I am Pgymalion

I was a master sculptor in the ancient city of Greece. All day I sculpted beautiful statues from huge pieces of rock. In fact, my creations were so wonderful that whoever saw them were mesmerised by their sheer artistic beauty and exact finish. I myself was a fine and handsome young man, and was liked by all men and women. Many women loved me for my great skill and looks.

                I never paid attention to any of these women. I saw so much to blame in women that I came at last to abhor the sex, and resolved to live unmarried. Because of my unhappiness with women, with my wonderful skill, I sculpted a beautiful ivory statue which was so lifelike that it was difficult to believe that it was lifeless at the first glance. The beauty was such that no living woman could compete with it. It was indeed the perfect semblance of a maiden that seemed to be alive, and only prevented from moving by modesty. My art was so perfect that it concealed itself and its product looked like the workmanship of nature.

                By and by my admiration for my own sculpture turned to love. Oftentimes I laid my hand upon it as if to assure himself whether it were living or not, and could not, even then, believe that it was only ivory. I caressed it, and gave it such presents as young girls love - bright shells and polished stones, little birds and flowers of various hues, beads and amber. I adorned my ivory maiden with jewels, and put rainment on her  limbs, and jewels on her fingers, and a necklace about her neck. To the ears I hung earrings and strings of pearls upon the breast. Her dress became her, and she looked not less charming than when unattired. I laid her on a couch spread with cloths of Tyrian dye, and called her my wife, and put her head upon a pillow of the softest feathers, as if she could enjoy their softness. I gave the statue a name: "Galatea", meaning "sleeping love'.

When I had performed my part in the solemnities, I hesitantly prayed for a wife like my ivory virgin statue. I stood before the altar of Aphrodite and timidly said, "Ye gods, who can do all things, give me, I pray you, for my wife" - I dared not utter "my ivory virgin," but said instead - "one like my ivory virgin."

                But Goddess Aphrodite understood what I was trying to say. She was curious. How can a man love a lifeless thing so much? What she saw greatly amazed her for the sculpture had a perfect likeness to her. In fact, it would not have been wrong to say that my sculpture was an image of Aphrodite herself.

Goddess Aphrodite was charmed by my creation she brought the statue to life.

When I returned to my home, i went before Galatea and knelt down before the woman of my dreams. I looked at her lovingly, with a lover's ardour. It seemed to me that Galatea was looking at her lovingly too.

For a moment, it seemed to me that it was just a figment of my imagination. I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but there was no mistake this time because Galatea was smiling at me.