The cult of Cybele, also known as Magna Mater, was imported by the Romans around the 3rd century BC, when the Urbe needed special divine help during a time of crisis. The historical memory of this deity, which, like others, was not of strictly Roman origin, remains not only in written works but also in reliefs like the one you see in the photo, where a bull is brought to the temple of Cybele for the sacred sacrifice. The relief is located on the inner facade of the sixteenth-century Villa Medici. As a tour guide, I recommend visiting the villa, also pausing at the numerous testimonies of ancient Rome that find a place here. Moreover, often in statues, ornaments, or reliefs, the Goddess Cybele is depicted on a chariot drawn by a pair of lions that usually have a fierce muzzle and demeanor. As often happens, these animals also have, in reality, a divine origin. And here she is, for you…

Our story today, following the words of Ovid in his Metamorphoses, begins with the young Atalanta, a very beautiful woman but equally skilled in running. She was so strong and good that no man could defeat her, so good, in fact, that she was the fastest human on earth. Following an oracle that was not exactly favorable, she decided not to marry and, to preserve her virginity, set a strict condition for all her suitors: only the one who would defeat her in a race would have the honor of lying with her and marrying her permanently. Of course, Atalanta knew very well that the conditions were impossible for everyone, so much so that, one after another, all the men who attempted this tragic challenge died. All except one: Hippomenes. This young man, who initially criticized the other men for their stupidity in competing for a woman, fell madly in love at the sight of Atalanta, accepting the challenge himself. Interestingly, Atalanta also fell for Hippomenes, but did nothing to avoid starting the race. On one hand, she wanted very much to lose to be with him, but on the other, she was afraid of the prophecy she had received earlier, which promised her nothing good after marriage. In favor of Hippomenes, however, the Goddess Venus intervened, devising quite a plan! During the race, little by little, Hippomenes threw three golden apples (given to him earlier by Venus herself) to slow Atalanta down. The girl, in fact, at the sight of those golden apples, thrown off the track, went to pick them up, thus slowing her pace and her own race. After the third apple, despite each time she had regained the advantage, Atalanta could no longer recover the ground and time lost, and was defeated. To her joy, we must say, she finally married Hippomenes. But there's a catch: the young Hippomenes never remembered to thank Venus for her precious help, and the Goddess became very angry. She then instilled very strong feelings of love between the two young people, sensations so strong that they were driven to lie together, seized by extreme pleasure, inside a temple dedicated to Cybele. Horrified by the fact that the two, with their acts, were desecrating her sacred space, she cursed them, transforming them into two lions that would serve her for eternity by pulling her chariot.

A tragic story, in the end, but at the same time also romantic, if we want. A very particular tale that, once again, reminds us how, in antiquity, it was not wise to anger the deities who, it is worth remembering, were easily prey to the most human of feelings. I leave you with the description of the metamorphosis written by Ovid:"Consequently, tawny manes cover their once smooth necks, their fingers curve becoming claws, from their shoulders come legs, the weight of the body is concentrated all on the chest, with their tails they sweep the ground. Their faces have a fierce expression, instead of words they emit roars, instead of the bedchamber they frequent the woods: they are lions, formidable to others, but they gently hold Cybele's bridle in their mouths."