Origin of "Narcissus flower"

The story of Narcissus in Greek mythology is about a handsome young man whose arrogance and vanity led to his downfall.

Narcissus was the son of a river god and a nymph. He was incredibly beautiful, and everyone who saw him fell in love with him. However, Narcissus was very proud and arrogant. He rejected everyone who loved him, breaking their hearts.

One day, a nymph named Echo fell deeply in love with Narcissus. Echo was cursed to only repeat the words others spoke. When she tried to express her love for him, she could only echo his words. Narcissus cruelly rejected her, leaving her heartbroken. Eventually, Echo wasted away until only her voice remained, which could still be heard in caves and mountains.

The goddess Nemesis (Greek goddess of vengeance and retribution) who punished arrogance, decided to teach Narcissus a lesson. She led him to a clear, still pool of water. When Narcissus looked into the water, he saw his own reflection and fell deeply in love with it, not realizing it was just an image. He became so obsessed with his reflection that he couldn’t leave the pool. He stayed there, staring at himself, until he eventually wasted away.

After Narcissus died, a flower grew in the place where he had been. This flower was named after him and is now known as the narcissus flower. His story serves as a warning about the dangers of excessive self-love and pride.