Agdistis, Cybele, and Attis

0 Comments | November 14, 2006 at 10:17 am by mahud
Filed under Greek (Classical) Mythology

The Phrygian myth concerning the goddess Cybele and Attis begins with the god Zeus who manages to impregnate the earth (Cybele was identified with the earth goddess Rhea) while he slept, resulting in the birth of the Hermaphrodite Cybele (called Agdistis).

The gods castrate Cybele, and an almond tree grows from her severed genitals. Nana, the daughter of a river god, becomes pregnant with the boy Attis, after she picks an almond from the tree and it enters her womb. Eventually, Attis reaches manhood and the all-female Cybele falls in love with him.

Unfortunately, Attis is betrothed to a daughter of king Pessinus, and so the jealous Cybele sends Attis into an insane frenzy whereby he castrates himself and dies.

Full of remose, Cybele decrees that Attis’ body shall never decay, or according to another tradition, Attis is transformed into the evergreen pine tree.