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29. oktober The Tale of DionysusEven after having all these people reading my entries,
it hits me that no one has ever wanted to know what my title means. It
could be that everyone already knows, but I have good reasons to doubt
that particular theory. So, I decided to go ahead and conduct a crash
course. Greek mythology in itself is really incredible, nearly as good as Hindu mythology. For those who don't like mythology - you are stupid, you should! The Greek gods, Zeus, Hephaestus, Erebus; the Greek heroes Ajax, Arkantos, Chiron et al, the Greek villains Chimera, Hydra, and the Greek titans Prometheus, Epimetheus and others. Very colourful, very creative. I won't tell you to go ahead and read Homer's Iliad (dont even know if I'll even do it myself. Have any of you?). So, today's lesson will be about Dionysus Dionysus is one of those characters you cannot not know about. There is a pretty radical story behind his birth (two infact). He is the offspring of the King of the Gods Zeus, and a mortal woman Semele. Zeus's wife Hera (incidentally, also his sister) got so jealous of Semele, she hatched a plan to kill her. She incited Semele into forcing Zeus to appear in front of her in all his splendour. A God in all his splendour was not something a mortal could survive, and Semele was killed. Her half-developed foetus was taken by Zeus, and sewn to his thigh, where he developed and was born. The second story says that Dionysus is the son of Zeus and Persephone, the queen of the underworld. After his birth, Hera used the Titans to lure the child with toys. Then they ripped his body apart to shreds.But one of Athena, Rhea or Demeter saved his heart. Using this heart, Zeus regrew his son (he was some surgeon, that Zeus!!). Thus the name Dionysus, meaning born twice. He is the god of wine, vegetation, fertility and often celebrated at theaters. Dionysus was also connected with the seasons and the death- and resurrection beliefs of ancient times. He surrounded himself with maenads (orgiastic women) and satyrs, and held constant festivities in the forests. Anyone who angered him was struck with madness. In art, Dionysus was shown wearing a wreath of vine leaves, and holding the thyrsos rod in his hand. He is also shown to be effiminate in certain representations, with a fairly well-developed *ahem* chest. His worshippers tried to reach a point of extasis (to stand out of ones body) and wine was an important factor in his rituals and the achievement of exctasy. He was a god of hedonism, unabashed hedonism. But jealous husbands of the maenads forced him to flee, so he became the Roman god, Bacchus, and the words bacchanal, bacchanalia and others originate in this manner. You've got to love these Greek guys...they've got a God of sex, orgasms, booze, and getting stoned...all we have is one Kamadeva! Incidentally, nearly all Greek Gods are married to their sisters...incestuous bastards! *********************************************************** Wishing all of you a very happy Diwali! May Providence shower you, your family and friends with the choices of blessings. May you gain health, wealth, peace and joy, and may all your endeavours be fruitful! *********************************************************** I've come to a decision...no more pessimism. I've had it with petty cribbing. Fact is, these exams are here, and I have to do well in them. So, I will work my arse off. I will score 70% +. Anyhow. I have to. That is that. And if I don't, I will be at peace with myself, knowing that I did my best. P.S.: I write this after an EXCEPTIONALLY BAD day studywise. Have to pull my socks up. And fast. ************************************************************ *********************************************************** I'm going out in a blaze of glory Take me now but know the truth I'm going out in a blaze of glory Lord I never drew first But I drew first blood I'm no one's son Call me young gun -Blaze of Glory Jon Bon Jovi ************************************************************* Do check out the snaps I have posted. I think hardly any of you have seen The Beard Tales. You might want to have a look! ( I want you to!) Kommentarer (20)Hvis du vil tilføje en kommentar, skal du logge på med dit Windows Live ID (hvis du bruger Hotmail, Messenger eller Xbox LIVE, har du et Windows Live ID). Log på Har du ikke et Windows Live ID? Tilmeld dig
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