# Golden Bough. A Study in Magic and Religion. Part 4. Adonis Attis Osiris. Volume 1

An audiobook by James Frazer, read by LibriVox volunteers (9 h 30 min, English).

The fifth volume and the first of two in the fourth part of Frazer's seminal work on the evolution of belief deals with the semi mythological legends of the Mediterranean and the eastern civilizations. Many analogies are traced between the worship of Osiris and the worship of the dead, especially of dead kings. The conclusion to which these analogies appear to the point is that under the mythical pall of the glorified Osiris, the god who died and rose again from the dead, there once lay the body of a dead man. The traditions of sacred men and women, ritual sacrifice and burning of gods, the influence of volcanoes upon religion, and the festivals of death and resurrection feature heavily. - Summary by Leon Harvey

[Listen](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/17414)
[Read the book](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/43605/read)

## Chapters

0. PREFACE. Preface to the first edition, Preface to the second edition, Preface to the third edition. (6:28): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_00_frazer_64kb.mp3
1. I. THE MYTH OF ADONIS. Changes of the seasons explained by the life and death of gods, Magical ceremonies to revive the divine energies, Prevalence of these ceremonies in Western Asia and Egypt… (15:43): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_01_frazer_64kb.mp3
2. II. ADONIS IN SYRIA. Adonis and Astarte worshipped at Byblus, the kingdom of Cinyras, Divinity of Semitic kings, Kings named Adonis, "Sacred men", Divinity of Hebrew kings, The Baal and Baalath the… (28:24): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_02_frazer_64kb.mp3
3. III. ADONIS IN CYPRUS. Phoenician colonies in Cyrpus, Kingdom of paphos, Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Paphos, The Aphrodite of Paphos a Phoenician or aboriginal deity, Her conical image, Sacred… (43:32): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_03_frazer_64kb.mp3
4. IV. SACRED MEN AND WOMEN. Part 1. 1. AN ALTERNATIVE THEORY. Theory of the secular origin of sacred prostitution in Western Asia, It fails to account for the facts. 2. SACRED WOMEN IN INDIA. The… (50:00): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_04_frazer_64kb.mp3
5. IV. SACRED MEN AND WOMEN. Part 2. 7. REINCARNATION OF THE DEAD. Belief that the dead come to life as serpents, Reincarnation of the dead in America, Africa, and India, Belief in the Virgin Birth… (55:02): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_05_frazer_64kb.mp3
6. V. THE BURNING OF MELCARTH. Semitic custom of sacrificing a member of the royal family, The burning of Melcarth at Tyre, The burning of Melcarth at Gades, The burning of a god or goddess at Carthage… (14:41): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_06_frazer_64kb.mp3
7. VI. THE BURNING OF SANDAN. Part 1. 1. THE BAAL OF TARSUS. The Tyrian Melcarth in Cyprus, The lion-slaying god, The Baal of Tarsus an Oriental god of corn and grapes. 2. THE GOD OF IBREEZ. Counterpart… (44:42): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_07_frazer_64kb.mp3
8. VI. THE BURNING OF SANDAN Part 2. 5. SANDAN AND THE BAAL OF TARSUS. Sandan at Tarsus apparently a son of Baal, as Hercules of Zeus. 6. PRIESTLY KINGS OF OLBA. Priests of Sandan or Hercules at Tarsus… (59:37): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_08_frazer_64kb.mp3
9. VII. SARDANAPALUS AND HERCULES. 1. THE BURNING OF SARDANAPALUS. Tarsus said to have been founded by Sardanapalus, His legendary death in the fire, Historical foundation of the legend. 2. THE BURNING… (30:06): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_09_frazer_64kb.mp3
10. VIII. VOLCANIC RELIGION. 1. THE BURNING OF A GOD. The custom of burning a god perhaps intended to recruit his divine energies. 2. THE VOLCANIC REGION OF CAPPADOCIA. The custom of burning a god… (1:10:37): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_10_frazer_64kb.mp3
11. IX. THE RITUAL OF ADONIS. Results of the preceding inquiry, Festivals of the death and resurrection of Adonis, The festival at Alexandria, The festival at Byblus, 184; The anemone and the red rose… (22:22): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_11_frazer_64kb.mp3
12. X. THE GARDENS OF ADONIS. Pots of corn, herbs, and flowers called the Gardens of Adonis, These "gardens" charms to promote the growth of vegetation, The throwing of the "gardens" into water a… (49:55): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_12_frazer_64kb.mp3
13. BOOK SECOND. ATTIS. I. THE MYTH AND RITUAL OF ATTIS. Attis the Phrygian counterpart of Adonis, His relation to Cybele, His miraculous birth, His death, Cybele and Attis at Rome, Their spring… (19:17): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_13_frazer_64kb.mp3
14. II. ATTIS AS A GOD OF VEGETATION. Sancity of the pine-tree in the worship of Attis, Attis as a corn god, Cybele a goddess of fertility, The bath in the river. III. ATTIS AS THE FATHER GOD. Meaning of… (15:25): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_14_frazer_64kb.mp3
15. V. THE HANGED GOD. Death of Marsyas on the tree, Marsyas apparently a double of Addit, The hanging of Odin on the gallows-tree, The hanging of human victims among the Bogabos, The hanging of Artemis… (15:29): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_15_frazer_64kb.mp3
16. VI. ORIENTAL RELIGIONS IN THE WEST. Popularity of the worship of Cybele and Attis in the Roman empire, Effect of Oriental religions in undermining the civilization of Greece and Rome, Popularity of… (28:39): https://archive.org/download/golden_bough_part_4_2204_librivox/goldenbough4_16_frazer_64kb.mp3