#Dionysos

[whencyclopedia]

Zagreus

In ancient Greek mythology, Zagreus is a god closely associated with the wine god Dionysus, the underworld, and hunting. A son of Zeus and Persephone, he is known in the Orphic tradition as the first incarnation of Dionysus, whilst other stories identify him as the son of Hades or even as Hades himself.

The earliest mention of Zagreus comes from a quoted line from the lost Greek epic Alcmeonis, a poem dating back to at least the 6th century BCE, where he is described alongside Gaia, the Greek personification of the earth, as "highest of all the gods" (West, 61). Yet some scholars believe this line was only in reference to him being the highest of all the gods of the underworld, as surviving fragments of works written by the Greek tragedy playwright Aeschylus (c. 525 to c. 456 BCE) identify him closely with Hades.

Zagreus is also the name often given to Orphic Dionysus, whose story was central to the beliefs of the followers of Orphism. In the story, Zagreus, a child of Zeus and Persephone, was killed and eaten by the Titans, except for his heart which was found by Athena and brought to Zeus. Because his heart was saved, Zagreus was able to be reincarnated as the god Dionysus. Zeus punished the Titans for their treachery by destroying them with a thunderbolt, and it was from their ashes that humanity was born.

Followers of Orphism, therefore, believed that humanity had a dual nature, one of the body, inherited from the Titans, and one of the soul, or the divine spark inherited from the parts of Zagreus ingested by the Titans. It was the central focus of Orphism for one to achieve salvation through acts of atonement during their lifetime or else be cursed with endless reincarnation. Aspects of Orphism, including the suffering, death, and resurrection of Dionysus Zagreus, and the idea of redemption for an original sin call to mind aspects of later religions, such as Christianity.

Origins & Interpretations

What little is known of Zagreus outside his association with Dionysus comes from fragments of lost works of Greek literature. He was certainly renowned, as a surviving quote from the lost Greek epic Alcmeonis offers a prayer to "Mistress Earth, and Zagreus highest of all the gods" (West, 61). The invocation of his name alongside Mother Earth seems to suggest that Zagreus was held in high esteem and was thought to be very powerful. Some scholars believe that the reference to him as "highest of all the gods" does not claim that he was the greatest god on Mount Olympus, but rather that he was the greatest god of the underworld.

This can be gathered from the context of the prayer, in which the hero of the Alcmeonis, Alcmaon, calls upon the powers of the earth to see the soul of his father safely transferred to heaven. Zagreus' status as a god of the underworld can further be attested to by two works written by Aeschylus. One of these references, found in a fragmented line of one of Aeschylus' lost Sisyphus plays dating back to around the 5th century BCE, identifies Zagreus as the son of Hades. Another reference, from Aeschylus' Egyptians names Zagreus as Hades himself.

Either way, Zagreus seems to have been a powerful underworld god, earning the epithet "Chthonios," or "the subterranean." As for the associations of him to Dionysus, scholars such as Timothy Gantz have postulated that the separate myths of Zagreus, a son of Hades and Persephone, had over time become merged with the myth of Orphic Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Persephone, so that the name Zagreus came to be associated with both myths.

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[thrashkink-coven]

dancing under the moon… howling ancient chants … and burning wild flowers with the beautiful feminine devotees of mad old gods… could be the move

This drawing ended up having some cool Dionysus vibes and I’m not complaining.

(thrashkink_art on instagram 😊)

[winedarkgod]

[d34thbr34th]

tumblr i did it

an actually accurate “what greek god are you” quiz

[benvoolioo]

hey girl, um, we were having a bacchanal and we kinda tore your boyfriend to shreds. yeah, ripped his head clean off. sorry about that :/

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Head of a statue of Dionysos.

Culture: Greek

Period: Late Hellenistic

Date: 150–50 B.C.

Place of origin: Nubia (Sudan), Meröe (Begrawiya), Pyramid N 5

Medium: Bronze, silver, shell

[ofinkandstars]

Hail Dionysos!

[elianzis]

Brothers ♥️

[aungcha]

I did it

Dionysus with ✨bangs✨

/a close-up shot

[noctivague]

Dionysos Moodboard

"(...) And so hail to you, Dionysus, god of abundant clusters! Grant that we may come again rejoicing to this season, and from that season onward for many a year." - The Homeric Hymns: 26 - To Dionysus

[thegodwhocums]

here's a tip about working with Dionysos that nobody asked for

invoke him using epithets, and be specific

like maybe don't call on Zagreus the Hunter to bless your grapevine - consider Korymbophoros the Cluster-Laden

I generally wouldn't call on Chthonios of the Underworld to bless your theatrical production - Dithyrambos the Hymned is a more appropriate option

Meilichios the Gentle might not be the best aspect to call on before attending a protest with heavy police presence - for that, consider Lyseus the Liberator

does this make sense? call on him using epithets! always always use epithets if you can manage it, be specific about what aspect you want to talk to - he is Polynomos and Polymorphos, Many-Named and Multiply-Born for a reason

there are exceptions, obviously, where you could get really specific about why for example Chthonios IS the best aspect to bless your musical (maybe you're doing Hadestown?) but put some thought into it

try and match the epithets to what it is you're trying to accomplish or honor, rather than choosing them at random or based on how they sound sonically or how badass they seem

that's it, that's the tip

easy, simple, effective

have fun

[vdoes]

my queer rendition of Joseph Kuhn-Régnier's painting "Bacchanal and Panthers"

I really love the original painting, but I wanted to add my own style and make it more modern and Dionysian

//print

[olympushit]

Greek gods and their mottos:

Zeus: Justice above all.

Hera: Loyalty is the key to harmony.

Poseidon: Life is like the sea, you can never know for how long it will be calm.

Hades: The reason you don't enjoy life is because you are afraid of death.

Hestia: Keep calm and carry on.

Demeter: Don't underestimate someone because they look calm.

Ares: Never judge a book by its cover.

Aphrodite: Love is a bird, she needs to fly.

Apollo: The sexiest language someone can speak is the motherfucking truth.

Artemis: Women can do everything.

Hephaestus: Ugly outside, beautiful inside.

Athena: Knowledge is power.

Dionysus: Rage on or go home.

Hermes: Being talkative is nice, until you start lying.

[winedarkgod]

Διονυσος <3

[lionofchaeronea]

Polychrome terracotta sculpture of the god Dionysos, holding an egg and a rooster. The unusual attributes may hint at a connection to Orphism, which held that the first deity, Phanes or Protogonos ("First-Born"), was hatched from a cosmic egg. Adherents of Orphism saw humankind as the descendants of Dionysos (under the name "Zagreus"), created when the Titans devoured the young Zagreus and were then struck by Zeus' thunderbolt. Artist unknown; created in Tanagra, Boeotia (an important center of terracotta production) ca. 350 BCE. Now in the British Museum.

[romegreeceart]

Dionysos

Hadrian's Villa, Tivoli

2nd century CE

Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm

Stockholm, November 2023