Sometimes I think Narcissus got a bad rap...
I mean, he got an entire spectrum of mental maladies named after himself. Why? Because he liked the way he looked (I guarantee it!). NARCISSISM does lie along a spectrum; a spectrum that is long enough for the problem to cross over into what is officially considered a mental illness. But I think (feel) that the thing about Narcissism is that it too often outwardly directed at other people, with the intent to harm. Narcissus wasn't trying to harm or control anyone; as a matter of fact, he is kind of the innocent victim in his story. Let's look back on that story, shall we? With the help of my go-to Mythology lady, Miss Edith Hamilton: author of MYTHOLOGY; a tome I have loved since childhood. In fact, I have no idea what Miss Hamilton looks like. Let's see if we can find a picture of her...
HEY HAL!
HEY HAL!
Yeah...pretty much exactly what I imagined.
Here is the cover of her book, which may ring a bell for you (this was a pretty standard tome in most libraries (and rightfully so!)
Here is the cover of her book, which may ring a bell for you (this was a pretty standard tome in most libraries (and rightfully so!)
And beautifully illustrated by one Mr. Steele Savage (I'll get to him later...).
Okay, so the tale of Narcissus as interpreted by Miss Hamilton has our hero being a beautiful youth pretty much 24/7 and he knows it. And everyone else knows it, which is why all the ladies and the nymphs and nymphettes (and I'm sure a lot of the boy nymphs and nymphettes) want to get with him and get busy! But he "spurns" them all; which is supposed to be a bad and/or wrong thing. It's implied he does this spurning out of spite of some kind; or malice. But is it? Isn't it his right to "spurn" whoever it is he isn't interested in? No means no, yes? If he's full of himself and minding his own business; well, it's his own business, I say. Then along comes the nymph Echo, who wants him most of all but he's not interested--again, his right. Echo, meanwhile, is a Chatty Cathy who may or may not be trying to steer Zeus' wife Hera in the wrong direction re: her husband's constant infidelities. Hera figures out there's a mole in the form of Echo on Olympus, so she curses her. Echo will no longer be allowed to speak until spoken to; and only then can she reply: but only the very last thing the person has said to her. Which makes it really hard for Echo to continue to put the make on Narcissus; meaning, if he's around she can't call out to him.
So, one fine day, Narcissus was looking for his friends in the woods and called out: "Is anyone here?" Echo, alone in a glade responds: "Here!" Narcissus investigates, finds that it's Echo and tells her in no uncertain terms he is NOT interested. Apparently, being that stuck-up and withholding is a punishable offense in Greece; so Nemesis gets involved and decides to give Narcissus a taste of his own medicine. She curses him that he will fall in love with his own reflection, which of course, being nothing but a reflection, cannot return that love. So enamored with himself does he become, that Narcissus stops all activity, other than lying on the bank and staring at himself. Eventually he withers away and the Nymphs find a flower growing where he had lain. They take pity on his soul and escort him across the River Charon, where he leans over the side of the boat to get one last look at himself.
I don't know. I see Narcissus as the rightfully aggrieved party here. I mean, if he'd been dating nymphs and then purposefully dumping them for shits and giggles; that would be one thing. But he wasn't. He was minding his own business until people started getting up in his.
Narcissists use manipulation to get what they want. Narcissus was the one being manipulated here. Thus, I feel, that his name is a misnomer for the affliction. Now here's someone whose name I think would lend itself much better to the condition.
Ladies and Gentlefolk, I nominate:
EMPEROR NERO
Now, there are lots of horrific Roman emperors to choose from; but Nero seems to have been particularly selfish. And "Caligulaist," if you ask me, doesn't have the same ring as...
NEROTOCIST
Okay, so the tale of Narcissus as interpreted by Miss Hamilton has our hero being a beautiful youth pretty much 24/7 and he knows it. And everyone else knows it, which is why all the ladies and the nymphs and nymphettes (and I'm sure a lot of the boy nymphs and nymphettes) want to get with him and get busy! But he "spurns" them all; which is supposed to be a bad and/or wrong thing. It's implied he does this spurning out of spite of some kind; or malice. But is it? Isn't it his right to "spurn" whoever it is he isn't interested in? No means no, yes? If he's full of himself and minding his own business; well, it's his own business, I say. Then along comes the nymph Echo, who wants him most of all but he's not interested--again, his right. Echo, meanwhile, is a Chatty Cathy who may or may not be trying to steer Zeus' wife Hera in the wrong direction re: her husband's constant infidelities. Hera figures out there's a mole in the form of Echo on Olympus, so she curses her. Echo will no longer be allowed to speak until spoken to; and only then can she reply: but only the very last thing the person has said to her. Which makes it really hard for Echo to continue to put the make on Narcissus; meaning, if he's around she can't call out to him.
