2017-04-19 Wed

Pygmalion, a handsome young sculptor from Cyprus had vowed to never marry. Little did he know that one day he would yearn for the love of his life like a dead man would search for life.

The women of Cyprus were never of interest to Pygmalion and he would only spend time creating life-like statues. He dedicated himself to his work and soon created Galatea, a beautiful statue of a woman out of ivory. She was a woman of unparalleled beauty perhaps created by him to correct in marble the flaws he saw in women of flesh and blood.

He found himself applying strokes of hammer on her with increasing affection; Pygmalion, was now deeply in love! He would dress the statue in the finest of clothes, kiss and caress her, bedeck her with the most beautiful ornaments and even put rings on her finger! What irony that he who had scorned women should fall in love with a woman who could never love back!

The festival of Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty, was here. Pygmalion, prayed with utmost sincerity to have someone like his virgin ivory statue as his wife. Aphrodite understood that he truly wanted not someone alike but his statue as his wife. She went to his workshop when he was away and realized the statue looked much like her. She gave it life.

When Pygmalion returned he kissed Galatea as usual but was startled at her warmth. As he embraced her tightly with hope he was beside himself with joy at discovering that slowly the ivory was turning into flesh. Galatea smiled down at him and spoke adoring words to her loving creator. At last, they found words to thank Aphrodite and did so throughout their life.

Soon they were wed. Aphrodite, the guest of honor blessed them a long life full of love. They had a son, Paphos, who found the city of Paphos in Cyprus and a daughter, Metharme. They lived happily ever after.

This is a 60 cents Greece Stamp of Pygmalion and Galatea published in 2014 expressing their beautiful love story. A man can never love an inanimate object with as much passion as he loves a living, breathing being.

There are a few other Greek tragic love stories like Orpheus and Eurydice , Helen and Paris and Hades and Persephone in this stamp collection. Have you read it yet?