I have quite an extensive list of fictional Greek mythology husbands. It includes Hades, Helios, Cupid, and Achilles, just to name a few. One particular 'guy' surpasses almost all of them.

He enjoys wine, celebrations, strolls along the shore, leopards, and dispatching his female followers to cause chaos in cities that have offended him.

He goes by many names - Dionysus, Bacchus, and even the patron saint of frat boys, rock stars, and married people.

The god of wine, festivity, fertility, and theatre rarely seeks revenge, but when he decides to, he does so in a truly stylish manner.

I hear about disgusting things going on, here in the city - women leaving home to go to silly Bacchic rituals, cavorting there in mountain shadows, with dances honouring some upstart god, this Dionysus, whoever he may be.   

SPOILERS:

I thought about which book to revisit, Bacchus or Medea. The choice was easy. There's crazy, and there's my husband left me, so I murdered our children crazy.

Medea:

n  n


I prefer to indulge in stories about a hot deity struggling with alcoholism and leading an all-female cult that negatively impacts others JUST BECAUSE.

I have many friends who aren't familiar with Greek mythology, so before diving into the story, let me provide you with a quick background on Dionysus.

Dionysus was born to Semele, a mortal, and Zeus, the ruler of the gods. Semele was seduced by Zeus and ended up pregnant. Hera, Zeus' wife, disguised herself as an elderly woman to gain Semele's trust. Through manipulation, Hera convinced Semele to ask Zeus for a wish. Zeus, bound by his oath on the River Styx, had to comply. Semele's wish was to see Zeus in his full divine form. Despite his shock and sadness, Zeus had to reveal himself. It is essential to honor any commitment made on the River Styx. When a mortal lays eyes on a god in their full splendor, the result is fatal, and Semele was consumed by flames.

Zeus rescued the unborn baby by stitching him inside his thigh (don't ask how; I'm not a doctor). If you find that insane, you better dig into the origins of Athena, the half-sister of Dionysus. Don't worry about Semele - when Dionysus reached adulthood, he ventured into the Underworld and brought her to Mount Olympus. It seems like Hades took the day off or something.

Let's dive into the book now.

Dionysus was chilling, minding his own business:

n  n

Suddenly, some of the citizens of Thebes, including his three aunts, began spreading rumors about his mother. They accused Semele of being promiscuous and getting pregnant by a mere mortal. They refused to accept that Dionysus was Zeus' son. Enraged, Dionysus vowed to seek justice for his mother and teach a lesson to those who dared to speak badly of her.

You messed up by angering not just any god but one of the twelve Olympians. Well done, Thebes.

'Tis a majestic thing, the darkness.   

Dionysus causes the women of the town to go insane, even his aunts, and guides them to the mountains to participate in 'sacred' rituals. By 'sacred,' I mean some weird shit went down.

That's what you get for talking smack about a deity's mother.

n  n

He wants to avenge his mother, prove his divinity to all, and establish a cult. Sounds like a bulletproof plan to me.

Upon discovering the existence of the Dionysus cult, Pentheus, the king of Thebes (and the son of Semele's sister Agave), becomes furious. He prohibits the worship of Dionysus and vows to hunt down and eliminate the enigmatic stranger responsible for seducing his subjects (who is, in fact, Dionysus in disguise).

Dammit, Pentheus, if people want to join a cult, let them! What else is there to do in ancient Greece?

The stranger (Dionysus) is captured and confined. Utilizing his godly abilities, he frees himself and wreaks havoc on his surroundings. Meanwhile, the women of the town, now identifying as the Bacchae, descend into madness. They begin assaulting the villagers. I haven't questioned anything so far, so why begin now? Do what needs to be done, ladies.

Dionysus, in disguise, successfully convinces Pentheus to refrain from resorting to violence against the women. He manipulates and distorts Pentheus' mind. He leads him out of the security of his palace. Pentheus begins to act strangely. I'm going to climb a tree kind of crazy. Dionysus reveals his true identity, and the Bacchae show up to begin killing Pentheus (his mother, Agave, is among the women).

Pentheus loses his head. Literally. Agave returns to the town, holding her son's decapitated head. She proudly presents it to her father, the former king of Thebes. Shock and horror fill his face as he witnesses the gruesome sight. As Agave's madness gradually subsides, she starts to comprehend the magnitude of her actions. She and her sisters are forced into exile. Her parents transform into serpents. Dionysus and his followers embark on their mission to destroy another city. What else is there to do in ancient Greece?

Exclusive clip from Semele, chilling in the afterlife, watching her sister Agave kill her son Pentheus:

n  n

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the tale of Theseus leaving Ariadne on a deserted island only to be saved by Dionysus, who later became her husband. I'm currently on a quest to discover a deserted island, intentionally lose my way, and patiently await the arrival of a hot deity who will rescue me.

P.S. There are several translations of this book. Choose wisely.


Playlist:

Living Colour - Cult of Personality
MGMT - Little Dark Age
Billie Eilish - You Should See Me in a Crown
Lana Del Rey - Gods and Monsters
David Kushner - Daylight
The Chainsmokers - Sick Boy
Echos - Saints
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage - Rockstar

Si divora facilmente, pur imponendosi di assaporarlo con calma.
Tuffetto al cuore nelle ultime pagine, quando Cadmo ricorda Penteo (vv. 1316-1322).
La tragica fine di un eroe tragico come Penteo rappresenta simbolicamente il nefasto destino di chiunque osi sfidare la legge, non quella civile, ma quella divina. Il fatto che a mettere in atto tale punizione sia Dioniso, apparentemente sovvertitore dell’ordine e dell’equilibrio, evidenzia chiaramente la sua parità rispetto agli dei olimpici, colpevolmente non riconosciuta dal sovrano di Tebe. La follia instillata dal dio viene mostrata come elemento necessario per una vita beata e si manifesta in modo cruento per coloro che la rifiutano e nella serenità per chi la accetta.

Lascio qui ancora un altro passaggio che mi è piaciuto tantissimo (vv. 902-911):
Beato chi sfugge al mare in tempesta e adesso è nel porto;
beato chi è uscito dai mali: variamente l'uno sull'altro prevale in ricchezza e potenza.
Infinite persone hanno infinite speranze: queste si compiono con successo per i mortali, quelle si dissolvono.
Ma chi giorno per giorno ha una vita felice, quello lo chiamo beato.

this one really has it all. homoerotic rival foil characters. fanatic fevered bacchic maenad girls' night. dismemberment

A farla da padrone in questa tragedia sono: la follia e il delirio dettate dall'estasi, la brutalità e il misticismo. La storia di Penteo risulta oltremodo cupa e suggestiva, perciò la consiglio caldamente ai cultori del genere. Non attribuisco il massimo della valutazione perché trovo che questo dramma sia leggermente sottotono paragonato al capolavoro euripideo: Medea.

Dal libro:

n  n    Il tempo è breve;
chi insegue l'immenso
perde l'attimo presente.n  n