This article contains lore based on real-life sources of the Greek mythology as introduced from the God of War Greek era.
Dionysus is the Olympian God of Wine, Vegetation, Fertility, Festivity, Ritual Madness, Religious ecstasy, and Theatre
Quick Answers
What is Dionysus the god of in ancient Greek religion and myth?
What is the Roman name for Dionysus and what frenzy does he induce?
What aspects of life and celebration is Dionysus associated with?
How does Dionysus' role as the god of wine relate to his other domains like festivity and theatre?
Greek Mythology[]
Dionysus or Dionysos is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking and wine, of fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity and theatre in ancient Greek religion and myth.
He is also known as Bacchus (/ˈbækəs/ or /ˈbɑːkəs/; Greek: Βάκχος, Bákkhos), the name adopted by the Romans; the frenzy he induces is bakkheia. His thyrsus, sometimes wound with ivy and dripping with honey, is both a beneficent wand and a weapon used to destroy those who oppose his cult and the freedoms he represents. As Eleutherios ("the liberator"), his wine, music and ecstatic dance free his followers from self-conscious fear and care, and subvert the oppressive restraints of the powerful. Those who partake of his mysteries are believed to become possessed and empowered by the god himself.
In his religion, identical with or closely related to Orphism, Dionysus was believed to have been born from the union of Zeus and Persephone, and to have himself represented a chthonic or underworld aspect of Zeus. Many believed that he had been born twice, having been killed and reborn as the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. In the Eleusinian Mysteries he was identified with Iacchus, the son (or, alternately, husband) of Demeter.
In the God of War Series[]
God of War II (Novelization)[]
When Kratos asks Theseus on why he wants to seek an audience with the Sisters of Fate, the Athenian warrior emotionally revealed to the Spartan of King Minos' daughter Ariadne, whom Theseus loved dearly. Dionysus then took her with him, which caused Theseus to harden against the wine god. When Kratos asked him if that is the reason why he became a servant to the Sisters of Fate, Theseus revealed that he wanted Ariadne's love and bring back his father, King Aegeus, who committed suicide out of grief, after he thought his son is dead.
Kratos began to question the reason on why Theseus would sacrifice his love and reminded the Athenian king that Dionysus is not known for his fidelity and told him the reason on why he wants to seek an audience with the Sisters of Fate is so that they could give the wine god a new lover and get Ariadne back. A forlorn Theseus then reveals that Dionysus had forced him to abandon Ariadne on the island of Naxos, which caused her to bestow a curse on her former-love. This would allow Dionysus to take Ariadne for himself.
Consequently, because of the Wine God's actions, along with that of Theseus, this brought forth the tragic death of King Aegeus. This tragedy revealed that Dionysus was also responsible for beginning Theseus' servitude to the Sisters of Fate, as the Athenian warrior hoped that this would let him get both his father and Ariadne back.
God of War III[]
Dionysus does not appear in the game and is assumedly one of the few survivors of Kratos' genocidal rampage.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Immortality: as a God, he is immortal. Only a sufficiently powerful weapon or an extremely powerful being can kill him.
Trivia []
- Dionysus does not appear in the game, but he is mentioned in the God of War II Novel.
- In God of War III, when Hera is drinking the ambroise and her being drunk is a reference of Dionysus.
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