エーコー
エーコー（古典ギリシア語：Ἠχώ、Echo）は、ギリシア神話に登場する森のニンフである。一般的にはエコーと表記される。ギリシア語で元々木霊の意味で、その擬人化である。パーン神と美青年ナルキッソスとの恋で有名であるが、古典時代にはこのような話はなく、ヘレニズム時代以降の後世の物語である。エコーは文字通り木霊・反響などを意味する。
ギリシア神話において、エーコー（ˈɛkoʊ; ギリシャ語：Ἠχώ (Ē), 「響き」[1]）は、シタエロン山（キサイロナス）に住んでいたオレイアス[2]である[3]。ゼウスは美しいニンフと交際するのが好きで、地上にいるニンフをしばしば訪れていた。やがて、ゼウスの妻ヘーラーが不審に思い、ニンフと一緒にゼウスを捕まえようとオリンポス山からやってきた。エーコーはゼウスを守ろうとした（ゼウスに命じられた）ことでヘーラーの怒りに触れ、ヘーラーは彼女に語られた最後の言葉だけを話せるようにさせた。だから、ナルキッソスと出会って恋に落ちたエコーは、自分の気持ちを伝えることができず、彼が自分に恋しているのを見守るしかなかった。
古典的描写
変身物語
詩人オヴィディウスは『変身』（西暦8年）の中で、ユーノー（ギリシア神話ではヘーラー）が夫ユーピテル（ギリシア神話ではゼウス）の浮気に嫉妬する様子を描いている。ユーノーが警戒はしていたものの、ユーピテルを捕まえようとすると、エーコーは長話をして気を紛らわせた。
In Metamorphoses (8 AD), the poet Ovid tells of Juno (Hera in Greek mythology) and the jealousy she felt over her husband Jupiter's (Zeus in Greek mythology) many affairs. Though vigilant, whenever she was about to catch him, Echo distracted her with lengthy conversations. When at last Juno realized the truth, she cursed Echo. From that moment on, the once loquacious nymph could only repeat the most recently spoken words of another person.[4]
Sometime after being cursed, Echo spied a young man, Narcissus, while he was out hunting deer with his companions. She immediately fell in love with him and, infatuated, followed quietly. The more she looked at the young man, the more she longed for him. Though she wished with all her heart to call out to Narcissus, Juno's curse prevented her.[5]
During the hunt, Narcissus became separated from his companions and called out, ‘is anyone there,’ and heard the nymph repeat his words. Startled, Narcissus answered the voice, ‘come here,’ only to be told the same. When Narcissus saw that nobody had emerged from the glade, he concluded that the owner of the voice must be running away from him and called out again. Finally, he shouted, "This way, we must come together." Taking this to be a reciprocation of her love, Echo concurred ecstatically, "We must come together!"[6]
In her delight, Echo rushed to Narcissus ready to throw her arms around her beloved. Narcissus, however, was appalled and, spurning her, exclaimed, ‘Hands off! May I die before you enjoy my body.’ All Echo could whisper in reply was, ‘enjoy my body’ and having done so she fled, scorned, humiliated, and shamed.[7]
Despite the harshness of his rejection, Echo's love for Narcissus only grew.[8] When Narcissus died, wasting away before his own reflection, consumed by a love that could not be, Echo mourned over his body. When Narcissus, looking one last time into the pool uttered, "Oh marvellous boy, I loved you in vain, farewell", Echo too chorused, "Farewell."[9]
Eventually, Echo, too, began to waste away. Her beauty faded, her skin shrivelled, and her bones turned to stone. Today, all that remains of Echo is the sound of her voice.[10]
Daphnis and Chloe
The tale of Daphnis and Chloe is a 2nd-century romance by Greek author Longus. At one point in the novel, Daphnis and Chloe are staring out at the boats gliding across the sea. Chloe, having never heard an echo before, is confused on hearing the fisherman's song repeated in a nearby valley. Daphnis promises to tell her the story of Echo in exchange for ten more kisses.[11]
Daphnis’ rendition differs radically from Ovid's account. According to Daphnis, Echo was raised among the Nymphæ because her mother was a nymph. Her father, however, was merely a man and hence Echo was not herself a nymph but mortal. Echo spent her days dancing with the Nymphæ and singing with the Muses who taught her all manner of musical instruments. Pan then grew angry with her, envious of her musical virtuosity and covetous of her virginity, which she would yield neither to men nor gods. Pan drove the men of the fields mad, and, like wild animals, they tore Echo apart and scattered the still singing fragments of her body across the earth.[11]
