Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite, and he was raised by nymphs in the caves of Mount Phrygia. On his face, one could see the grace and beauty of both of his parents, from whom he took his name. When he was fifteen years old, he left the mountain where he grew up to wander into Asia Minor and meet new people. In the woods of Caria, he stopped to rest and drink water from a spring called Salmacis. The homonymous nymph, Salmacis, was captivated by the beauty of the young man and tried to seduce him, but was rejected. When Hermaphroditus felt he was alone, he jumped into the water naked to swim. Salmacis appeared behind a tree and jumped in as well, wrapping her body around that of the young man, forcibly kissing and touching him. While Hermaphroditus was trying to break free from her, the nymph called out to the gods to let them be united forever. The gods decided to grant her wish and blended their two bodies into one, creating a creature of both sexes. Hermaphroditus prayed to his parents, Hermes and Aphrodite, that anyone else who bathed in that spring would share his fate. And the gods granted his wish.
