Dionysus

Also known as: Cretan Dionysus / Dionysus the Reveller / Dionysus the Saviour / Lysian Dionysus / Melpomenos · Family: mythological · Role: god · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 2

In Book 1, Pegasus Eleutherensis introduced Dionysus to the Athenians, where Amphictyon feasted him with the gods and Acratus served as his satellite. He was regarded as the father of Ceramus, maintained good relations with Hephæstus—whom he made drunk and brought to Heaven—and was opposed by Pentheus and Lycurgus, who were punished for insulting him. He carried off the sleeping Ariadne while Theseus put out to sea, appeared in connection with Sophocles and Æschylus, and was associated with Silenus, Polyidus, Eleuthereus, and Alcamenes through shrines, temples, and images.

In Book 2, Pentheus spied on Dionysus’s women at Mount Cithæron and was dragged from the tree and torn apart. Dionysus warred with Perseus before becoming friendly with him and receiving great honor from the Argives; he also descended to Hades with the guidance of Polymnus to bring back Semele. In Book 3, Semele bore him as the son of Zeus, and Cadmus spirited mother and son away in a chest. After Semele died and was buried, Dionysus was raised at Brasiæ, where Ino became his nurse.

By Book 5, Physcoa was said to be the mother by Dionysus of Narcæus, and she and Narcæus were credited with first worshipping him. His later traditions connected him with Priapus, Chorea, Hera, and Apollo, while Onomacritus wrote of his orgies using the Titans’ name borrowed from Homer. Statues and temples linked him with Praxiteles, Polycletus, Calamis, Lysippus, Myro, Onasimedes, and Polydorus; a statue found by Eurypylus (son of Euæmon) drove him insane when he opened its chest, and another was said to have been a gift of Zeus to Dardanus.

In Books 7–10, Dionysus’s wrath was associated with the troubles of Coresus, Callirhoe, Dirce, and Antiope. He answered a prayer by helping the women of Tanagra, defeating Triton in combat, while at Cynætha men carried a chosen bull to his temple for sacrifice. Thyia became his first priestess and introduced his orgies; Sulla dedicated a statue taken from the Orchomenian Minyæ; and Theseus, after Dionysus took Ariadne from him, gave her statue to Apollo at Delos. Dionysus was also said to have invaded India and built a bridge over the Euphrates at Zeugma, while Tisagoras made a votive offering to him and the Thyiades celebrated him with Apollo.