Echo in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Echo

11 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Echo, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Echo was an Oread in Greek mythology, a mountain nymph that lived on Mount Kithairon.Zeus was quite attracted to nymphs and often visited them. Hera... For the story in one place, read our article on Echo.

Pindar (1)

Pindar, Olympian Odes 14.1–24Olympian 14: for Asopichus — the Graces of OrchomenusPindar calls on the Graces of Orchomenus, by the Cephisus, to attend the victory song for Asopichus, boys' foot-race winner, and names Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thalia. He says that all that is good for gods and men comes from the Graces, and asks Echo to carry the news of the victory to Cleodamus in the dark house of Persephone.

Aristophanes (1)

Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 1001–1135Episode: Andromeda and EchoBound to the plank, Mnesilochus plays the chained Andromeda and sings a lament, and Euripides answers from hiding in the part of Echo, repeating his words until the Scythian archer is baffled. Euripides then enters as Perseus to rescue the captive, but the Scythian refuses to let him loosen the prisoner and threatens him with a sword, and Euripides leaves.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.316–399Teiresias and EchoZeus (Jupiter, 'Jove' in More's translation) and Hera (Juno) quarrel over whether men or women have more pleasure in love, and Teiresias (Tiresias), who has been both, is asked to judge. He says women, and Hera strikes him blind, and Zeus gives him the gift of prophecy; he tells the nymph Liriope that her son Narcissus will live only if he never knows himself. The nymph Echo, who once used her chatter to keep Hera from catching Zeus' mistresses, is punished by being able only to repeat the last words of others, and she falls in love with Narcissus, who rejects her and every other lover.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.402–510NarcissusOne of the lovers whom Narcissus has scorned prays that he may love and not win his love, and Nemesis grants the prayer. He sees his own reflection in a clear pool, falls in love with it and cannot leave, and wastes away. Echo, who still loves him, grieves, and when he dies a flower with white petals and a yellow centre grows in his place.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.35.1–11Hermion: temples and the festival of Demeter ChthoniaPausanias lists the temples of Hermion: Dionysus of the Black Goatskin, Artemis Iphigenia, Poseidon, Hestia, three Apollos, Fortune, and the cisterns. He describes the sanctuary of Demeter Chthonia on Mount Pron, its two foundation stories, the summer festival with the sacrifice of cows by four old women, the temple of Clymenus, the Colonnade of Echo, the chasm through which Hercules brought up the hound of hell, and the sanctuary of Ilithyia.

Nonnus of Panopolis (6)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 16.302–405Book 16: Nicaia's grief; the birth of Telete and the founding of NicaiaPan and a Satyr envy Dionysos his wine and bewail their own unlucky loves. Nicaia wakes and understands what has happened; in grief and anger she tries to find and shoot Dionysos, swears never to drink from the spring again and thinks of hanging herself. She bears a daughter, Telete, and Dionysos founds the city of Nicaia, named after the nymph and the victory over the Indians.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 48.653–810Book 48: Aura's madness and her labourAura wakes to find herself violated and, in her frenzy, kills herdsmen, hunters and vintagers across the hills. She finds that she is pregnant and thinks of killing herself and the child, and Echo answers her cries. In her labour she refuses to call on Artemis, and Artemis delays the birth to punish her.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 6.258–388Book 6: The flood; Pan and Galateia; the earth renewedLand and sea creatures mingle in the flood, and Pan and Galateia talk as she swims past him. The rivers Nile, Alpheios and Pyramos wander in search of their loves. Deucalion floats in his ark, and Poseidon splits a mountain to let the water run off, so that cities are built again.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 8.0–121Book 8: Semele's pregnancy; Ares threatens to leave heavenSemele grows heavy with child and is carried off by every strain of pipes and cymbals in the hills. Envy, jealous of the unborn Dionysos, stirs up Ares, who complains of Zeus's loves and says he will leave Olympos for Thrace. Hera, still angry, meets Deceit near Mount Dicte.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 42.196–321Book 42: Pan's advice and Dionysos' failed wooingDionysos confides in the lovesick Pan, who advises him to feign modesty and indifference, praise Beroe's beauty above the goddesses', and win her by hints and silent gestures. Dionysos tries to woo her with words about vines, fields and harvest and offers to be her labourer, but she answers nothing. He then takes her hunting-net and pretends to admire it.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 48.474–652Book 48: Dionysos' wine-spring and the sleeping AuraLovesick and unable to speak to the unyielding Aura, Dionysos sees the shade of Ariadne reproach him in a dream. Remembering how he won another nymph by a potion, he opens a spring of wine on the rock when Aura is parched with thirst at midday. She drinks, falls asleep, and Dionysos binds her hands and feet and takes her while she sleeps.