Dionysus Cadmeios of ThebesJerome Jacobson

3 Part Designation• Name – Dionysus• God of wine, ecstasy, madness.

• Epithet – Cadmeios• Hill in Thebes where alter was located

• Thebes• Dominant city in Boeotia

Euripides Bacchae• Major Characters• Zeus• Semele• Dionysus (Stranger)• Cadmus• Teiresias• Pentheus• Maenads• Agave

Basic Plot Points of the Myth• Zeus sleeps with Semele• Dionysus born after Semele’s death

• No one in Thebes believes Semele• Dionysus returns from Asia to restore his and his mother’s

reputation• Maddens women of Thebes (Maenads)• Also Maddens Pentheus to spy on Maenads

• Agave kills Pentheus• Dionysus releases his influence over the maenads

Results• Demonstrated his power as a God• Crushed all human opposition• Dominance over the human mind / world

• Established in the city of Thebes• Semele’s reputation restored

Observation from Mikalson: Initially angered and then appeased. Eventually established as benefactor for his cult worshippers

Sanctuaries In Thebes Dedicated to Dionysus• Sanctuary # 1:• Epithet: Cadmeios• Alter and 2 statues• Wood / bronze “log”

statue • Site where Zeus’

lightning struck the ground.

• abaton

• Sanctuary #2:• Epithet: Lysios• “The one who sets

loose”

• Temple, theatre, statue of Semele (plus tomb), Statue of Teiresias.

*Major characters of Euripides’ myth had a role in the practiced cult of the Thebans.

Theatre of Dionysus in Athens

Cultic Worship• Festivals – Agrionia (Of the Wilds)• Arrival of Dionysus, resistance, flight of maenads, Killing of

Dionysus’ persecutor, reconciliation.• Night time.

• Aspects of mystery cult.• orgia• teletai

• thiasos - The ecstatic retinue of Dionysus, often pictured as inebriated revelers. Many of the myths of Dionysus are connected with his arrival in the form of a procession.• Voluntary. No central authority/uniformity.

Cultic Worship Cont.

Cultic Worship Cont.• 3rd century BCE Inscription quoting an oracle from the city of

Magnesia on the river Meander in Asia Minor.Go to the holy plain of Thebes to fetchmaenads from the race of Cadmian Ino.They will bring you maenadic rites and noble customsand will establish troops of Bacchus in your city.

• Final Thought: Cult elements of a specific place can help us understand the cult realities underlying the poetic reshaping of local foundation myths. In turn, the poetic versions of the myth can bring to life the cultic elements (Mikalson 93).