2.  Called Bacchus
by the Romans
 God of wine,
agriculture,
and fertility of
nature.
 Patron to Greek
theater

3. Dionysus and Greek Theater
•The development of Greek Theater developed from the worship of Dionysus in Athens.
•The theater of Dionysus was on the south slope of the Athenian acropolis and held
room for an audience of 17,000.
•There were also dramatic contests at the Rural Dionysia and the Lenaia festival.
•Lenaia is a synonym for 'maenad', which is used to describe Dionysus' frenzied
worshipers.

4.  Son of Zeus and mortal woman, Semele
 Zeus came to Semele in the form of a mortal
but she was told he was a god
 Hera found out and came to Semele in
disguise and convinced her that she should
see her lover as he really was
 Semele made Zeus promise to grant her one
wish

5.  He agreed and she requested that he show
her his true form.
 Having sworn, he had no choice but to
comply
 Semele was killed instantly by the sight of his
glory
 Zeus managed to rescue Dionysus from her
womb and stitched him into his own thigh
 Dionysus was granted immortality

6.  Hera, still jealous, arranged for the Titans to
kill Dionysus
 Titans ripped him to pieces, but Rhea (wife of
Cronus) brought him back to life
 Zeus then arranged for his safety and turned
him over to the Nymphs of Nysa to be raised
 The nymphs later became his followers

7.  Often compared to
half-brother, Apollo
 Apollo is rational
and thoughtful
while Dionysus is
libido and
gratification.

8.  Has the power to drive his followers mad and
is at the heart of the savage madness that
leads to brutal murder on occasion
 Sometimes associated with Hades, one of the
few gods that can bring dead people out of
the underworld
 Representation of the raw, primal desires and
indulgences of humans

9.  One of the most important gods of everyday
life
 Associated with the key concept of rebirth
after death
 His dismemberment and return to life echoes
the tending of vines

10.  Numerous bars, clubs, etc. (places
considered those of indulgence and
careless gratification) named after him
 He is considered a Christ figure for his
death and return to life and celebration of
bread and wine.
 Many modern scholars believe that the use
of bible story of the Marriage at Cana
(where Jesus turns water into wine) was
intended to show Jesus as superior to
Dionysus.