{Prometheus and Man} {Pandora's Box} {Apple of Discord} {Achilles' Heel} {The Trojan Horse}
{Echo} {Golden Touch} {Sisyphus's Stone} {Labors of Hercules} {The Man Who Loves a Statue}
Echo was a beautiful nymph, fond of the woods and hills, where she devoted herself to woodland sports. She was a favorite of Diana, and attended her in the chase. But Echo had one failing; she was fond of talking, and whether in chat or argument, would have the last word. One day Juno was seeking her husband, who, she had reason to fear, was amusing himself among the nymphs. Echo by her talk contrived to detain the goddess till the nymphs made their escape. When Juno discovered it, she passed sentence upon Echo in these words: "You shall forfeit the use of that tongue with which you have cheated me, except for that one purpose you are so fond of- reply. You shall still have the last word, but no power to speak first."
This nymph saw Narcissus, a beautiful youth, as he pursued the chase upon the mountains. She loved him and followed his footsteps. Oh, how she longed to address him in the softest accents, and win him to converse! but it was not in her power. She waited with impatience for him to speak first, and had her answer ready. One day the youth, being separated from his companions, shouted aloud, "Who's here?" Echo replied, "Here." Narcissus looked around, but seeing no one, called out, "Come." Echo answered, "Come." As no one came, Narcissus called again, "Why do you shun me?" Echo asked the same question. "Let us join one another," said the youth. The maid answered with all her heart in the same words, and hastened to the spot, ready to throw her arms about his neck. He started back, exclaiming, "Hands off! I would rather die than you should have me!" "Have me," said she; but it was all in vain. He left her, and she went to hide her blushes in the recesses of the woods. From that time forth she lived in caves and among mountain cliffs. Her form faded with grief, till at last all her flesh shrank away. Her bones were changed into rocksand there was nothing left of her but her voice. With that she is still ready to reply to any one who calls her, and keeps up her old habit of having the last word.
艾珂 (Echo)是位美麗的水澤女神,愛在山林中逐獵嬉戲。她是亞特米斯 (Artemis)的寵信，經常隨女神出獵，可是艾珂有個毛病，就是喜歡多嘴多舌，不論大家是閒談還是爭論，她總愛接話尾。一日，希拉 (Hera)發現丈夫不見了，懷疑他在跟水澤女神鬼混，便去找他。艾珂用閒話纏住女神，使水澤神女乘機溜掉。真相大白時，希拉對艾珂作了判決：「你用伶牙俐齒哄騙了我，今後你將喪失說話的本領。只有在一種情況下你可以開口說話，你只可以應聲，這本來是你平時最愛幹的事。你能接別人的話尾，但不能先說出自己的意思。」
翩翩少年納西斯 (Narcissus)在山上打獵時遇上了這位女神。她一見傾心，到處跟著他。啊，她真想輕輕地喚他一聲，款款地和他交談，但她卻做不到。她心急如焚地等著他先開口，自己的答話倒是就在唇邊。有一天，少年跟同伴失散了。他大聲喊道：「有人在這裏嗎？」艾珂答：「這裏呀！」納西斯四處張望，不見人影，就又喊道：「過來。」艾珂應聲：「來。」納西斯仍不見有人出現，便再次呼喊，「你為甚麼藏起來？」艾珂也這麼發問。「咱們會合吧！」少年又喊。艾珂同樣的、來自她心底的呼聲。她急忙趕到納西斯跟前，伸出雙臂想去摟抱他的脖頸。他驚得倒退幾步，喊道，「別碰我！我寧可死也不願讓你佔有我！」「佔有我」，她說。但這全是白費心機。他轉身走開，羞得她逃到樹林的深處。從此，艾珂就在岩洞與峭壁間徘徊流浪。悲傷吞噬了她的形體，耗盡她的血肉，終於骨頭化為山岩。她的形體不復可見，但她的聲音仍然存在。至今要是有人呼喚她，她總會發聲回應－她始終保持著原來應聲的習慣。
註：圖為艾珂和納西斯