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 heand'd not beheld before.
hermaphroditus:
andquot;where are you, my father?
give wisdom to your sonandquot;
narrator:
now lost, the boy was guided by the sunandquot;
andquot;then he could go no farther
And as his strength began to fail
he saw a shimmering lake.
a shadow in the dark green depths
disturbed the strange tranquility.
salmacis:
andquot;the waters are disturbed
some creature has been stirredandquot;
narrator:
andquot;the waters are disturbed
naiad queen salmacis has been stirredandquot;
As he rushed to quench his thirst,
a fountain spring appeared before him
and as his heated breath brushed through the cool mist,
a liquid voice called, andquot;son of gods, drink from my springandquot;.
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:
andquot;we shall be one
we shall be joined as oneandquot;
narrator:
andquot;she wanted them as one
yet he had no desire to be oneandquot;
hermaphroditus:
andquot;away from me cold-blooded woman
your thirst is not mineandquot;
salmacis:
andquot;nothing will cause us to part
hear me, o godsandquot;
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:
andquot;and i beg, yes i beg that all who touch this spring
may share my fateandquot;
salmacis:
andquot;we are the one
we are the oneandquot;
narrator:
andquot;the two are now made one
demi-god and nymph are now made oneandquot;
Both had given everything they had.
a loverand's dream had been fulfilled at last,
forever still beneath the lake.
