Attes

First appears: Book 7 · Chapter 17

According to Calaus, Attes was born incapable of procreation. When he grew up, he moved to Lydia, where Agdistis fell violently in love with him; Attes was slain by a boar sent among the crops, along with several Lydians. At Pessinus, during his wedding, Agdistis appeared and Attes mutilated himself.

Attes celebrated the rites of the Dindymene Mother in Lydia and was honoured there. After Agdistis repented of what had happened to him, Zeus contrived that Attes’s body would not decay or rot; he was also honoured at the temple of the Dindymene Mother.

Relationship record

Life events

• Attes moved to Lydia and was slain by a boar sent among the crops.(Book 7 · Chapter 17 · 📍 Lydia)
  • “Thereupon several of the Lydians and Attes himself were slain by this boar”
• Attes mutilated himself during his wedding after Agdistis appeared.(Book 7 · Chapter 17 · 📍 Pessinus)
  • With: Agdistis
  • “And the wedding song was being sung when Agdistis appeared, and Attes in his rage cut off his private parts”

Book 7 · Chapter 17

• parent: Calaus “But according to the Elegiac lines of Hermesianax he was the son of Calaus the Phrygian, and was born incapable of procreation.”
• admirer: Agdistis “And as the lad’s beauty was more than human, Agdistis grew violently in love with him.”
• with Dindymene Mother (interaction) “And when he grew up he removed to Lydia, and celebrated there the rites of the Dindymene Mother, and was so honoured”
• with Zeus (Zeus arranged for Attes's body not to decay.) “Then Agdistis repented of his action towards Attes: and some contrivance was found out by Zeus so that the body of Attes should not decay nor rot.”

Book 7 · Chapter 20

• with Dindymene Mother (Dindymene Mother is the deity whose temple honors Attes.) “And as you go to the lower part of the city you come to the temple of the Dindymene Mother, where Attes is honoured.”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.