EURIPIDES’
Translated by
George Theodoridis
© 2005
DIONYSOS[1]
(also known as Bromius, Bacchus, Evius)
TEIRESIAS: Prophet of
KADMOS: Founder and former king of
PENTHEUS: King of
AGAVE: Pentheus’ mother
MESSENGER
SERVANT TO PENTHEUS
SERVANTS TO KADMOS (2)
Before the royal
Two or three steps separate the palace from the ground.
Night. Behind the curtains we hear flutes, tambourines and drums playing “eastern” (Lydian/Persian) music. The percussion is made by swords banging upon drums, as we’ll see later.
Female shouts of “ecstasy” and joyful rage, the signifiers of Dionysiac festival.
Thunder and Lightning interrupt the music and the festive shouts.
The Lightning briefly reveals a tomb at Stage Right and back, close to the palace wall. Dionysos the god is standing behind the tomb and is seen through the lightening.
He has come to Earth in the guise of a human.
A brief silent pause before Dawn slowly lights up the stage.
In front of the tomb and with his back to the audience, stands Dionysos.
The tomb is made of stones and a thin curlicue of smoke is slowly rising from above it.
He is carefully and reverently placing some grape vines upon it and around it.
In the surrounding ground, we will see shoots of fennel.
He is holding a tall thyrsus[2]
Dionysos is a young, handsome, gentle man with a boyish (if not effeminate) appearance and with long, soft, blond plaits. On his head is a garland of ivy, again fashionably and fastidiously placed, and his clothes are brightly coloured (thus showing he’s a foreigner and from the east). His beard is red.
The ivy garland, I would have it, forms a long but soft drape that hangs plaited within his hair from the top of the back of his head to almost the ground.
He addresses the audience. Gently, softly and with dignity.
Dionysos:
So here I am!
I am Dionysos, son of Zeus. My mother was Semele and she was Kadmos’ daughter.
Zeus delivered me from my mother with one of his awesome lightening bolts.
Indicates the tomb behind him.
Up there!
I have left my godly appearance and taken on that of man and so, here I am now, walking by the brooks and creeks of Dirki, through the waters of Isminos.
Yes, I have taken the guise of a common man, me the god, Dionysos.
Again turns and points at the tomb.
I can see my mother’s tomb back there, near the royal palace. Struck dead by Zeus’ flame… and there! The smoke still raises from the ruins of her house, a potent sign that Hera’s savage anger towards my mother will never be quenched.
I thank and admire old Kadmos for turning this into a sacred monument in honour of his daughter.
Of course, it was I who shaded the tomb with vines, full of grapes.
I’ve left behind me the gold-rich farms of
And in all these lands I have shown my mysteries, taught my dances and established myself as a god.
This is the first Greek city I’ve visited, the first one I’ve come to introduce myself and my rites.
23
Firstly, I’ve stirred these Theban women, dressed them in fawn skins and armed them with the thyrsus and its ivy crown.
Kadmos’ daughters, you see, would not accept that my father was Zeus. They should have known better than to behave like that towards my mother. They were accusing her of having slept with some mortal or other and then blamed Zeus for my birth. Typical Kadmos’ trickery: protect the daughter’s honour and you protect your own. But the sisters kept spreading the rumour that my mother had slept with a human and that she had blamed a god for her “improper” pregnancy and that’s why, they say, that God had killed her.
So, to these Theban women, I’ve delivered a little bit of madness. Made them leave their house and rush off all in a rage to the mountains where they now live.
I’ve made them wear the dress of my rites and ceremonies and tore
the logic out of their minds. The whole
female population of
This city must learn one way or another, whether it likes it or not, that it can’t stay uninitiated and ignorant of my rites!
This city must learn, one way or another, whether it likes it not that my mother was innocent and this city must apologise to her!
This city must learn, one way or another, whether it likes it not that I am here to reveal to the whole world that I am her son, Semele’s son and the son of Zeus!
