Top Myths about the Greek God Dionysus

In Greek mythology the Greek god Dionysus, the son of Zeus, was a god of wine, ecstasy, and fertility. In art, he is often depicted as a strong man carrying a reed scepter and wearing animal skins.

It is recorded that Dionysus married Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, and fathered many children. Besides this information related to Dionysus, there are plenty of myths surrounding him that may surprise you — here, we have added some of the top myths about the Greek God Dionysus.

Did you know?

Dionysus was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy.

Dionysus’ Mother

Semele (mother of Dionysus) was the daughter of Cadmus, the Phonetician saint, and Harmonia, the Goddess of Harmony. Semele once received the blessing of [1]the Olympian Gods while doing a bull penance in Zeus’ private living area. She began an affair with Zeus.

When Semele grew pregnant with Zeus’ child, Dionysus, Hera (Zeus’ wife) felt jealous and planned her vengeance. One day Zeus offered to give Semele whatever she wanted, all she had to do was ask. Hera, in disguise tricked Semele into asking Zeus to see his true form. Zeus complied, but as Semele was a mortal, the sight of Zeus’ true form burned and killed her. However, Zeus thought of a means to spare the unborn baby, Dionysus from the fire by sewing the baby into his thigh. The baby then grew until the time was right for delivery.

Orphic Traditions

In another story, Dionysus was the son of Zeus and Persephone (based on Orpheus’ stories). Persephone was Zeus’ daughter, niece, and married sister. According to tradition, Zeus seduced Persephone into a cave, and the consequence of this intimate union led to the arrival of Dionysus.

His father loved his child very much. Despite his youth, he had the possibility of ascending to Zeus’ exalted position and wielding Zeus’s lightning strikes, thereby making him Zeus’ replacement in many respects. This was intolerable for Hera, who ordered the Titans to kill the child.

They ultimately planned to and the newborn Dionysus was destroyed and consumed. Regardless, Athena, the true Goddess of Cunning and Warfare, devised a way to protect the youngster’s heart and presented it to the Lord of Thunder, Zeus.

Angry Zeus smites the titans with lightning. He then made an elixir out of the everlasting heart and delivered it to Semele, one of his mortal lovers. Dionysus was finally brought into the world through Semele as the resurrection of the child Persephone had conceived.

Relationship between Dionysus and Hermes

Talking about Hermes, he was the Olympians’ messenger and a carefree prankster God. After Dionysus was born, Zeus afraid of Hera’s wrath, summoned his Hermes. Hermes was entrusted with the liability of the newborn infant, Dionysus.

According to legend, Hermes subsequently handed Dionysus to waterway sprites known as Lamides. The Lamides breastfed and cared for Dionysus. However, they were driven insane by Hera, who forced them to attack the child. Hermes safeguarded Dionysus and took him to Ino. the human ruler of Boeotia.

Hera, over time, discovered Dionysus was being hidden here and threatened to destroy Ino’s family with a flood. Hermes played the savior once more, this time transporting Dionysus to Lydia’s highlands.

Dionysus was delivered to Rhea until he reached adulthood. Although in a different myth Hermes sent the newborn Dionysus to Nysa rain fairies, who cared for him during his childhood and adolescence. In yet another myth, Macris, cousin of Dionysus nurtured him on the island of Euboea.

Pentheus

Following his grandfather Cadmus’ renunciation of the throne, Pentheus became the King of Thebes, as per the Greek mythology deduced from Euripides’ sorrowful drama “Bacchae.” Pentheus controlled Dionysus’ activities in Thebes after gaining power, and he forbade the ladies of his empire from attending God’s stringent ceremonies[2].

This enraged Dionysus, and he launched Bacchic fury magic, causing all of Thebes’ females to go to Mt. Cithaeron in order to perform his ritual. Pentheus apprehended and imprisoned Dionysus but only for a short time. Dionysus was miraculously set free from his shackles and jail cell.

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On This Day

7^th Century BC: At this time, the worship of Dionysus became firmly established.
6^th Century BC: The development of the Greater Dionysia started.
5^th Century BC: Bacchus, who is a minor God, is also identified as Dionysus.