Narcissistic personality disorder derives its name from Greek mythology (Hamilton, 1942). In the ancient myth, Narcissus was an exceedingly handsome lad and a paragon of self-centeredness. When he saw his reflection in water (as depicted here in Echo and Narcisssus, by John William Waterhouse, 1903), he was so entranced by his own image that he stared endlessly at himself, wasted away, and died.