In Greek mythology, a mountain
nymph personifying disembodied sound. According to Ovid's
Metamorphoses, Hera deprived Echo of her speech, except for the repetition of another's last words, after her chatter had kept the goddess from catching faithless Zeus with the nymphs. After being rejected by
Narcissus, she wasted away until only her voice remained.
In another tradition, as described by the Greek writer Longus of the 3rd century
AD, Echo refused the advances of
Pan, the god of flocks and herds, who had her torn to pieces by frenzied shepherds. Earth concealed her remains, which continued to sing in imitation of other sounds.
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