Mercury sat and played on the pipes, known as a syrinx, and told many stories. Finally he related the story of how the instrument he played upon was created. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful water-goddess named Syrinx. She avoided young men and only kept company with the moon goddess Diana. Every day she attended to the needs of Diana, and followed her on the hunt. One day the god Pan met Syrinx in the woods, and fell in love with her. He told her how much he loved her, but Syrinx ran away if fear. Pan ran after her, for he wanted to hug her and kiss her. He overtook her on the bank of the river, and reached out to embrace her. She cried out for help from her companion water-goddess, and they responded by turning her into a clump of reeds at the moment of that Pan was about to kiss her. Pan sighed with disappointment when he saw that his beloved Syrinx had turned into a clump of reeds. Pan noticed that the air from his sigh passed through the clump of reeds, and made a beautiful sound. Pan then fashioned the reeds into a musical instrument which he named Syrinx, in honor of the young girl he had loved in vain." At this moment Mercury noted that Argus had fallen fast asleep.

The painting above,"Pan and Syrinx," by Francois Boucher, shows Pan embracing a clump of reeds, as a frightened Syrinx and a friend look on.

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Mercury sat and played on the syrinx, and told many stories. Finally he related the story of how the instrument he played upon was invented. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful river goddess named Syrinx, a follower of the virgin goddess Diana. Syrinx wanted to remain virginal, like Diana, and she followed Diana every day on the hunt. One day the god Pan met Syrinx in the woods, fell in love with her at first sight, and began to tell her how he loved her so. She fled in terror, but Pan ran after her, overtook her on the bank of the river, and reached out to embrace her and kiss her. She cried out for help from her companion water goddesses, and they responded by turning her into a clump of reeds at the moment when Pan was about to kiss her. Pan sighed with disappointment, and the air from his sigh passed through the clump of reeds, and made a beautiful sound. Pan was taken by the sweet sound, and fashioned the reeds into a musical instrument which he named Syrinx, in honor of the maiden he had loved in vain." With this Mercury noted that Argus had fallen fast asleep.

The painting above, "Pan and Syrinx," by Francois Boucher, shows Pan embracing a clump of reeds, as a frightened Syrinx and a companion water-goddess look on.

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Mercury sat and played on the syrinx, and told many stories. Finally he related the story of how the instrument he played upon was invented. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful nymph named Syrinx, a faithful worshipper of the virgin goddess Diana. Like Callisto, Syrinx vowed chastity and followed Diana on the hunt. One day the satyr Pan met Syrinx in the woods, fell in love with her, and began to woo her. She fled in terror, but Pan overtook her on the bank of the river, and reached out to embrace her. She cried out for help from her companion water-nymphs, and they responded by turning her into a clump of reeds at the moment of the embrace. Pan sighed with disappointment, and the air from his sigh passed through the clump of reeds, and made a beautiful sound. Pan was taken by the sweet sound, and fashioned the reeds into a musical instrument which he named Syrinx, in honor of the maiden he had loved in vain." With this Mercury noted that Argus had fallen fast asleep.

The painting above, "Pan and Syrinx,"TBD, by Francois Boucher, shows Pan embracing a clump of reeds, as a frightened Syrinx and a companion look on.

Click on image for full size (SIZE)
REPLACE ME WITH WHERE IMAGE IS FROM