Lyrics Steve Hackett – Fountain Of Salmacis
Text:
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
The hunter caught sight of a doe
In desire for conquest
He found himself within a glade he’d not beheld before
Hermaphroditus / Narrator:
«Where are you, my father? / «Then he could go no further
Give wisdom to your son» / Now lost, the boy was guided by the sun»
And as his strength began to fail
He saw a shimmering lake
A shadow in the dark green depths
Disturbed the strange tranquility
Salmacis / Narrator:
«The waters are disturbed / «The waters are disturbed
Some creature has been stirred» / 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 / Narrator:
‘We shall be one / ‘She wanted them as one
We shall be joined as one’ / Yet he had no desire to be one’
Hermaphroditus:
Your thirst is not mine»
Salmacis:
«Nothing will cause us to part
Hear me, O Gods!»
Unearthly calm ascended 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 / Narrator:
«We are the one / «The two are now made one
We are the 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
