Dionysus & His Followers

I.The Birth of Dionysus (the twice born god) A. Zeus & Semele 1. He disguised himself as a mortal to carry on an affair 2. He did this to hide his identity and to protect Semele from Hera’s jealousy B. Hera’s Jealousy 1. She disguised herself as an old woman and appeared before Semele in her sixth month of pregnancy 2. She urged Semele to ask her lover to reveal his true form to her 3. When Zeus revealed himself to her, he appeared as a lightening bolt, and she was consumed by his light and burned to ashes.

The Evil Old Woman Zeus, Semele & Baby Dionysus

C. Hermes’ Rescue 1. Zeus refused to lose his unborn child, so he rescued him from the ashes 2. He called upon Hermes to rescue the unborn child from Semele’s womb 3. Hermes placed the child inside Zeus’ thigh and sewed up the tear 4. This is the reason he is called the “Twice-Born God”

II.Dionysus Hides Out A. Ino & King Athamas 1. Hermes brought Dionysus to Ino, Semele’s sister 2. Ino & King Athamas, her husband, dressed Dionysus as a girl to keep him hidden from Hera 3. Hera was too smart and eventually saw through the clever ruse 4. Hera drove Ino & Athamas mad

B. The Nymphs of Mount Nysa (the Maenads) 1. Zeus saved Dionysus and transformed him into a young goat 2. The Nymphs of Mount Nysa nursed him to adult-hood in the form of a goat child 3. He was the restored to human form, and the Nymphs became known as the Maenads or female votaries to the god

III.Dionysus on Tour A. Hera drove Dionysus mad, thus he wandered aimlessly through Egypt and Syria for many years B. Cybele 1. Once in Phrygia, Cybele, the Phrygian mother goddess, recognized Dionysus and welcomed him 2. She purified him and cured him of his madness 3. She initiated him into her religious rites a. He learned well and soon created his own rites based on those of Cybele b. To honor her, Dionysus adopted her dress: long, flowing robes and a crown of ivy

Cybele, the Phrygian Mother Goddess Ivy

C. The Inventor of Wine? 1. Dionysus declared himself the god of grapes, as well as vegetation and, of course, wine 2. Some say he discovered the vine and its use, thus he invented wine a. The medicine for misery b. The bearer of sleep c. The reliever of human troubles 3. He began frequenting the woods, mountains and valleys a. He enjoyed reveling with mortals b. He loved wine, women, song and travel

D.The Bacchants (followers of Dionysus) 1. maenads – the nymphs of Mount Nysa 2. silens 3. satyrs E.Bacchic Rituals 1. Worshippers celebrated Dionysus as a fertility god 2. Through a combination of wine, music, dancing and religious fervor, followers achieved a mystical communion with the god 3. Followers dressed in flowing robes 4. They also covered their robes in animal skins and snakes 5. In addition, each reveler carried a thrysus

6. High in the mountains in secluded forests, they would engage in frenzied rites, often at night 7. Under the dual influence of wine and religious ecstasy, revelers became one with their god 8. Women frolicked with gazelles, wolves or fawns 9. They engaged in sparagmos 10. By banging the thyrsus on the ground, the Bacchants created springs of water, wine, milk and honey Dionysus and the Bacchants on Mount Nysa

Maenads Dionysus with a thyrsus

Dionysus and the Bacchants

F.Dionysus the Missionary? 1. He traveled from land to land, spreading the culture of the grape 2. He spread the word about his divinity and initiated countless followers into his mystery religion 3. His kind of worship was foreign to Greece 4. The many battles recounted between Dionysus and the kings generally reflected the very real battles between those who preached the word of Dionysus and those who fought the spread of the mystery religion

IV.The Unbelievers A. Lycurgus – Dionysus drove him mad for not believing B. The Tyrrhenian Pirates 1. Believing him to be a prince, they kidnapped him 2. His shackles kept falling off his wrists 3. One shipmate warned that the “prince” was a god, and they should leave him in peace, but none would heed him 4. Immediately after setting sails, miracles began to occur a. The ship froze in the water b. Streams of wine flowed through the ship c. Vines spread across the ship

d. Ivy, lush with flowers and berries, entwined itself about the mast e. Wreaths crowned the pins where the oars rested f. Dionysus transformed into a lion g. The crew dove into the water, and Dionysus turned them into dolphins C.King Pentheus – Dionysus drives his mother mad, and she kills him

Dionysus & the Pirates

V.The Believers A. Women B. Ariadne – his wife C. Icarius and Erigone – Icarius was murdered, and Erigone killed herself as a result of their belief in Dionysus D. Oeneus of Calydon – presented Dionysus with his wife for a short time E. King Midas – He honored Dionysus, so Dionysus offered to grant him anything he desired. Of course, Midas asked for the golden touch, and he was granted it.

Dionysus & Ariadne

King Midas & Dionysus

VI.Dionysus takes his place on Mount Olympus A. He wanted to bring Semele with him on Mt. Olympus B. Dionysus journeyed to Hades, retrieved his mother, and ascended to Mt. Olympus C. To avoid Hera’s wrath, Semele became known as Thyone Dionysus – god of Nysa sparagmos – the ritualized dismemberment of a living animal thyrsus – a wand with grape leaves or ivy with a pine cone on top