Hermaphroditus facts for kids

In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus was a special god, known as the son of Hermes (the messenger god) and Aphrodite (the goddess of love and beauty). He was a minor god linked to fertility, which means helping things grow and reproduce. He also stood for the unity or coming together of male and female qualities. His name is where we get the word "hermaphrodite" from.

The Myth of Hermaphroditus

According to an ancient story by a writer named Ovid, Hermaphroditus was raised by nymphs (nature spirits) in a cave on Mount Ida. When he was about fifteen years old, he decided to travel. He visited cities in a place called Lydia and Caria in Asia Minor (which is modern-day Turkey).

One day, he found a clear, fresh pool of water. He took off his clothes and went for a swim. The nymph of that pool, named Salmacis, saw him and immediately fell in love. She jumped into the water and held onto him tightly, not letting go, even though he tried to get away.

Salmacis then prayed to the gods, asking them to never separate her from Hermaphroditus. The gods heard her prayer and granted her wish. They merged their bodies together, making Hermaphroditus into a new being that had features of both a boy and a girl. Hermaphroditus was very upset about this change. In his anger, he put a curse on the pool. He said that anyone who bathed in that water would also experience a similar transformation.

Worship of Hermaphroditus

The worship of Hermaphroditus first started in Cyprus, where he was known by a different name, Aphroditus. This worship then spread to mainland Greece around the late 5th century BC. People believed that Hermaphroditus was also connected to the moon, because the moon was sometimes thought to have both male and female qualities.

Hermaphroditus in Art

Hermaphroditus was a very popular subject for artists in ancient Greece and Rome. Statues and paintings often showed him alone, or sometimes with playful creatures like satyrs (half-human, half-goat beings) and cupids (small, winged gods of love). One very famous statue is called "The Sleeping Hermaphroditus." You can see it today at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

Images for kids

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  A Roman painting from Pompeii showing Hermaphroditus holding a torch and a cup, with Silenus on the right and a maenad on the left.

See also

In Spanish: Hermafrodito para niños