Showing favour to the Nymphæ, Gaia hid the shreds of Echo within herself providing shelter for her music and at the Muses’ command, Echo's body will still sing, imitating with perfect likeness the sound of any earthly thing. Daphnis recounts that Pan himself often hears his very own pipes and, giving chase across the mountains, looks in vain for the secret student he can never find.[11]
Other
Both the Homeric and Orphic Hymns to Pan reiterate Longus’ tale of Pan chasing Echo's secret voice across the mountains.[12][13]
Codex 190 of Photius' Bibliotheca states that Pan's unrequited love for Echo was placed there by Aphrodite, angry at his verdict in a beauty contest.[14]
Nonnus’ Dionysiaca contains a number of references to Echo. In Nonnus’ account, though Pan frequently chased Echo, he never won her affection.[15] Book VI also makes reference to Echo in the context of the Great Deluge. Nonnus states that the waters rose so far that even high on the hills Echo was forced to swim. Having escaped the advances of Pan, she feared now the lust of Poseidon.[16]
Whereas Nonnus is adamant that Pan never wins Echo, in Apuleius' The Golden Ass Pan is described with Echo in his arms, teaching the nymph to repeat all manner of songs.[17] Similarly in the Suda Echo is described as bearing Pan a child, Iynx.[18] Other fragments mention a second daughter, Iambe.[19]
Medieval depiction
The Lay of Narcissus
The Lay of Narcissus, one of many titles by which the work is known, is Norman-French verse narrative written towards the end of the 12th century. In the four manuscripts that remain, an unknown author borrows from the Echo and Narcissus of Ovid to create a story better suited to the needs of his time.[20]
This medieval account alters the characters of both Echo and Narcissus. In Ovid's account Echo is a beautiful nymph residing with the Muses, and Narcissus is a haughty prince. In The Lay of Narcissus, Echo is replaced by the princess Dané. Conversely, Narcissus loses the royal status he bore in Ovid's account: in this rendition he is no more than a commoner, a vassal of Dané's father, the King.[20]
In the Lay, Dané is pierced by the arrows of Amor and falls madly in love with Narcissus. Though aware that she should first consult her father, she nonetheless shares her feelings with Narcissus. Despite her emphasising her royal lineage, Narcissus spurns her just as he spurns and flees from all women.[21]
Humiliated, Dané calls out to Amor, and, in response, the god curses Narcissus. In a classic example of poetic justice, Narcissus is forced to suffer the same pain he inflicted on others, namely the pain of unrequited love.[20] The vehicle of this justice is a pool of water in which Narcissus falls in love with his own reflection, which he at first mistakes for a woman.[21] Deranged by lust, Dané searches for Narcissus, naked but for a cloak, and finds him at the point of death. Devastated, Dané repents ever calling to Amor.[20] Dané expresses her love for the last time, pulls close to her beloved and dies in his arms. The poet warns men and women alike not to disdain suitors lest they suffer a similar fate.[22]
