Dionysus

Heaven Born Son of Zeus

Dionysus

Son of Zeus and God of the Vine

Homeric Hymns:

I. TO DIONYSUS (21 lines) (1)

(ll. 1-9) For some say, at Dracanum; and some, on windy Icarus;

and some, in Naxos, O Heaven-born, Insewn (2); and others by the

deep-eddying river Alpheus that pregnant Semele bare you to Zeus

the thunder-lover. And others yet, lord, say you were born in

Thebes; but all these lie. The Father of men and gods gave you

birth remote from men and secretly from white-armed Hera. There

is a certain Nysa, a mountain most high and richly grown with

woods, far off in Phoenice, near the streams of Aegyptus.

(ll. 10-12) `...and men will lay up for her (3) many offerings in

her shrines. And as these things are three (4), so shall mortals

ever sacrifice perfect hecatombs to you at your feasts each three

years.'

(ll. 13-16) The Son of Cronos spoke and nodded with his dark

brows. And the divine locks of the king flowed forward from his

immortal head, and he made great Olympus reel. So spake wise

Zeus and ordained it with a nod.

(ll. 17-21) Be favourable, O Insewn, Inspirer of frenzied women!

we singers sing of you as we begin and as we end a strain, and

none forgetting you may call holy song to mind. And so,

farewell, Dionysus, Insewn, with your mother Semele whom men call

Thyone.

VII. TO DIONYSUS (59 lines)

(ll. 1-16) I will tell of Dionysus, the son of glorious Semele,

how he appeared on a jutting headland by the shore of the

fruitless sea, seeming like a stripling in the first flush of

manhood: his rich, dark hair was waving about him, and on his

strong shoulders he wore a purple robe. Presently there came

swiftly over the sparkling sea Tyrsenian (30) pirates on a well-

decked ship -- a miserable doom led them on. When they saw him

they made signs to one another and sprang out quickly, and

seizing him straightway, put him on board their ship exultingly;

for they thought him the son of heaven-nurtured kings. They

sought to bind him with rude bonds, but the bonds would not hold

him, and the withes fell far away from his hands and feet: and he

sat with a smile in his dark eyes. Then the helmsman understood

all and cried out at once to his fellows and said:

(ll. 17-24) `Madmen! What god is this whom you have taken and

bind, strong that he is? Not even the well-built ship can carry

him. Surely this is either Zeus or Apollo who has the silver

bow, or Poseidon, for he looks not like mortal men but like the

gods who dwell on Olympus. Come, then, let us set him free upon

the dark shore at once: do not lay hands on him, lest he grow

angry and stir up dangerous winds and heavy squalls.'

(ll. 25-31) So said he: but the master chid him with taunting

words: `Madman, mark the wind and help hoist sail on the ship:

catch all the sheets. As for this fellow we men will see to him:

I reckon he is bound for Egypt or for Cyprus or to the

Hyperboreans or further still. But in the end he will speak out

and tell us his friends and all his wealth and his brothers, now

that providence has thrown him in our way.'

(ll. 32-54) When he had said this, he had mast and sail hoisted

on the ship, and the wind filled the sail and the crew hauled

taut the sheets on either side. But soon strange things were

seen among them. First of all sweet, fragrant wine ran streaming

throughout all the black ship and a heavenly smell arose, so that

all the seamen were seized with amazement when they saw it. And

all at once a vine spread out both ways along the top of the sail

with many clusters hanging down from it, and a dark ivy-plant

twined about the mast, blossoming with flowers, and with rich

berries growing on it; and all the thole-pins were covered with

garlands. When the pirates saw all this, then at last they bade

the helmsman to put the ship to land. But the god changed into a

dreadful lion there on the ship, in the bows, and roared loudly:

amidships also he showed his wonders and created a shaggy bear

which stood up ravening, while on the forepeak was the lion

glaring fiercely with scowling brows. And so the sailors fled

into the stern and crowded bemused about the right-minded

helmsman, until suddenly the lion sprang upon the master and

seized him; and when the sailors saw it they leapt out overboard

one and all into the bright sea, escaping from a miserable fate,

and were changed into dolphins. But on the helmsman Dionysus had

mercy and held him back and made him altogether happy, saying to

him:

(ll. 55-57) `Take courage, good...; you have found favour with my

heart. I am loud-crying Dionysus whom Cadmus' daughter Semele

bare of union with Zeus.'

(ll. 58-59) Hail, child of fair-faced Semele! He who forgets you

can in no wise order sweet song.