42
Old man Kadmos has now left his crown to his daughter’s son, Pentheus. Now that’s a man who habitually fights with gods and leaves me out of all his libations and prayers. So, I shall show him and all his Thebans that I am truly a god. After that, after I’ve settled everything here and got them all to know me, I shall go elsewhere in the world, teaching the people about my strength as a god.
If the people of
This is why I’ve taken on the guise of a man.
From both sides of the stage we hear the tambourines and ecstatic sounds of women. It is that of the chorus of maenads (Dionysos’ followers) and, after a short pause they enter dancing wildly, frenzied[3], noisily.
They are foreigners, “Orientals.”
Dionysos: (continued)
Ah! My darling group of followers!
Here you are! Come, come in, my darlings! You, who have followed me here, all the way
from
Play around here, around King Pentheus’ palace and let Kadmos’ city hear us. I’m off to visit the other Bacchants, the Thebans, those whom I made live in the crags, peaks and valleys of Kitheron. I shall join them in their dances there.
The Chorus of Maenads plays for a few moments before one begins to speak.
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Chorus:
I’ve left the Asian land, the wholly mount of Tmolos and worked my way here,
In speed and hard labour!
In speed
And
In sweet labour,
With a joyous exhaustion
I’ve come to you, singing ecstatic songs for Dionysos, the god who bellows thunders.
Who – who’s there?
Who – who’s in the road?
Who – who’s outside their house?
Let them all shut themselves inside their homes!
Let them all shut their mouths
In holy silence!
70
O, my Lord, Dionysos!
My voice will always sing your praise!
Blessed is he who knows the sacraments and sacred rites of the gods
And performs Dionysos’ cleansing rituals high on the mountains,
His soul in unison
With the god’s band of followers -
For he lives a life pure!
And blessed is he, too, who has faith in the mysteries of our Great Mother, Cybele
And wears the garland of ivy,
And waves a Bacchic staff
And bows to Dionysos
He, too, is blessed indeed!
Come, Bacchants!
Bacchants Come!
Let’s bring back Dionysos the god who bellows thunders strong!
A god born of god!
Bring him back from the mountains of
Bring him back, Bacchants,
To the streets of
Bring back
Dionysos!
88
A long while ago, at the time when his mother’s stomach
Was full with him and with pain,
Zeus sent his bolt of burning light at her,
Relieving her of the child, of the pain and of her life,
Untimely all, all done before time!
And immediately, Zeus snatched the child
And
Made a womb out of his
Holy thigh, then quickly sowed the wound with
golden needles,
Lest his
Wife, Hera, sniffed out the act!
100
Then, when the Fates weaved whole his time in the womb, Zeus brought forth Bull-horned Dionysos and placed a garland of writhing snakes amidst his tresses, a cause for Beast-eating Maenads to do the same with their wild hair.
A garland of snakes upon the head of a god
A garland of snakes upon the heads of his Maenads!
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O
Adorn yourselves richly with branches of bryony
And dance wildly with branches of fir and oak!
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Put on the dappled fawn skins on your back and crown your heads with soft curls of white wool.
Wrap holy ivy around the rebellious wand of our god and hold it with reverence -
And when our god, Dionysos, the god who bellows thunders, arrives with his ecstatic band –there, high upon the mountain, Upon the mountain, to where the women have escaped from their loom and their shuttlecock- all those women, made wild by the frenzy Dionysos sent them, that’s when the whole of Thebes shall dance, shall dance wildly, ecstatically!
When Dionysos arrives upon the mountain.
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Home of the Kouretes!
most sacred
There the three crested Corybantes invented this drum!
A piece of skin tightly drawn over a circle,
Which when in frenzy they bring together its loud beat with that of the soft breath of the Phrygian Flutes.
This drum they’ve put in mother Rhea’s hands for her to accompany the wild cries of the Bacchants.
130
Ah, but the sly Satyrs stole it from her hands and straightaway united it with the crazy dances of Dionysos that come every second year.
