Dionysos

Gods and heroes of the ancient world

Richard Seaford

Dionysos is our oldest living symbol. First mentioned in texts of the thirteenth century BC, he was for the ancient Greeks the divine embodiment of wine, of mystery-cult, and of the theatre, and even today is valued as a symbol of something fundamental to being human. With the power of his epiphany Dionysos broke down the barriers of individual consciouosness, he merged the individual into the group. He did it not only by wine, but also in the transformation of individuals in the theatre, and in the rehearsal of death in mystery-cult. In this way Dionysos could embody the whole community, but could also be a refined philosophical symbol.

He was the most serious rival to the spread of Christianity, by which he was not entirely eliminated: his resurgences in Renaissance Italy and nineteenth century Germany are described in the final chapter of this book. Dionysos, a groundbreaking survey of one of the most enduring of Greek Gods, provides an excellent reference point for study and will also be of interest to readers in related disciplines.

Richard Seaford is a Professor in the Department of Classics at Exeter. His books include commentaries on the two Dionysiac plays of Euripides and Reciprocity and Ritual: Homer and Tragedy in the Developing City-State.

This book can be purchased at www.Routledge.com.
If you buy multiple books at the same time, you can receive an interesting discount.