Acis and Galatea

Polyphemus, the one-eyed Sicilian giant was in love with the mermaid Galatea, expressing his emotions in this song:

"Galatea, whiter than the snowy privet petals,

taller than slim alder, more flowery than the meadows,

friskier than a tender kid, more radiant than crystal,

smoother than shells polished by the endless tides;

more welcome than the summer shade, or the sun in winter,

showier than the tall plane-tree, fleeter than the hind;

more sparkling than ice, sweeter than grapes ripening,

softer than the swan’s-down, or the milk when curdled,

lovelier, if you did not flee, than a watered garden."

As you can see, his love was unrequited and Galatea loved handsome Acis, a sixteen-year old youth. Polyphemus spotted them together and he was so incensed with jealousy that he hurled a rock at Acis, killing the boy. Blood flowed from beneath the rock which then turned to water and the rock split open and revealed that Acis had been transformed into a river god.