Dionysus: The God Of Fertility
In Greek mythology, Dionysus is the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, Semele. According to the myth, Semele was killed by Zeus’s lightning bolts by the time when Semele was bearing Dionysus. Dionysus was rescued and he underwent a second birth from Zeus after developing in Zeus’ thigh. Zeus then gave the infant to some nymphs where Dionysus was raised. With this and with the rest of the similar myths, he is then called “twice born”.
The Roman counterpart of Dionysus is Bacchus. Dionysus of Greece or Bacchus of Rome, either label, is the god of wine, fertility of nature and agriculture. He also represents the outstanding characteristics of mystery beliefs.
Way back in the history of the Greek and Roman arts, it can be recalled that the Greeks and Romans worship this god everytime they have abundant blessings in their plants and vegetation. These people celebrated their feast with unlimited wine drinking and merrymaking.
