test the truth and the accuracy of his words, whom once the river-god Cephisus clasped in his winding streams, and took by force under the waves. This loveliest of nymphs gave birth at full term to a child whom, even then, one could fall in love with, called Narcissus.

Being consulted as to whether the child would live a long life, to a ripe old age, the seer with prophetic vision replied 'If he does not discover himself'.

Echo falls in love with Narcissus

For a long time the augur's pronouncement appeared empty words. But in the end it proved true: the outcome, and the cause of his death, and the strangeness of his passion.

One year the son of Cephisus had reached sixteen and might seem both boy and youth. Many youths, and many young girls desired him. But there was such intense pride in that delicate form that none of the youths or young girls affected him.

One day the nymph Echo saw him, driving frightened deer into his nets, she of the echoing voice, who cannot be silent when others have spoken, nor learn how to speak first herself.
Echo still had a body then and was not merely a voice. But though she was garrulous, she had no other trick of speech than she has now: she can repeat the last words out of many.

Juno made her like that, because often when she might have caught the nymphs lying beneath her Jupiter, on the mountain slopes, Echo knowingly held her in long conversations, while the nymphs fled. When Saturnian Juno realised this she said 'I shall give you less power over that tongue by which I have been deluded, and the briefest ability to speak' and what she threatened, she did. Echo only repeats the last of what is spoken and returns the words she hears.

Now when she saw Narcissus wandering through the remote fields, she was inflamed, following him secretly, and the more she followed the closer she burned with fire, no differently than inflammable sulphur, pasted round the tops of torches, catches fire, when a flame is brought near it. O how often she wants to get close to him with seductive words, and call him with soft entreaties! Her nature denies it, and will not let her begin, but she is ready for what it will allow her to do, to wait for sounds, to which she can return words.

Echo speaks to Narcissus

By chance, the boy, separated from his faithful band of followers, had called out 'Is anyone here?' and 'Here' Echo replied.

He is astonished, and glances everywhere, and shouts in a loud voice 'Come to me!' She calls as he calls.

He looks back, and no one appearing behind, asks 'Why do you run from me?' and receives the same words as he speaks.

He stands still, and deceived by the likeness to an answering voice, says 'Here, let us meet together'. And, never answering to another sound more gladly, Echo replies 'Together', and to assist her words comes out of the woods to put her arms around his neck, in longing.

He runs from her, and running cries 'Away with these encircling hands! May I die before what's mine is yours.' She answers, only 'What's mine is yours!'

Scorned, she wanders in the woods and hides her face in shame among the leaves, and from that time on lives in lonely caves. But still her love endures, increased by the sadness of rejection. Her sleepless thoughts waste her sad form, and her body's strength vanishes into the air. Only her bones and the sound of her voice are left. Her voice remains, her bones, they say, were changed to shapes of stone.

She hides in the woods, no longer to be seen on the hills, but to be heard by everyone. It is sound that lives in her.

Questions. Make sure you can answer these questions about what you just read: what does Tiresias predict will be the downfall of Narcissus? what kind of conversation do Echo and Narcissus have? what happens to Echo when Narcissus rejects her? Source: A.S.Kline, translator. Ovid's Metamorphoses (2000). Weblink. Kline has made his English translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses freely available over the Internet.