Primal Scene in the Mirror—the Fate of Narcissus

In Ovid’s story Cephisus, the river-god, forces the beautiful nymph, Liriope into love-making under the waves. She gets pregnant and gives birth to Narcissus. The mother asks seer Tiresias if her son will live to a full age; his answer is “If he doesn’t discover himself”. Narcissus reaching a fountain to drink, the mirror of the water enchants him. From this dramatic moment he cannot leave the spring. Narcissus is notable to grasp why he cannot reach the desperately desired image. In the mirror of the water he does not only see his own figure but in the waves he is confronted with the primal scene repeatedly. We argue that the image in the water reflects the coitus of his parents. It terrifies him while simultaneously he becomes envious. His discovery leads him to death. The paper is based on dreams and clinical material of a psychoanalytical case. Our concept is in accord with some of the insights about narcissism of Lacan, Kohut, and Kernberg.