NARCISSUS Son of the river god Kephissos, Narcissus was a vain youth, who spent most of his time languishing by the waters, staring at his own reflection in abject self-adoration. At length, dismayed that he could never love himself enough, he pined away, and for his arrogance the gods changed him into a flower, which still bears his name. This was poetic justice, as the nymph Echo had herself all but pined away for the unrequited love of the vain Narcissus.