The Roman God of Grape Harvest, Winemaking and Wine,

Ritual Madness and Ecstasy

• Bacchus was born by Semele and Jupiter. He entrusted Bacchus to Hermes, or, according to others, to Persephone who took the child to Ino and Athamas at Orchomenos, and persuaded them to bring him up as a girl. Juno was now urged on by her jealousy to throw Ino and Athamas into a state of madness, and Jupiter, in order to save his child, changed him into a ram, and carried him to the nymphs of mount Nysa, who brought him up in a cave, and were afterwards rewarded for it by Jupiter, by being placed as Pluto among the stars.

And in the autumn, when you gather the grapes of your vineyards for the winepress, say in your heart; “I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress, And like new wine I shall be kept in eternal vessels. And in winter, when you draw the wine, let there be in your heart a song for each cup; And let there be in the song a remembrance for the autumn days, and for the vineyard, and for the winepress”

• Also known as ‘Dionysus’ or ‘Dionysos’ in Greek Mythology.• Symbol a bunch of grapes and wine glass. His mother was the

daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. She had an affair with Jupiter and was later killed by his lightning bolt.

• Was known for forgetfulness, mutual friendship and cheer conversation.

• His festival was celebrated on the 16th and 17th of March• The Bacchanalia, orgies in honour of Bacchus, were introduced in

Rome around 200 BC. • They were later forbidden by the Roman Senate in 186BC.

• In addition to winemaking, he is the patron deity of agriculture and the theater. Hailed as an Asiatic foreigner, he was thought to have had strong ties to the East and to Ethiopia in the South.

• He was also known as the Liberator (Eleutherios), freeing one from one's normal self, by madness, ecstasy or wine. The divine mission of Dionysus was to mingle the music of the aulos and to bring an end to care and worry.

• Scholars have discussed Dionysus' relationship to the "cult of the souls" and his ability to preside over communication between the living and the dead.