Who Was Echo And Why Was She Punished?

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Who was Echo and why was she punished?

Echo, an insignificant nature goddess or more known as a nymph. She lived a peaceful life on Mount Cithaeron up until the point that she offended Zeus' wife Hera. Echo was one of the many nymphs who used to accompany Zeus in his various affairs. One day, Hera caught on to the fact that Zeus was spending time with Echo, and she decided to punish the nymph for her wrongdoings. Hera confronted Echo and condemned her with a curse that made Echo unable to speak unless she was repeating the words of another person serving as a punishment for her treachery. (“Echo”)

Who was Narcissus?

In Greek mythology the tale of Narcissus is one of the most well-known alluring myths, which has been portrayed in a variety of ways throughout history. Narcissus was the son of Cephissus, a river god and Liriope, a nymph. He was born with great beauty and was loved by all who came across him. However, Narcissus was also incredibly egotistic and became obsessed with his appearance, constantly admiring himself. The story of Narcissus takes a deadly turn when he comes across his own reflection in a pool of spring water and becomes so in love with his own beauty that he cannot pull himself away. Narcissus becomes captivated by his own reflection and falls in love with himself. (Cartwright)

How did Echo fall in love with …show more content…

Echo was immediately struck by Narcissus' good looks and charm. She followed him quietly, hoping to catch his attention. Unfortunately, Narcissus remained careless to Echo's presence. He continued to hunt, and Echo followed him in silence, repeating his words, hoping to get his attention. Overhearing her footsteps, Narcissus yelled, ‘Who's there?' to which she answered, ‘Who's there?' When she finally showed herself, she rushed to hug Narcissus, but he scorned her and pushed her away. Heartsick, Echo retreated into the woods, where she dwelled until her death.