HERMAPHRODITUS AND SALMACIS

Hermaphroditus was brought up in a mountain-cave by nymphs, and when he was fifteen he left home to wander unknown lands. When he came to Halicarnassus, on the coast of Asia Minor, he discovered a lovely clear pool of water surrounded by fresh green grass. A nymph, Salmacis, inhabited the pool. She refused to hunt in the woods and follow the pursuits of Artemis, but instead remained at her pool, often languishing seductively on its verdant banks.

Once when she was picking flowers nearby, she caught sight of the divinely beautiful Hermaphroditus and was smitten with an irresistible desire to have him. She carefully made herself as attractive as possible before she addressed him with a fervent declaration of love that she insisted must be consummated.

The boy blushed because he did not know what love was, and when she touched his lovely neck and demanded at least the kisses of a sister, he threatened to leave. Salmacis, afraid to lose him, said that she would give him free access to the place and pretended to leave him all alone. Instead she hid behind a nearby grove of bushes to watch. Hermaphroditus, captivated by the pool, threw off his clothes, and Salamacis was overwhelmed by the sight of his naked body. He dove into the water, and Salmacis, inflamed by passion, quickly dove in after him. She grabbed hold of him and held him, enveloping him with kisses as he struggled to be free. Salmacis clung to Hermaphroditus with her whole body, and it was as though they were one. The gods granted her prayer that they never be separated. Their two bodies were joined together, and they no longer were boy or girl but partook of both sexes.

The parents of Hermaphroditus, now a hermaphrodite, granted his prayer that any man who bathed in this pool would emerge with limbs weakened and softened and but half a man.

from Classical Mythology, Sixth Edition adapted from OVID's Metamorphoses

others who have written about Hermaphroditus include Hyginus (Latin 2nd CE) and Diodorus Siculus (Greek 1st BCE)

The earliest know reference to Hermaphroditos in literature is attributed to Theophrastus' Characters 16 (Greek late 4th BCE)

more Hermaphrodite myth references may be found here and here.

Here Eros is depicted as a Hermaphrodite

This image on a squat lekythos from the Late Classical period (ca. 340 BCE) is called Eros chasing a hare.

As you can clearly see here the normally masculine Eros is depicted with generous breasts, bangle bracelets, necklace, and beribboned tresses.

Male genitalia lead one to speculate whether a distinctly feminine Eros or hermaphrodite is being shown.

This androgynous portrayal of the youthful god of love is characteristic of the late fourth century.

Crane, Gregory R. (ed.) The Perseus Project, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, July, 2002.

The oft copied Sleeping Hermaphrodite is a powerful image, with strong Greek roots in appearance and myth. The original is said to be a bronze attributed to one of the Greek sculptors Polykles (Attica, 2nd BCE).

When approached from behind we see what appears to be a lovely nude woman napping...

Imagine the shock of viewers discovering for the first time the true nature of this lovely being as they moved around this sculpture.

This life size 2nd Century BCE marble statue of Hermaphrodite is from Pergamon.

This work Satyr and Hermaphrodite, much like Sleeping Hermaphrodite, is attributed to Hellenistic origins. It is said to have been replicated at least 26 times in full-size marble, and two minature bronzes have survived.

This work Satyr and Hermaphrodite, much like Sleeping Hermaphrodite, is attributed to Hellenistic origins. It is said to be represented by at least 12 Roman copies.

Images similar to this were likely created in Greece around the 4th Century BCE, though the orgin of this type of pose (known as anasyromenos) comes from a much earlier Syrian tradition.

Another Greek hermaphrodite myth involves Agdistis. The legend goes that Zeus accidentally let his sperm fall upon the ground resulting in a hermaphrodite born of Gaia. Fearful, the gods castrated it.