Dionysus
God of Wine
Birth
- Zeus fell in love with a mortal woman named Semele.
- Hera did not like this and when she found out Zeus would have a child She tricked Semele into asking to to see Zeus' true form.
- Hera knew that no mortal could withstand seeing a god in his Divine form.
- Zeus had to save Dionysus from the burning body of Semele
- Zeus then sewed them womb into his thigh.
Way to Olympus
- Dionysus had first discovered grapes and wine making with the nymphs.
- He then competed against the honey of Aristaeus
- Dionysus won this competition and won over many of the olympians. Hera was still not won over
- He won over Hera by freeing her from the bonds of a chair sent from her son Hephaestus. After this he was accepted as one of the Celestial Gods of Olympus
Worship
- Dionysus had a large cult of his own
- He harshly punished opposers
- His worship rituals largely consisted of intoxication
Symbols
- Associated with centaurs, satyrs, and sileni
- Often depicted as wearing leopard skin and or riding a chariot
- Also recognized by his thyrsus or grapevines