ybele (pron. Cu-BELL-ay), closely identified with Rhea, Asherah, Cyprian Aphrodite, Demeter, Artemis, and the Minoan Lady, was Mother of the Gods, the Magna Mater

After the creation of Zeus, he lusted after Cybele and made advances toward her. She rejected them. One night, while she lay sleeping, Zeus furtively masturbates at her feet spilling his semen over her. Ten months later Cybele gives birth to Agdistis, an androgyne of immense strength, ferocity, and passion. Agdistis, uncontrollable, and by far the most physically powerful of the gods, went about laying waste and violently wrecking everything in his vicinity.

Fed up with his wild rampages the gods gather to discuss what should be done, but arrive at no solution. Ultimately, Dionysus, the god of wine, takes matters into his own hands. After one of his destructive sprees Agdistis returns to drink deeply from a common spring that Dionysus has turned to wine. Agdistis falls into a deep sleep. Dionysus, having formed a rope and noose made from fallen strands of Cybele's hair, slips the noose around the genitals of Agdistis.

Screaming in a great voice, Dionysus suddenly wakens Agdistis who, startled, jumps up violently, emasculating himself. A great river of blood pours forth from his wound and is absorbed by the earth from which spring forth all manner of flowers.

Nana, the daughter of the river Sangarius, sees the fruit and finding it beautiful places it on her bosom. Cybele, transforming herself into the form of Agdistis, changes the fruit to a seed from which Nana becomes pregnant. Her father, believing her to have been licentious, locks her away without food or water, attempting to starve her to death. Cybele slips into the girls room secretly each night bringing apples to eat and water to drink. Upon the birth of the child (On December 25th) her father orders it taken to the river and left among the reeds to die. However, a shepherd finds the child and takes him home, nurturing him on the milk of a goat that has recently given birth. The Phrygian name for goat is Attagi, and so the child is called Attis.

Attis grows into a remarkably beautiful young man, and he is gentle with his adopted father's flock. Thus, his father praises him by calling him ``the gentle shepherd''. Cybele, observing that the young lad is more beautiful than any of the gods, loves Attis above all others and showers him with gifts and favors. Attis, of course, returns her love.

Agdistis also loved Attis and seduced the vulnerable young half-god with tales of adventure and the heroic love of men for men, warriors for warriors. He even created lies proclaiming Zeus as first among the gods, undermining the love Attis had for Cybele. Confused, Attis succumbs to the seduction.

Meanwhile, Midas, king of Phrygia, scandalized by Attis' relationship with Agdistis wants Attis to marry his own daughter. Attis, finding the lass comely, eventually agrees to the marriage. To prevent anyone from breaking in on the couple while they are consummating their nuptials, Midas closes the city. However, Cybele, knowing that Attis would never be safe with humans, enters the city by lifting its walls upon her head and rescues him. This explains why she is often depicted with a crown of towers(corona turrita). The towers represent the buildings of the city, Pessinus.

Cybele informs Attis that he is only safe so long as he doesn't wed a human. She also tells him of the agony he caused her when he left with Agdistis. When the young half-god learns of Cybele's suffering, in a fit of passion he grabs a knife and under a pine tree emasculates himself. As he lay dying (Black Friday, it was called, and it equates to Good Friday in the Christian mythos.) he called out, ``Oh Great Mother, forgive me. I never sought to cause you grief and I never will again.'' Violets spring up from drops of his blood, entwining into the boughs of the tree, and therein entered the spirit of Attis.

Upon seeing her son was repentant, emasculated, and had commited suicide to atone for hurting her, Cybele carries the pine tree, with all its decorations, and her son's body, to her cave. For the three days Attis is dead he visits the Underworld. Then, on the third day, Cybele brings Attis back to life. Providing Attis with her most glorious raiment she proclaims the renascent one her daughter and her lover, conferring upon Attis gifts of mystery equal to her own. In her own words Cybele declares the transformation, ``Rejoice, my son is gone and in his place a daughter has arisen. Let all of beauty, strength, power, compassion, honor, mirth, and reverence be at her service. Let all who would do her harm, pay grievous penalty, and to all who do her tribute accrue fitting reward.''

The followers of Cybele and Attis often chanted, "As our Lord was saved, so are we all saved." They called him the Savior of Humanity and the Good Shepherd. 6,000 years later much of the Christ Mythos would be lifted from this myth. However, the Myth of Attis endured for at least 6,000 years. The Jesus myth is a relative newcomer by comparison.