Fountain of Salmacis
Fountain of Salmacis

Genesis - Fountain of Salmacis Lyrics

Rock
Jun 1, 1982
382
Fountain of Salmacis Music Video

Fountain of Salmacis Lyrics

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 he'd not beheld before.

Hermaphroditus:
"Where are you, my father?
Give wisdom to your son"
Narrator:
Now lost, the boy was guided by the sun"
"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:
"The waters are disturbed
Some creature has been stirred"
Narrator:
"The waters are disturbed
Naiad queen Salmacis has been stirred"

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, "Son of gods, drink from my spring".

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:
"We shall be one
We shall be joined as one"
Narrator:
"She wanted them as one
Yet he had no desire to be one"

Hermaphroditus:
"Away from me cold-blooded woman
Your thirst is not mine"

Salmacis:
"Nothing will cause us to part
Hear me, O Gods"

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:
"And I beg, yes I beg that all who touch this spring
May share my fate"

Salmacis:
"We are the one
We are the one"
Narrator:
"The two are now made one
Demi-god and nymph are now made one"

Both had given everything they had.
A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last,
Forever still beneath the lake.

Writer(s): ANTHONY BANKS, PETER GABRIEL, STEVEN HACKETT, MICHAEL RUTHERFORD
Copyright(s): Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

Attach an image to this thought

Drag image here or click to upload image

The Meaning of Fountain of Salmacis

Be the first!

Post your thoughts on the meaning of "Fountain of Salmacis".

Latest Blog Posts
Lyrics Discussions

1

10
Hot Songs

2

2K
Recent Blog Posts