In Greek mythology, the word "echo" comes from the nymph Echo, whom Hera punished by taking away her voice so that she could only repeat another's shouted words. Before the curse, Echo distracted Hera with constant chatter while Zeus chased other lovers, and Hera eventually struck back by limiting her speech to simple repetition. Later, Echo fell in love with Narcissus, but she could not speak freely to him and could only mimic his words. Rejected and heartbroken, she faded away until only her disembodied voice remained.
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