ABSTRACT
There is in the region of Boeotia a town called Thespiae, not far from Mt Helicon, where the child Narcissus was born. In the territory of the Thespians is a place called Donacon. The people of the town think that the Narcissus flower first grew in that place where the blood of Narcissus was spilt. Here is the spring of Narcissus. They say that Narcissus looked into this water, and not understanding that he saw his own reflection, unconsciously fell in love with himself, and died of love at the spring. The nymph Alcyope created Narcissus from the river called Cephisus; the soothsayer Teiresias foretold that he would be fortunate if he did not place too much faith in his beauty. The daughter of Iuno, Echo, fell in love with him, and, unable to win his love, followed him although he fled from her, repeating the last sounds of his words, and thus died of love.
