A Christmas Story

After finishing Middlesex I decided to look up some of the Greek myth characters alluded to in the story. Most obviously, I went to Hermaphroditus, son of Hermes and Aphrodite, who gains, though tragedy (it is Greek) both male and female characteristics. But I also came upon another little male/female mix-em-up story. This is the story if Attis.

Attis is the son of Cybele who became her daughter.
Zeus desired Cybele and made advances to her, which were rejected. One night Zeus approached her while she slept and masturbated at her feet. Later, because of this, Cybele gave birth to Agdistis, who was androgynous and immensely strong.

Because Agdistis was uncontrollable, Dionysus managed to trick him into emasculating himself. A great river of blood pours forth from Agdistis's wound and is absorbed by the earth from which spring forth all manner of flowers.

Nana, sees the fruit and finding it beautiful places it on her bosom. Cybele changes the fruit to a seed from which Nana becomes pregnant. Nana's father, believing her to have been licentious, locks her away without food or water, attempting to starve her to death but Cybele supplies her with food and drink. Upon the birth of the child her father orders it taken to the river and left among the reeds to die but a shepherd finds the child and takes him home. The child is named Attis.

Attis grows into a remarkably beautiful young man, and 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 man.

Midas, king of Phrygia, arranges Attis to marry his own daughter. Cybele and Agdistis however disrupt the ceremony. Cybele informs him of the agony he caused her when he left with Agdistis. When Attis 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 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 that her son was repentant, emasculated, and dead, Cybele carries the pine tree, with all its decorations, to her cave. For the three days Attis is dead and 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."

I hadn't heard this story before. Or at least so concise and straight-fowardly put. Does it look a little familiar to you? Or is it just a disturbing fairy tale primitively about the changing of seasons from those silly old pagans? It is, but look closer. There is the Immaculate Conception! There is attempted infanticide! There the shepherds! There the self-sacrifice on a tree! The crying out to god for forgiveness! Then, most importantly, after three days of death (in a cave no less!), resurrection!

In this Christmas season I see more and more evidence that Jesus is actually not the reason. Of course, to thousands of people this is not a revelation that the Jesus story might be complete fiction derived from Greek roots (and even before that through oral traditions!). However, for me, I don't know how to feel. This evidence, and others, is what the skeptic in me is always looking for but never hoping to find. Jesus was the go-to guy for me for too long to just junk him so easily. As Hedwig said when asked if he/she believed in Jesus, "No, but I love his work." Even if it is fiction. And I love Christmas, even if it is really just a hyped-up Winter Solace Celebration.