Mythology & Language: Echo and Narcissus

Echo

Echo was a nymph in Greek Mythology. She was very beautiful, but loved her own voice.
According to the Ancient Roman poet Ovid, Echo once had the job of distracting Hera (Zeus' wife) while Zeus was having relationships with other women. She did this by leading Hera away and flattering her. When Hera found out she was very angry with Echo. She put a curse on her that meant that she could only speak the last words of other people after she had heard them. It is due to this story that we get the meaning behind the word echo.

Narcissus

After she was cursed, Echo fell in love with Narcissus. Narcissus was very handsome and anybody who saw him always fell in love with him. However, Narcissus had no heart and could not fall in love with anybody. Echo could not speak to Narcissus but wanted to be able to see him. She therefore followed him everywhere, but made sure that he could not see her.
Narcissus got lost and called out "Is anyone here?". Echo said back "Here, here, here." Narcissus then asked Echo to come out of her hiding place. Echo did so and then told Narcissus that she loved him by hand movements. Narcissus, who was angry that so many people loved him, told Echo that he did not love her.
Echo was very upset and prayed to the goddess Aphrodite for death. Aphrodite granted Echo's wish, but she liked Echo's voice so much she kept it alive.
As Narcissus had rejected Echo and broken her heart, she then went and haunted valleys and mountainous ares where echoes are able to be heard in all hollow places of the earth.
Narcissus was renowned for his beauty. He was exceptionally proud and he disdained those who loved him. As divine punishment he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, not realizing it was merely an image. When Narcissus realised he was in love with his own reflection, he became utterly distraught and realising no way to fulfill his love, he took his hunting knife and stabbed himself through the heart. As the blood drops fell to the ground they produced the first growth of the Daffodil, also known as the Narcissus flower (or plant).
The term narcissism means an excessive love or admiration of oneself. It is also used to refer to a psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem. Narcissism is then defined as the attribute of the human psyche charactized by admiration of oneself but within normal limits.