The Fountain Of Salmacis

Hermaphrodite:

a flower containing both male and female organs;

a person or animal of both sexes.

The child Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes

and Aphrodite, the result of a secret love affair.

For this reason he was entrusted to the nymphs of

the isolated Mount Ida, who allowed him to grow up

as a wild creature of the woods. After his encounter

with the water nymph Salmacis, he laid a curse

upon the water. According to fable, all persons

who bathed in the water became

hermaphrodites.

From a dense forest of tall dark pinewood

Mount Ida rises like an island

Within a hidden cave, nymphs had kept a child

Hermaphroditus, son of gods

So afraid of their love

As the dawn creeps up the sky

The hunter caught sight of a doe

In desire for conquest

He found himself within a glade

He'd not beheld before

Hermaphroditus: (Narrator):

"Where are you, my father?"

Then he could go no farther

"Give wisdom to your son"

Now lost, the boy was guided by the sun

And as his strength began to fail

He saw a shimmering lake

A shadow in the dark green depths

Disturbed the strange tranquility

Salmacis: Narrator:

"The waters are disturbed the waters are disturbed

Some creature has been stirred

Naiad queen Salmacis has been stirred"

As he rushed to quench his thirst

A fountain spring appeared before him

As his heated breath brushed through the cool mist

A liquid voice called

"Son of gods, drink from my spring"

The water tasted strangely sweet

Behind him the voice called again

He turned and saw her, in a cloak of mist alone

And as he gazed

Her eyes were filled with the darkness of the lake

Salmacis: Narrator:

"We shall be one "She wanted them as one

We shall be joined as one"

Yet he had no desire to be one"

Hermaphroditus:

"Away from me cold-blooded woman

Your thirst is not mine"

Salmacis:

"Nothing will cause us to part

Hear me, O Gods"

Unearthly calm descended from the sky

And then their flesh and bones

Were strangely merged

Forever to be joined as one

The creature crawled into the lake

A fading voice was heard:

"And I beg

Yes I beg that all who touch this spring

May share my fate"

Salmacis: Narrator:

"We are the one"

"The two are now made one

We are the one"

Demi-god and nymph are now made one"

Both had given everything they had

A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last

Forever still beneath the lake