Dionysus
dionysuswasthegodofwine．hewasthesonofzeusbysemele．whenhismotherwasburnttodeathinthegloryofzeus．hewasstillahelplessinfant．hisfathertrustedhisupbringingtosomemountainfairymaidens．theytookthegreatestcareofhim．underthetutorshipofsilennus，thesatyr，hewasintroducedtoallthesecretsofnatureandthecultureofthewine．hetravelledfarandwideinhiscarriagedrawnbywildbeasts．hewassaidtohavebeentoindiaandethiopia．whereverhewent，therewasmusicandsongandrevelling．hisattendants，knownasthebacchantes，werenotedfortheirnoiseanddisorder．amostwild，noisycrow，theydrank，dancedandsanginacarelessway．thewomenbacchanteswereinfamousfortheirexcessiveimmodestyanddisgracefulexcitement．intheirmadnessandintoxicationtheycommittedcruelviolence.theytoreorpheus，thegiftedmusician，limbfromlimb．kingpentheusofthebes，forfrowningontheworshipofbacchusinhiskingdom，sufferedthesametreatmentatthehandsofabandofthesefanaticalwomen，ofwhomhisownmotherwastheleader．
狄俄尼索斯
狄俄尼索斯是酒神，他是宙斯和塞梅莱的儿子。当他的妈妈被宙斯的璀璨之焰烧死时，他还只是个孤弱的婴儿。他的父亲将他寄托在山中仙子们那里，他们精心地哺育他长大。在森林之神西莱娜斯的辅导下，他掌握了有关自然的所有秘密以及酒的历史。他乘坐着他那辆由野兽驾驶的四轮马车到处游荡。据说他曾到过印度和埃塞俄比亚。他走到哪儿，乐声、歌声、狂饮就跟到哪儿。他的侍从们，被称为酒神的信徒，也因他们的吵闹无序而出名。他们肆无忌惮地狂笑，漫不经心地喝酒、跳舞和唱歌。侍从中的妇女也因极端粗野、得意起来有失体面而臭名昭著。当她们疯狂或是极度兴奋时，她们使用残忍的暴力。她们曾把俄尔浦斯这位才华横溢的音乐家的手足撕裂。就连底比斯国王，仅因为在本国崇拜巴克斯（狄俄尼索斯的别名）问题上皱了皱眉头，也遭受了同样的惩罚。而带领这群狂热的女人胡作非为的就是狄俄尼索斯的母亲。