While Ovid's story is still recognisable, many of the details have changed considerably. Almost all references to pagan deities are gone, save Amor who is little more than a personification of love. Narcissus is demoted to the status of a commoner while Echo is elevated to the status of princess. Allusions to Narcissus’ homosexuality are expunged. While Ovid talks of Narcissus' disdain for both male and female suitors, the Lay only mentions his hatred of women. Similarly, in the Lay, Narcissus mistakes his reflection for that of a woman, whereas no mention is made of this in Ovid's account. Finally, the tale is overtly moralized with messages about courtly love. Such exhortations were entirely absent from the Metamorphoses rendition.[22]
The Romance of the Rose
The Romance of the Rose is a medieval French poem, the first section of which was written by Guillaume de Lorris in around 1230. The poem was completed by Jean de Meun in around 1275. Part of a much larger narrative, the tale of Echo and Narcissus is relayed when the central figure stumbles across the pool wherein Narcissus first glimpsed his own reflection.[23]
In this rendition, Echo is not a nymph, or a princess, but a noble lady. She fell madly in love with Narcissus, so much so that she declared that she would die should he fail to love her in turn. Narcissus refuses, not because he despises all women, but merely because he is haughty and excessively proud of his own beauty.[23]
Guillaume relays that on hearing Narcissus’ rejection, Echo's grief and anger were so great that she died at once. However, in a similar vein to the Lay of Narcissus, just before she dies, Echo calls out to Deus. She asks that Narcissus might one day be tormented by unrequited love as she had been, and, in so doing, understand how the spurned suffer.[23]
As in the classical myth, Narcissus comes across a pool following a hunt. Though Echo prayed to Deus, and the tale notes that he answered her prayer, it is Amor who waits for Narcissus by the water. Amor causes Narcissus to fall for his own reflection, leading quickly to his death. The tale makes clear that this is not merely justice for Echo, but also punishment for Narcissus’ slight against love itself.[23]
The tale concludes with an exhortation to all men warning them that, should they scorn their lovers, God will repay the offence.[24]
Guillaume's rendition builds on the themes of courtly love emphasised in the Lay and moves further away from Ovid's initial account. The curse of Athena is absent entirely, and the tale is overtly moralised. Unlike in the Lay, however, this moral message is aimed solely at women; this despite the fact that the offending behaviour is perpetrated by Narcissus not Echo.[25]
概説
パーンとエーコー
アルカディア地方の神とされるパーンの逸話のなかで、パーンが恋をした多数のニンフの一人のなかにエーコーがいる。エーコーは歌や踊りが上手なニンフだったが、男性との恋を好まなかったのでパーンの求愛を断った。尊大なパーンは振られた腹いせに、かねて音楽の演奏で彼女の歌に羨望と妬ましさを覚えていたこともあり、配下の羊飼い、山羊飼いたちを狂わせた。彼らはエーコーに襲いかかり、哀れな彼女を八つ裂きにした（彼女のうたう「歌」の節をばらばらにした。「節（メレー）」は歌の節と、身体の節々の両義をギリシア語では持つ）。するとガイア（大地）がエーコーの体を隠したが、ばらばらになった「歌の節」は残り、パーンが笛を吹くと、どこからか歌の節が木霊となって聞こえてきて、パーンをたびたび怯えさせたともされる。
娘イアンベー
エーコーはこのようないきさつで、木霊となって今でも野山において聞こえるのだという。また、別の伝承では、エーコーはパーンとのあいだに一人の娘イアンベー（イアムベー）を持ったともされる。デーメーテール女神が、ハーデースに誘拐された娘のペルセポネーを捜し求めて野山を彷徨いエレウシースに至ったとき、領主ケレオスの館で冗談を言って、女神を笑わせたのが、このイアンベーだともされる。（「エレウシースの秘儀」では、この故に、女たちが笑い声をあげるとされる）。
ナルキッソス
オウィディウスの『変身物語』によれば、ゼウスの浮気相手となった山のニンフたちを助けるために、エーコーはゼウスの妻ヘーラーを相手に長話をしつづけたことがあった。このためにエーコーはヘーラーの怒りを買い、自分からは話かけることができず、誰かが話した言葉を繰り返すことしかできないようにされた。エーコーはナルキッソスに恋したが、話しかけることができないために相手にしてもらえず、屈辱と恋の悲しみから次第に痩せ衰え、ついには肉体をなくして声だけの存在になった。復讐の女神ネメシスによって、ナルキッソスは水面に映る自分の姿に恋し、終には命を落とす。ナルキッソスの嘆きの声は、そのままエーコーの嘆きとなった。
イーオー
グレイヴズの記すところでは（『ギリシア神話』56章a ）、エーコーとパーンのあいだには、娘イユンクスがあったとされる。イユンクスはゼウスに魔法をかけ、河神イーナコスの娘イーオーへの恋心を抱かせたため、ヘーラーの怒りに触れ鳥のアリスイに姿を変えられたという。
参考文献
- Wikipedia：エーコー（最終閲覧日：23-01-03）
- 高津春繁 『ギリシアローマ神話辞典』 岩波書店
- ロバート・グレイヴズ 『ギリシア神話』 紀伊國屋書店
- 呉茂一 『ギリシア神話』 新潮社
関連項目
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