So, one fine day, Narcissus was looking for his friends in the woods and called out: "Is anyone here?" Echo, alone in a glade responds: "Here!" Narcissus investigates, finds that it's Echo and tells her in no uncertain terms he is NOT interested. Apparently, being that stuck-up and withholding is a punishable offense in Greece; so Nemesis gets involved and decides to give Narcissus a taste of his own medicine. She curses him that he will fall in love with his own reflection, which of course, being nothing but a reflection, cannot return that love. So enamored with himself does he become, that Narcissus stops all activity, other than lying on the bank and staring at himself. Eventually he withers away and the Nymphs find a flower growing where he had lain. They take pity on his soul and escort him across the River Charon, where he leans over the side of the boat to get one last look at himself.
I don't know. I see Narcissus as the rightfully aggrieved party here. I mean, if he'd been dating nymphs and then purposefully dumping them for shits and giggles; that would be one thing. But he wasn't. He was minding his own business until people started getting up in his.
Narcissists use manipulation to get what they want. Narcissus was the one being manipulated here. Thus, I feel, that his name is a misnomer for the affliction. Now here's someone whose name I think would lend itself much better to the condition.
Ladies and Gentlefolk, I nominate:
EMPEROR NERO
Now, there are lots of horrific Roman emperors to choose from; but Nero seems to have been particularly selfish. And "Caligulaist," if you ask me, doesn't have the same ring as...
NEROTOCIST
So, I didn't do a deep dive on Nero, despite the InterwebMachine positing all kinds of inquiries along the lines of: "Was Nero Really All That Bad?" So. I really don't know if he was actually all that bad. I think we all know that he supposedly "Fiddled While Rome Burned." I'm pretty sure the fiddle wasn't invented yet. Perhaps he was playing the lyre? On a quick perusal of his many debaucheries, one really caught my eye. Apparently he would go out at night, into the streets of Rome (disguised?) and accost Roman citizens up to and including robbery and murder. And I think we can assume, both. And I'm guessing probably rape too. And maybe even RapeMurdeRobbery. Huh, the more times change the more they remain the same. Who was it that said: "Times change; people don't"? I think it might've been Carol Brady talking to Marcia or something. Anyways...
I mentioned earlier that Mythology was illustrated by Steele Savage. My favorite one in the book is/was that of Cupid and Psyche:
I mentioned earlier that Mythology was illustrated by Steele Savage. My favorite one in the book is/was that of Cupid and Psyche:
I would stare at this endlessly as a child; and now, looking back, I understand why. But that's for another time.
Steele Savage also, I think, quite nicely lives up to his name.
Steele Savage also, I think, quite nicely lives up to his name.
Talk about dashing! Talk about a "steely" gaze!
Also, a Sagittarius. I would hazard a guess that he was gay too. I mean, check out Psyche checking out Cupid. No wonder she spilled hot oil on him! Clearly, Mr. Savage's work was speaking to me on a deeper level, even waaaaay back then. He passed away in 1970. I was five. He was 72. Time really is a strange and fluid thing as you grow older.
And that flower that grew after Narcissus passed away? The Narcissus, which is also the official flower of December, the month that both myself and Mr. Savage were born. He was Irish and French...and he really looks both, doesn't he?
Well, I guess I'll have to plant a Narcissus for Mr. Savage now. I bet he did a lot of gazing into ponds and streams; maybe even spurned a few people. But don't worry, I won't spurn you. I'll just put you on my Hall Pass List.
Also, a Sagittarius. I would hazard a guess that he was gay too. I mean, check out Psyche checking out Cupid. No wonder she spilled hot oil on him! Clearly, Mr. Savage's work was speaking to me on a deeper level, even waaaaay back then. He passed away in 1970. I was five. He was 72. Time really is a strange and fluid thing as you grow older.
And that flower that grew after Narcissus passed away? The Narcissus, which is also the official flower of December, the month that both myself and Mr. Savage were born. He was Irish and French...and he really looks both, doesn't he?
Well, I guess I'll have to plant a Narcissus for Mr. Savage now. I bet he did a lot of gazing into ponds and streams; maybe even spurned a few people. But don't worry, I won't spurn you. I'll just put you on my Hall Pass List.
CFR 2/25/26
For more on self-obsession and Art...
For more on self-obsession and Art...