Narcissus (Narkissos) the son of river-god Kephisos (Cephisus) and the nymph Liriope of Thespiae. Th

Narcissus(Narkissos) the son of river-god Kephisos (Cephisus) and the nymph Liriope of Thespiae. The most beautiful and handsome youth, a Boeotian hunter who attracted many admirers, but, in his arrogance rejected them all, wholly inaccessible to the feeling of love towards others. As roman poet Ovid says “And many a youth, and many a damsel sought to gain his love; but such his mood and spirit and his pride, none gained his favour.”

The story with nymph Echo is quite famous and known to many, though less of people know that the reason for Narcissus’ death and subsequent transformation into a daffodil flower was a particular young man named Ameinias. He was one of Narcissus’ admirers, and sought his love, however the latter cruelly spurned his love. Some traditions tell, that Narcissus sent a sword to Ameinias as a reply. In the deep distraught Ameinias prayed to goddess of divine retribution to punish Narcissus for his unfeeling heart and killed himself before his beloved’s door. His prayer was answered when Narkissos fell in love with his own reflection in the water. Gazing endlessly at the perfect image, unable to approach the shadow, he slowly perished, and his body was metamorphosed into the flower. According to some versions he was transformed by the nymphs, and to others—he was instead filled with remorse and killed himself beside the pool—and from his dying life’s blood the flower was born. Thus Ameinias was avenged.

Conon, Narrations 24 (trans. Atsma) (Greek mythographer C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.)

“Ameinias was a very determined but fragile youth. When he was cruelly spurned by Narkissos (Narcissus), he took his sword and killed himself by the door, calling on the goddess Nemesis to avenge him. As a result when Narkissos saw the beauty of his form reflected in a stream he fell deeply in love with himself. In despair and believing that he had rightly earned this curse for the humiliation of Ameinias, he slew himself. From his blood sprang the flower.”

Ovid doesn’t name Ameinias but mentions a certain young man who loved Narcissus:

“…And thus he slighted many an amorous youth. And therefore, some one whom he once despised [probably the youth Ameinias], lifting his hands to Heaven, implored the gods, ‘If he should love deny him what he loves!’ and as the prayer was uttered it was heard by Nemesis, who granted her assent”. (Ovid, Metamorphoses 3. 339 - 509 trans. Brookes More)

Narkissos’ name was the ancient Greek word for the narcissus or daffodil flower. The boy’s mother Leiriope was named after another species of daffodil—the leirion—and his spurned love Ameinias for the plant ‘ameinasis’. Ameinasis was another name for the sweet-smelling herb duosmon—either dill, anise or cummin. Presumably these two were also transformed into their namesake plants. Such a group of sympathetic metamorphoses is common in Greek myth.

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