Fenichel and Nunberg, among others, have stressed that one of the greatest sources of an interfering countertransference is the analyst's narcissistic need. It is here suggested, however, that interfering countertransference comes from guilt arising in an almost primitive form from apparent gratification during the positive transference. This situation is compared with that of Greek tragedy: 'the original sin of the Greek tragic hero is hybris, believing that one is godlike'. When the positive transference elevates the analyst, without any choice on his part, to Olympian heights, he is in the role of the Greek tragic hero. This concept is applied to a study of the handling of the transference and countertransference.