Echo in Greek Mythology

Greek Mythology

Echo is a beautiful wood nymph with a renowned voice for singing and storytelling. She is eventually punished by Hera and can only repeat what other people say.

Echo was a beautiful wood nymph who was a favorite of the goddess Aphrodite. Aphrodite wanted Echo to find love, but Echo never found a man appealing enough. The god of the woods, Pan, often chased after her, but he could never catch Echo. As she walked through the woods one day, she stumbled across Zeus in a dalliance with another nymph. Nearby, she also saw Hera wandering through the woods, looking to catch Zeus cheating on her. Echo intervened, as she often did when Zeus was in the woods visiting nymphs and Hera came looking for him, saying that Zeus had already been there and left, and he was looking for Hera. Zeus rewarded Echo with a ring. When Hera returned to the woods, after not finding Zeus at Olympus, she saw the ring on Echo’s finger and realized she had been tricked. Her punishment for Echo was to make her repeat the last words anyone ever said to her.

At this moment, the most handsome man in the world, Narcissus, was walking through the woods. Echo fell in love with him instantly, but couldn’t hold a conversation with him because she kept repeating everything he said to her. In frustration, he finally stormed off, leaving Echo heartbroken. Echo prayed to Aphrodite, who made everything but her voice disappear. She punished Narcissus by allowing him to see Echo in the water and hear her voice, but never touch or meet her.

Echo Quick Reference

Parents

Uranus


Notable Myths


Companions

None


Symbols / Attributes