Freddie Mercury knew the truth.
Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was an avatar of the Mystic Hermaphrodite. Using slang for a transvestite as the name for his band was the starting point. The stage name “Mercury” was a reference to the Roman god of the same name, who in turn was equated with the Greek god Hermes, from whom we get the word “Hermaphrodite”. In fact, his entire glam rock androgeny stage act may well have been a straight attempt to subvert the archetype and ascend. Think about it, why else would a song entitled “Princes of the Universe” run exactly 3:33?
And before anyone fact-checks me, I know we don’t exactly get “Hermaphrodite” from Hermes, but it’s close enough, and he /was/ an androgynous legend. 🙂
You’re closer than you think, actually.
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From Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Hermaphrodite \Her*maph”ro*dite\, n. (Biol.)
An individual which has the attributes of both male and
female, or which unites in itself the two sexes; an animal or
plant having the parts of generation of both sexes, as when a
flower contains both the stamens and pistil within the same
calyx, or on the same receptacle. In some cases reproduction
may take place without the union of the distinct individuals.
In the animal kingdom true hermaphrodites are found only
among the invertebrates. See Illust. in Appendix, under
Helminths.
From Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913):
Hermaphrodite \Her*maph”ro*dite\, a.
Including, or being of both sexes; as an hermaphrodite
animal or flower.
{Hermaphrodite brig}. (Naut.) See under {Brig}. –Totten.
From WordNet r 1.6:
hermaphrodite
adj : (biology) of animal or plant; having both male female
reproductive organs
n : one having both male and female sexual characteristics and
organs
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Excellent deduction.
Technically, we get it from Hermaphroditus, as you observed. 🙂 It is close enough, though.
Cheers,
Sean.