Dionysus
was the most widely worshipped and popular god in ancient
Greece. It's not difficult to see why; he was their god of wine, merriment,
ritual dance, warm moisture, and later, civilization. He was often depicted as
a handsome young man, dressed in fawnskin, and carrying a goblet and an ivy-
covered staff.
Some myths hold that Dionysus was the son of Zeus--the king of the god--
and Persephone--queen of the underworld--but most myths state that he is the son
of Zeus and a mortal woman named Semel. This woman Semele was not any mortal,
though. She was a princess, and a beautiful one at that. Zeus was notorious
for being rather prolific, and when his wife, the goddess Hera heard that he ...
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Zeus until Hera discovered him, and, in a jealous
rage, warped their brains. In this version of the story, Dionysus was turned
into a goat by his father in an attempt to hide him from Hera; from then on he
had small horns on his head.
After he was safe, he went to live with the nymphs, who taught him to
make wine. Hera eventually found him again, and this time she also warped his
brain. The nymphs rejected him, and he went to live with the satyrs, who were
men with goat legs and horns, and their leader Silenus. Dionysus traveled with
the satyrs, who disgusted everyone they encountered with their rude, drunken
behavior.
Silenus is usually portrayed as a fat drunken man who rides on an ass.
He was once captured by King Midas. When Dionysus intervened, Midas freed
Silenus in exchange for the power to turn all he touched into gold. Dionysus
and his band eventually encountered the maenads. The maenads were a group of
wild, warlike creatures. They were horribly vicious, and ...
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Dionysus. (2008, November 27). Retrieved June 20, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dionysus/93738
"Dionysus." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 27 Nov. 2008. Web. 20 Jun. 2025. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dionysus/93738>
"Dionysus." Essayworld.com. November 27, 2008. Accessed June 20, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dionysus/93738.
"Dionysus." Essayworld.com. November 27, 2008. Accessed June 20, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Dionysus/93738.
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