Pausanias Analysis

Passage 7.17.12

← 7.17.11 7.17.13 →

Passage 7.17.12: Attis' self-castration and eternal preservation.

Mythic Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ὑμέναιος δὲ ᾔδετο καὶ Ἄγδιστις ἐφίσταται καὶ τὰ αἰδοῖα ἀπέκοψε μανεὶς ὁ Ἄττης, ἀπέκοψε δὲ καὶ ὁ τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτῷ διδούς· Ἄγδιστιν δὲ μετάνοια ἔσχεν οἷα Ἄττην ἔδρασε, καί οἱ παρὰ Διὸς εὕρετο μήτε σήπεσθαί τι Ἄττῃ τοῦ σώματος μήτε τήκεσθαι. τάδε μὲν ἐς Ἄττην τὰ γνωριμώτατα·

English Translation

The marriage hymn was being sung, when Agdistis appeared, and Attis, driven mad, cut off his own genitals; likewise did the man who had given him his daughter. Afterwards Agdistis felt remorse for what had befallen Attis, and received from Zeus the favor that Attis' body should neither decay nor waste away. These are the best-known accounts concerning Attis.

Proper Nouns

Zeus (Ζεύς) deity
Agdistis (Ἄγδιστις) deity
Attis (Ἄττης) person
← 7.17.11 7.17.13 →