XXVI. TO DIONYSUS (13 lines)

(ll. 1-9) I begin to sing of ivy-crowned Dionysus, the loud-

crying god, splendid son of Zeus and glorious Semele. The rich-

haired Nymphs received him in their bosoms from the lord his

father and fostered and nurtured him carefully in the dells of

Nysa, where by the will of his father he grew up in a sweet-

smelling cave, being reckoned among the immortals. But when the

goddesses had brought him up, a god oft hymned, then began he to

wander continually through the woody coombes, thickly wreathed

with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphs followed in his train with

him for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with

their outcry.

(ll. 10-13) And so hail to you, Dionysus, god of abundant

clusters! Grant that we may come again rejoicing to this season,

and from that season onwards for many a year.

Orphic Hymns:

Amphietus Dionysus

To Dionysus

- Fumigation from Storax -

Dionysus I call, Divine and Thunderous, God of Ecstasy, a two-fold shape is Thine.

I celebrate Thy names, First-Born, Thrice-Begotten, Bacchic King,

Rural, Pure, Ineffable, Obscure, Two-Horned, Ivy-Crowned,

Bull-Faced and Martial, Bearer of the Vine,

Wise Counselor, Triennial,

Whom the leaves of vines adorn, divinely dorn of the Underworld's Queen,

Immortal Dionysus, hear the voice of Thy supplicants,

Give us joy and blameless plenty,

And with Thy court of wild Maenads, graciously listen to our mystic prayer.

Hymn to Dionysus Bassareus Triennalis

Come, Blessed Dionysus, Many-Named Bull-Headed God, son of Thunder, Dionysus!

Bassarian God, mighty and universal,

Who delights in swords and blood and sacred rage,

In heaven rejoicing, mad resounding God, Furious Inspiration, Bearer of the Thrysis,

Revered by Gods, though You dwell with humans, come to us with jubilation.

To Dionysus Pericionius

- Fumigation from Aromatics -

Dionysus Pericionuis, hear my prayer.

You who cast His might upon the house of Cadmus, with matchless force and twined round the pillars of the palace with Your indissoluble grasp.

Strong and burning thunders shook the ground, and flaming, booming torrents flowed.

Come, mighty Dionysus, to these rites incline, and bless Your supplicants with joyful souls.

To Liknitus Dionysus

- Fumigation from Manna -

I invoke Dionysus Liknitus, Vine Bearer, to bless these sacred rites.

Florid, bright blossom of the Nymphs, and of fair Aphrodite, Goddess of Love,

With lightly leaping feet, leading the Maenads in the mad dance through the groves,

Son of Persephone, dreaded by all the Gods,

Come, Dionysus Liknitus, and regard Your supplicants' prayers,

Blessed God of Abandon, come rejoicing to these rites.

Hymn to Lysius Lenaeus - Dionysus

Hear me, Son of Two Mothers, Blessed Dionysus, God of Wine,

Lysian, Evion Bacchus, Many-named, secret and holy, fertile and nourishing,

Who brings the spark of life and makes the fruits to flourish and increase,

Resounding, Magnanimous Power, Many-Formed God of Health, Holy Flower,

Mortals find repose from labor in Your magic, and You are desired by all.

Fair, Bromian, Joyful God who bears the vined wand,

Incline to these rites, Whether You favor Gods or mortals,

Be present and listen when Your mystics pray,

And come rejoicing, bearing abundant fruits.

To Silenus, Satyrus, and the Priestesses of Dionysus

- Fumigation from Manna -

Selenus, great Nurturer of Dionysus, honored by the Gods, Incline to my prayers.

By mortals at the triennial feast,

Thou art reverenced as the best, Holy and August,

Source of lawful rites, powerful and vigilant,

With Sylvans dancing ever young and fair, leading ivy crowned Bacchic Nymphs,

With all Thy Satyrs infuse the incense.

Wild formed Spirits, bless the divine rites,

Come, rouse to sacred ecstasy Thy student who is King, inspire our orgiastic love through all the night,

And fill the sacred choir with triumphant power.

To Trieterieus - Dionysus

- Fumigation form Aromatics -

Ecstatic Dionysus, Divine and Many-Named, Bull Faced Lenaean,Bearer of the Vine, Descended from Fire, raging Nysian King, Creator of Initiations,

Liknitan Dionysus, pure and prudent crown-bearer, wandering in the Night,

Student of Persephone, Mysterious Power, Triple Ineffable Secret,

Ericapaeus, First-Begotten, Father and Son of the Immortal Ones,

Bearing the Scepter, leading the choir of dancing Maenads,

Inspiring the Furies with triennial rites, thundering Tages filled with burning light,

Born of Two Mothers,Amphietus wanders over the mountains clothed all in deerskin.

Golden-rayed, All-Revered God of the Grape crowned in leaves of ivy,

Bassiarian, beautiful and innocent,

Come, Blessed Power, hear the call of Your mystics, and in these rites rejoice.