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Hermaphroditus
Child of Aphrodite and Hermes in Greek mythology / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus (/hərˌmæfrəˈdaɪtəs/ ⓘ; Ancient Greek: Ἑρμαφρόδιτος, romanized: Hermaphróditos, [hermapʰróditos]) was a child of Aphrodite and Hermes. According to Ovid, he was born a remarkably beautiful boy whom the naiad Salmacis attempted to rape and prayed to be united with forever. A god, in answer to her prayer, merged their two forms into one and transformed him into a hermaphrodite, he being considered the origin of the name.[lower-alpha 1] His name is compounded of his parents' names, Hermes and Aphrodite.[1] He was one of the Erotes.
Hermaphroditus | |
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Member of the Erotes | |
![]() Herculaneum fresco 1–50 AD, National Archaeological Museum, Naples. | |
Abode | Mount Ida |
Parents | Hermes and Aphrodite |
Consort | Silenus |
Equivalents | |
Roman equivalent | Atlantius |
Because Hermaphroditus was a child of Hermes, and consequently a great-grandchild of Atlas (Hermes's mother Maia was the daughter of Atlas), sometimes he is called Atlantiades (Greek: Ἀτλαντιάδης).[2]