Hermaphroditus, the Intersex God

Bartholomeus Spranger's painting of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis, who is hiding behind the bush (1585).

In 1583, the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II had just moved to Prague. The newfound capital of the Bohemian empire started to attract talents from all across Europe, one of whom was a master artist renowned for his skill in ‘Rudolfian Mannerism’ — Bartholomeus Spranger. Much to the annoyance of the Catholic Church, Rudolf II also had a strange fascinat

ion with erotic poetry. So, he commissioned Bartholomeus to make him a painting of one of the more controversial erotic stories told in the Classical world: the tale of Hermaphroditus, told in Book IV of Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Hermaphroditus at the Louvre

The Greeks worshipped many erotic gods. There was Eros, of course, the physical manifestation of desire. They also worshipped Aphrodite, the goddess of erotic love, and Hermes, the god of messengers and, on rarer occasions, fertility. Aphrodite and Hermes had a son together. They named him (surprise!) Hermaphroditus, a combination of both their names. In a similar fashion, his looks were also a strikingly attractive combination of his parents’ features.

Hermaphroditus was raised by nymphs and naiads in the caves of Mount Phrygia. When he reached 15 years old, he ventured out to Asia Minor. In the woods of Carnia, he ran into a spring whose waters were so crystal clear that he could see straight down to its emerald bank. Only the nymph Salmacis lived there.

Salmacis, unlike her sisters, never learned how to hunt or fight. She spent all her time bathing in the spring, and once she was done bathing, she’d drape herself in transparent robes and lie down on the grass. Seeing Hermaphroditus wandering in the woods, Salmacis was captivated by his alluring beauty. So, she approached him and demanded, “Let me marry you and be your bride, and if I cannot be, let us love each other in secret.” Hermaphroditus did not know what love was—he’d never encountered it, and this whole situation had him really flustered. Salmacis didn’t give up, begging him to let her kiss him, as though she were his sister, but Hermaphroditus firmly rejected her every time. Eventually, Salmacis conceded and promised not to intrude on his privacy anymore, but instead of leaving, she hid behind a bush.

Deceived, Hermaphroditus took off his clothes and jumped into the pool. Suddenly, Salmacis leapt out from behind the bush and forced herself onto him, screaming, ‘I have won! He is mine!” As Hermaphroditus struggled to break free, she prayed to the gods to let them stay united forever, and her wish was granted. Their two bodies were blended into one, sharing both male and female features. Hermaphrodite begged his parents to place a spell on the lake so that anyone who entered it would end up in the same fate as him. As a result, Hermaphroditus became the patron deity of intersex people, and has long remained a symbol of androgyny.

Hermaphroditus and Salmacis at the spring

Author's Note: Since my usual posts are much lengthier to read, I'm trying out shorter and more digestable stories, so there may not be many in-depth analyses for

a while.