Who is echo greek mythology

Echo spotted the most beautiful young man. His name was Narcissus. Echo did something she thought she would never do - she fell in love. But Hera had taken most of her voice. All she do was echo sounds made by others. She could howl like a wolf, but only if a wolf had just howled.

She could sing like a breeze through reeds, but only if the reeds sang first. How could she tell Narcissus that she loved him? One day, she spotted Narcissus looking into a stream. He seemed enchanted by what he saw. He did not know it was only the reflection of himself. Things did not go well for Narcissus after that. Narcissus returned to the stream again and again. He stared at the lovely young man he saw in the water, a young man who was only the reflection of himself.

Hidden from sight, Echo watched Narcissus as he lay by the stream. She repeated everything that Narcissus said. Narcissus ignored her. Day after day he lay by the stream, admiring his own reflection. He stopped eating.

He stopped drinking. And finally, he died. The god Pan spotted Echo one day and fell madly in love. But Echo would have nothing to do with him. This made Pan so angry that he used his powers to panic his shepherds. They went mad, and tore Echo to pieces. Pieces of Echo were carried by the wind all over the world. Gaia, the Earth mother, who had always liked Echo, could not change what Pan had done.

She could not change what Hera had done. But she could let the pieces of Echo keep what voice remained to them. Thanks to Gaia, even today, you can sometimes hear a piece of Echo repeating the sounds around her - the howl of a dog, the toot of a train, or the last few words that people say, echoing softly. Zeus was known for his infidelities. He had multiple children with multiple women, and is found through numerous stories engaging in trysts with many different beings.

His appetite for nymphs was no different. Zeus invited Echo and her sisters to Mount Olympus. While Echo was distracting Hera with her endless, ongoing chatter, Zeus would be able to bed the other nymphs.

Soon, Zeus set it up so that should he leave Mount Olympus to spend some time with the nymphs, he would send Echo to distract Hera if she should come looking for him. Enraged she took away what was most precious to Echo, her ability to speak naturally, as punishment. Echo was still left with a voice, but could only repeat what others around her were saying.

She could never again start a conversation, but could only repeat what others said to her. Narcissus was the son of the Nymph Liriope and the river god Cephissus. At only 16, he was lauded over due to his natural beauty. So much in fact that he had continuously fought off the advances of many potential suitors.

Echo too became one of the women pining after the extremely handsome and charming Narcissus.