Greek God Dionysus
Greek God DionysusDionysus was the god of the vine. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes.
He had a dual nature. On one hand, he brought joy and divine ecstasy. On the other hand,
he brought brutality, thoughtlessness and rage. This reflected both sides of wine’s nature.
If he chooses, Dionysus can drive a man mad. No normal fetters can hold him or his
followers.
Dionysus was the son of Zeus and Semele. He was the only god to have a mortal parent.
Zeus came to Semele in the night, invisible, felt only as a divine presence. Semele was
pleased to be a lover of a god, even though she did not know which one. Word soon got
around and Hera quickly realized who was responsible. Hera went to Semele in disguise
and convinced her she should see her lover as he really was. When Zeus next came to her,
she made him promise to grant her one wish. She went so far as to make him swear on the
River Styx that he would grant her request. Zeus was madly in love and agreed. She then
asked him to show her his true form. Zeus, was unhappy, and knew what would happen
but, having sworn he had no choice. He appeared in his true form and Semele was
instantly burnt to death by the sight of his glory. Zeus did manage to rescue Dionysus and
stitched him into his thigh to hold him until he was ready to be born. His birth from Zeus
alone conferred immortality upon him.Dionysus’ problems with Hera were not yet over.
She was still jealous and arranged for the Titans to kill him. The Titans ripped him into
pieces. However, Rhea brought him back to life. After this, Zeus arranged for his
protection and turned him over to the mountain nymphs to be raised.
Dionysus wandered the world actively encouraging his cult. He was accompanied by the
Maenads, wild women, flush with wine, shoulders draped with a fawn skin, carrying rods
tipped with pine cones. While other gods had temples, the followers of Dionysus
worshipped him in the woods. Here, they might go into mad states where they would rip
apart and eat raw any animal they came upon.
Dionysus was also one of the very few that was able to bring a dead person out of the
underworld. Even though he had never seen Semele, he was concerned for her. Eventually
he journeyed into the underworld to find her. He faced down Thanatos (Death) and
brought her back to Mount Olympus.
Dionysus became one of the most important gods in everyday life. He became
associated with several key concepts. One was rebirth after death. Here his
dismemberment by the Titans and return to life is symbolically echoed in tending vines,
where the vines must be pruned back sharply, and then become dormant in winter for them
to bear fruit. The other is the idea that under the influence of wine, one could feel
possessed by a greater power. Unlike the other gods, Dionysus was not only outside his
believers but, also within them. At...
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