Ancient Wisdom Atlas

Motif

Self-love directed toward an unattainable reflection

self_love_directed_toward_an_unattainable_reflection

A motif of the Sacred Love and Longing family, within the sub-family Forbidden and Transgressive Love. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.

1 occurrences

1 traditions


roman

  • The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books I-VII EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 5221-5284 confidence: high

    While drinking, Narcissus is attracted to the reflection of his own form, loves a thing without substance, and mistakes a shadow for a body.

    Narcissus sees his own reflected form in water, mistakes it for a body, loves it, and cannot grasp it.

    read in the book