Pygmalion

In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was the king of Cyprus and a sculptor. Earlier references to the story of Pygmalion include a mention in Pseudo-Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca, a second-century Greek mythography, and a lost narrative by Philostephanus. According to a later paraphrase by Clement of Alexandria, Pygmalion is characterized as an evil king. The most well-known version of this story, which is also the likely inspiration for Shaw, comes from Book 10 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. In this story, Pygmalion was disgusted by what he saw as the sexual promiscuity and sex work of a group of upper-class Cyprus women. After vowing to remain celibate, Pygmalion began sculpting and soon carved a woman out of ivory. His statue was so perfect that he fell in love with it. He kissed and fondled the statue, brought it gifts, and created a bed for it. On Aphrodite’s festival day, Pygmalion made an offering at her altar and wished for a wife like his statue. Upon returning home, Pygmalion kissed the statue, and it came to life. Pygmalion married the statue-woman, and they eventually had a daughter, Paphos. Later versions of the story give the statue-woman a name, usually Galatea or Galathea.