Sparknotes - Salmacis and Hermaphroditus

Summary

 Alcithoe, ..., tells the final love story. The sexually adventurous Salmacis desires Hermaphroditus, but he spurns her. She grabs him when he jumps into her pool, and she prays to the gods to make them one. The gods answer her prayer by making Hermaphroditus become soft and feminine. Salmacis’s nature becomes part of him.

Analysis

As the sisters literally weave, they figuratively weave stories of unfulfilled love. While their love stories feature different kinds of people, they all center on frustrated longing. ...

Salmacis’s love for Hermaphroditus is one-sided. Even when the gods fulfill her request, they do so in an unexpected and unwanted way. Melding her with Hermaphroditus actually prohibits the kind of love she desires.

Book IBook IV page 2