Nymphs And The Love Of Echo

Nymphs are spirits of Nature. They belong to the Greek mythology. Nymphs are depicted as young women of great beauty. Often they are depicted nude and dancing surrounded by flowers. They are the retinue of gods like Dionysus, Artemis, Apollo... Nymphs are daughters of Zeus. They are cheerful spirits that watch the actions of mortals, helping them sometimes. They are also inspiring beings. Muses are nymphs of the fountains, that inspire the artists. There are several types of nymphs, from the earth and the waters. The nymphs from rivers and fountains are called Naiads, and have the power of healing and divination. Dryads are the nymphs of the forests. They protect them, and their lives are tied to a tree. When that tree disappears, the dryad also dies. Nereids are daughters of the sea, and they protect the sailors. Other nymphs care about the mountains, the caves, the meadows... and others are defenders of the animals. In ancient wedding ceremonies, the bride was sprayed with water from a spring, so the nymph of that spring may protect her matrimony. Healing powers are attributed to water springs due to the nymphs that lived in them. One of the most popular myth about nymphs was the legend of Echo. Echo was a nymph with a beautiful voice that loved to sing. Her voice was very captivating. So the Goddess Hera felt very jealous, and stole her voice. Echo could only repeat the last word said by those who talked with her. Echo fell in love with Narcissus. But Narcissus rejected her. With her heart broken, she sheltered in a cave. Pain destroyed her, and only her voice's echo remained. The Gods felt offended by what Narcissus did. And many women prayed to the Gods asking the punishing of Narcissus. So they sent Nemesis, the God of Vengeance. Narcissus watched his own image reflected in the waters, and fell in love with his own reflection. And trying to reach it, he drowned. The legend says that in the Styx river, where the dead abode, Narcissus is still watching his own reflection. -Emma Alvarez- © 2008 by Emma Alvarez. Link to this post without copying the text. Some Related Posts: If you liked this post, subscribe to Emma Alvarez Site or give yourself a gift Stumble it! Add me to your del.icio.us network