thumb|Narcissus, fresco from the [[House of Marcus Lucretius Fronto|House of M. Lucretius Fronto at Pompeii.]]
In Greek mythology, Narcissus (; ) is a hunter from Thespiae in Boeotia (alternatively Mimas or modern-day Karaburun, İzmir), known for his beauty which was noticed by all. According to the best-known version of the story in Ovid's Metamorphoses, Narcissus rejected the advances of all women and men who approached him, instead falling in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. In some versions, he beat his breast purple in agony at being kept apart from this reflected love, and according to Ovid turned into a flower bearing his name.
The character of Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a self-centered personality style. This quality in extreme contributes to the definition of narcissistic personality disorder, a psychiatric condition marked by grandiosity, excessive need for attention and admiration, and an impaired ability to empathize.
Etymology
In his Etymological Dictionary of Greek, R. S. P. Beekes says that "the suffix [] clearly points to a Pre-Greek word".
Family
In some versions, Narcissus was the son of the river god Cephissus and nymph Liriope, while Nonnus instead has him as the son of the lunar goddess Selene and her mortal lover Endymion.
Mythology
thumb|[[Narcissus (Caravaggio)|Narcissus, oil painting by Baroque artist Caravaggio.]]
Several versions of the myth have survived from ancient sources, one from Pausanias, the Greek traveler and geographer of the second century AD, and a more popular one from Ovid, published before 8 AD, found in Book 3 of his Metamorphoses. This is the story of Echo and Narcissus. In Ovid's narrative, the framing revolves around a test of the prophetic abilities of Tiresias, an individual who has experienced life as both a man and a woman. His sight was taken from him during a dispute between Juno and Jove; siding with Jove led to his blinding by an enraged Juno. In compensation for his lost sight, Jove granted him the gift of prophecy. The prophecy that solidified Tiresias's reputation is the tale of Echo and Narcissus.
Ovid
After being "ravaged" by the river god Cephissus, the nymph Liriope gave birth to Narcissus, who was "beautiful even as a child." As was the custom, she consulted the seer Tiresias about the boy's future, who predicted that the boy would live a long life only if he never "came to know himself". During his 16th year, after getting lost while hunting with friends, Narcissus came to be followed by a nymph, Echo.
Echo
Echo was an Oread (mountain nymph) and, like Tiresias, had a sensory ability altered after an argument between Juno and Jove. Echo had kept Juno occupied with gossip while Jove had an affair behind her back. In another similar version by Ovid, Echo kept the goddess Juno occupied with stories while Zeus's lovers escaped Mount Olympus. As a punishment, Juno took from Echo her agency in speech; Echo was thereafter never able to speak unless it was to repeat the last few words of those she heard. Echo had deceived using gossip; she would be condemned to be only that from then on.
Meanwhile, Echo spied Narcissus, separated from his hunting friends, and she became immediately infatuated, following him, waiting for him to speak so her feelings might be heard. Narcissus sensed he was being followed and shouted "Who's there?" Echo repeated, "Who's there?" While this interaction continued, Echo came close enough so that she was revealed, and attempted to embrace him. Horrified, he stepped back and told her to "keep her chains". Heartbroken, Echo wasted away, losing her body amidst lonely glens, until nothing of her but her chaste verbal ability remained.
Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, heard the pleas of a young man, Ameinias, who had fallen for Narcissus but was ignored and cursed him; Nemesis listened, proclaiming that Narcissus would never be able to be loved by the one he fell in love with.
After spurning Echo and the young man, Narcissus became thirsty. He found a pool of water which, in Ovid's account, no animal had ever approached. Leaning down to drink, Narcissus sees his reflection, which he finds as beautiful as a marble statue. Not realizing it was his own reflection, Narcissus fell deeply in love with it. Thus both Tiresias's prophecy and Nemesis' curse came true in the same instance.