Dionysus's

Real Name	Dionysus
NickName	Dion
Pronunciation	Die-oh-nie-sus
Designation	Greek god of wine and excess
Date of Birth
Height	6' 9"
Hair Color	Blond
Motto	Boldly Going Nowhere.
Best Friend
Worst Enemy	Apollo
First Appearance	#2 Night Embrace (Talon & Sunshine)

Dionysus was the god of the vine. He invented wine on Mount Nyssa and spread the art of tending grapes around the world. He had a dual nature. On one hand, he brought joy and divin ...Read More

Dionysus was the god of the vine. He invented wine on Mount Nyssa and spread the art of tending grapes around the world. He had a dual nature. On one hand, he brought joy and divine ecstasy and on the other, he brought brutality, thoughtlessness and rage. This reflected both sides of wine's nature, for if used in moderation it can be good, but if abused it can be deadly. If he chooses, the god of wine can drive a man mad and no normal fetters can hold him or his followers.

There are various accounts of his parentage, but the most widely accepted one holds that Dionysus was the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. Zeus fell in love with Semele and came to her 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 for the seduction of this mortal woman. Hera went to Semele disguised as her trusted nurse, Beroe (or some say as her old neighbor) and convinced her she should see her lover as he really was, just to prove that he wasn't a monster, but truly a god.

When Zeus next came to visit her, Semele made him promise to grant her one wish. She was clever and thus made him swear on the River Styx that he would grant her request, an oath that could not be broken without severe penalty. Zeus was madly in love and agreed to grant anything she wished for.

She then asked him to show her his true form. Zeus was very displeased with this request, for he knew what would happen but Semele was very insistent and told Zeus that he could not see her anymore unless he granted her wish. Zeus was furious, but since he had sworn by the River Styx, he had no choice but to
comply. He appeared in his true form, flashing lightning and thunder, and Semele was instantly burnt to death by the sight of his divine glory.

As Semele was dying Hermes, the messenger god and Zeus' able assistant, did manage to rescue Dionysus and stitched the premature baby into the thigh of Zeus to hold him until he was ready to be born. His birth from Zeus alone conferred immortality upon him. Later Dionysus brought Semele up from the Underworld, gave her the name Thyone, and ascended with his mother to Mount Olympus, where she was made immortal by Zeus.

Dionysus' problems with Hera were not yet over. She was still jealous and arranged for the Titans to kill him. The Titans seized the newborn son of Zeus and, despite the fact that he transformed himself repeatedly to evade them, they captured Dionysus and tore him into shreds. A pomegranate tree sprouted from the soil where his blood had fallen.

The Titans boiled the pieces in a cauldron, and Hera thought that Dionysus had perished, but Rhea, mother of Zeus, reconstituted the pieces and brought him back to life. After this, Zeus arranged for his protection and turned him over to Persephone to care for, who in turn entrusted the baby to King Athamas of Orchomenus and his wife Ino, who reared the child hidden in the women's quarters, disguised as a girl.

You guessed it. Hera, still unhappy with Zeus' affair with Semele, was not deceived and proceeded to drive Athamas and Ino insane. The royal couple then mistook their son Learches for a stag, and in their madness Athamas killed him.

Hermes next intervened on behalf of Zeus and temporarily transformed the baby into a kid (baby goat) or ram, and presented him to the mountain nymphs of Heliconian Mount Nysa to be raised. These nymphs were called Bacche, Nysa, Macris, Erato and Bromie, and they took good care of Dionysus in a hidden
cave, fed him on honey and protected him from danger. To reward them for this service, Zeus placed their images among the stars, naming them the Hyades. It was during this time on Mount Nysa that Dionysus invented wine.

Once he grew up Hera realized that he was a son of Zeus and drove him crazy. Dionysus wandered the world actively encouraging his cult, accompanied by the Maenads, wild women, flush with wine, shoulders draped with a fawn skin, carrying ivy-twined staff

Subscribe to Dionysus's Blog