Hermaphroditus and Salmacis
By Dan Norder, ©1999, all rights
reserved.
It came as no surprise to the nymphs on Mount Ida that the child
placed in their care was beautiful beyond description. The boy,
after all, was the son of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty,
and swift-footed Hermes, messenger of the gods.
Just as he possessed the best attributes of each of his parents
-- his father's natural athletic ability as well as his mother's
charms -- so, too, did he take both of their names into his own.
He was called Hermaphroditus.
Soon the child was not a mere boy, but a young man, longing
to see the world. So he said goodbye to the nymphs who had raised
him and ventured out to see what the rest of the world had to
offer.
As he traveled through forests, past natural springs and along
seacoasts, Hermaphroditus was entranced by the beauty that was
all around him. And, perhaps because he was raised to accept
such things, he would often meet the normally secretive spirits
who protected these wonders.
The Oreads were the nymphs of the mountains, and included
the ones who had nurtured him as an infant. And, although he
knew their nature well, the new ones he ran into in his travels
still managed to surprise him now and then by sneaking up on
him noiselessly across boulders and loose rocks.
Dryads, if anything, were even more adept at concealing themselves.
As forest nymphs they had more places to hide. But young Hermaphroditus
would always eventually triumph over their natural shyness with
his divinely handsome features and boyish charms.
By the rocky coasts of the sea, where the wilds from above
meet the wilds from below, he chanced across some of the Nereids.
Although they could not stay for long, as you could well expect
of nymphs who tended such waters, they indulged themselves long
enough for a short but pleasant conversation. And, after promising
to introduce him to their Oceanid cousins if he should chance
their way again, they flitted under the foam and across waves
until he could no longer hear their giddy laughter in the distance.
Hermaphroditus also encountered the Naiads, protectors of
pools and springs. One particular member of this group would
change his life forever. This is as much her story as it is his.
The nymph Salmacis, who was as beautiful as Hermaphroditus
was manly, lived in a fountain of perfectly clear water near
Halicarnassus. There has been much debate by storytellers and
philosophers about where the pool ended and the nymph began,
or if there were any difference between the two at all. It is
only safe to say they were the same, but also different.
Like others of her kind, she was the living spirit of the
water she inhabited. Although she was also capable of walking
away and leaving the place for a time, she rarely left the fountain.
Salmacis preferred to lounge by the edge and arrange the ferns
that grew there to her liking, gaze at her lovely reflection
in the water or comb her hair until every strand was just exactly
where she thought it looked best.
Other nymphs would join hunting parties in the forest or compete
in races or other athletic events. Salmacis had no interest in
such pursuits. Beauty was all that mattered to her.
Once one of her many sisters gave her a quiver of her own,
thinking the gesture might prompt her to join in that day's deer
hunt. Salmacis did not even pretend to be grateful. Without even
a word of thanks or apology she threw the finely-honed arrows
into a disorganized pile and walked into the woods to gather
flowers in the now empty quiver.
As she returned with her sweet-smelling bouquet she heard
splashing in her fountain. Infuriated at the thought that one
of her deer-killing sisters may be daring to wash off blood from
a hunt in her sparkling waters, she threw the quiver aside and
ran the rest of the way.
But when she got there quite a different sight awaited. There
was a man standing in her pool, washing off dust from his recent
travels. This certainly would have offended her if it weren't
for the fact that this man possessed a god-like physique and
devilish handsomeness.
Although startled by her sudden appearance, Hermaphroditus
spoke graciously, asking for forgiveness if his presence had
been unexpected. Salmacis had never heard such a wondrous sound
as this man's voice. And when he turned his head slightly as
if to ask why she did not respond, she noticed the piercing glint
of his eye and the strength of his jaw. Every single thing about
him seemed to be more splendid than the best of any other man
she'd ever seen had to offer. She was only moved to action when
he turned as if to leave the fountain.
Salmacis quickly jumped in front of him to block his departure.
She promised undying love if he became her husband, unquestioning
servitude if he were a god, even exquisite pleasures if he just
wanted a discrete lover. She swore all three and more if he would
return her affections.
Hermaphroditus was startled and even a bit frightened by this
sudden adoration. He was certainly used to a certain amount of
attention, but this intensity went beyond anything he had experienced,
seen or even conceived of. He decided his best chance was to
run for the woods and try to sort things out later.
But before he could even start to flee, Salmacis detected
his intent in his eyes. She leapt upon him in an instant. They
both tumbled into the waters, legs and arms twisted around each
other. For all his strength Hermaphroditus could not seem to
free himself from her grasp.
The feeling of his skin upon hers only strengthened her resolve
to never let him go. In near ecstasy, Salmacis shouted to the
heavens, imploring the Fates or the gods or whomever would listen
to never allow the two of them to be separated.
And somehow, from her strength of will and his divine heritage,
between the thrashing of the pure water and the twisting of limbs,
man and woman merged into one form. It had one pair of arms,
one set of legs, one head and one face but was both male and
female at the same time. The combination took the worst attributes
of both beings but none of the good traits of either.
So Hermaphroditus, who was both male and female in name, cursed
the pool for making him the same in body. To this day men hesitate
to drink or bathe in waters taken from the fountain of Salmacis
in fear that a similar fate shall befall them as well.
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