Issachar Gazette: Common Sense in an Age of Vain Ideology
Abre mis ojos
Dionysus
1. Wine alters personality - disruption of normal community life - madness
2. Theatre: loss of identity (Chorus, Actors and Masks)
3. Rare greek god that revels in human sacrifice (make women mad, kill children with bare hands)
4. Blurring of Sex roles (transvestism)
http://dionysia.org/greek/dionysos/thompson/dionysos.html
+ The Bacchantes have other names, Bacchae, Bacchants, and Maenads. Bacchae, Bacchants and Bacchantes come from the Roman name for the god Dionysus, which is Bacchus. Dionysus is called by other names, in addition to Bacchus: Bromius, Zagreus, Iacchos, Bassareus, Euios, Sabazios, Thyoneus, Lenaios or Eleuthereus. (From Philip Slater's Glory of Hera, p.211.)
Egyptian Origins?: Herodotus credits Melampus, son of Amythaon, with introducing Dionysus into Greece in name, worship, and rite. His opinion is that Melampus learned of an Egyptian procession for the vegetation God Osiris and imported much of it, including the phallic procession, into Greece as a Dionysian rite.
1. Spring and offering of first wine
2. Drinking contest
All other sanctuaries are closed, removing access to other deities, and no oaths may be sworn at this time. Spirits were allowed out of Hades and given free roam of Athens, whereas normally they were confined to areas near their graves. In early times they appear to be spirits of ancient Carians whom legend says anciently lived in the area, but later they were apparently the souls of all the dead. People smeared pitch on their doors and chewed buckthorn leaves for protection. Artwork on vases indicate masked mummers as an activity, although it was not part of the official cult. Revellers end this day by wearing ritual garlands as they return to the sanctuary to make sacrifices
3, Day 3
Chytroi, the third and final day, begins at sunset as Choes ends. The wife of the Archon Basileus, ruler of Athens, becomes Ariadne, wife of Dionysus, and has marital union with the God in the Agora. This union may have been literally with a herm or a masked person, but most of the sacred duties of the queen were secret and are not expressly discussed. During the day children's contests take place. The main activity revolves around pottage, a cooked mixture of grain and honey. Pottage offerings were made to Hermes Chthonios for the dead and some was eaten by participants. Hermes was a guide of souls and the offering secured his aid in returning the souls to their proper place in Hades
None of the usual daily activities, including business and worship of city deities, is permitted. Instead, threatening spirits and drunken revelry abound and end all semblance of normal life.
He was the god of fertility and wine, later considered a patron of the arts. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes. He has a dual nature. On the one hand bringing joy and devine ecstasy. On the other brutal, unthinking, rage. Thus, reflecting both sides of wines nature. If he choses Dionysus can drive a man mad. No normal fetters can hold him or his followers.
Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Semele. He is the only god to have a mortal parent. Zeus came to Semele in the night, invisable, felt only as a devine 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 assumed 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 a crisp b
y the sight of his glory. Zeus did manage to rescue Dionysus and stiched 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 to pieces. However, Rhea brought him back to life. After this Zeus arranged for his protection and turned him over 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 templaces 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 is 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 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 these times a man might be greater then himself and do works he otherwise could not.
The festivel for Dionysus is in the spring when the leaves begin to reapper on the vine. It became one of the most important events of the year. It's focus became the theater. Most of the great greek plays were initially written to be performed at the feast of Dionysus. All who took part writers, actors, spectators were regaurded as scared servents of Dionysus during the festivel.