A splendid joy for the god.
Happy is that Satyr who runs freely in the valley, dressed in the soft, holy skin of a deer, seeking the blood of a slaughtered stag and the joy of eating raw flesh as he charges deep into the mountains of the Phrygians and the Lydians.
140
First among the blessings, Thunderous Dionysos!
In the valley flows the milk and the sweet wine.
In the valley the nectar from the bees runs freely and so do the smoky smells that are like Syrian incense.
And
There the god, holding a fennel torch, lit high, jumps and runs, jumps and runs until he urges his maenads into the mystic dance and with his cries makes them wild.
Look there how he lets his curly tresses loose to the whims of the wind’s breath.
And
Then, triumphantly he shouts:
Blessings, blessings!
Sing for Dionysos with the heavy sounds of the drum.
Blessings, blessings to the blessed God, with Phrygian shouts and cries, when the sweet-voiced sacred flute plays loud songs in harmony as they travel up the mountain, that mountain.
Joyfully then, like the filly follows her mare, the maenad kicks her legs high.
Enter Teiresias, a blind seer, holding the hand of a boy-guide with one hand and a thyrsus with the other.
Almost totally bald and with a thin long grey beard. The ivy garland around his bald head, precariously situated and askew, make him a comical figure. He is wearing a fawn-skin jacket.
His body is bent by his many years.
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Teiresias:
Who keeps the gate?
The boy goes and knocks at the door.
Call Kadmos out here. Kadmos, Aginorus’ son, who left the city of
Let someone go in and tell him that I, Teiresias is looking for him. He knows why I’m here and what we’ve agreed on. An old man, me, with an even older man, him. We’ll light up fennel reeds and dress in soft deer leather. We’ll cover our heads with garlands of ivy.
The boy goes through the gate to inform Kadmos. He does not come back.
He greets Teiresias with enthusiasm.
Kadmos:
O, my friend! What joy the sound of your voice gives me. I heard it inside the palace and thought, now, there’s a wise voice from a wise man!
Here I am, Teiresias, dressed the way the god wants us to dress. We must obey everyone of Dionysos’ wishes, in every way possible. He is my daughter’s son and he proved to all the mortals that he is indeed a god Let’s show him our respect as much as we can.
He hops about excitedly and checks out his “dancing” feet.
I have no idea where we should dance, where we should place our foot, where we should bend our aged head.
185
Guide me, old Teiresias, me a poor old man. At least you are a wise man. I’ll be thrashing the earth with this thyrsus. What a great thing it is, ey? We’ve forgotten our years with all this happiness.
Teiresias:
You feel exactly as I feel, my friend, because I, too, feel young and I, too, shall have a go at this mystic dancing.
Kadmos:
Well then, shall we take a carriage to the mountain?
Teiresias:
No! No, no, no! This is not how one shows reverence to a god!
Kadmos:
Well then, here we are: I, an old man will guide you, another old man.
Teiresias:
Nothing to worry about. The god will guide us both there without the slightest effort on our part. No fatigue whatsoever, Kadmos!
195
Kadmos: Looks around him with some concern.
Hey, Teiresias? Are we going to be the only two doing Dionysos’ holy dance?
They begin a very slow advance towards exit SL. They stop near the curtain when they sense Pentheus coming from the other end.
Teiresias:
Yes, Kadmos because we are the only ones who can think straight. The rest of them? They are all wrong!
Kadmos
Come on, old man. We’ll be late. Hold onto my hand, now.
Teiresias:
Here you are. Grab my hand.
Kadmos
A mortal should never treat the gods with disdain.
Teiresias:
No point in playing around with subtle words. All our traditions, all those things handed down to us by our ancestors from many years back will not be dislodged, no matter how subtle the thinking.
O, I can hear them say, “aren’t you ashamed of your years? Going dancing at your age, your head wrapped in ivy?” No, I am not ashamed. God shows no prejudice in age. He wants reverence from all… he is not interested in numbers.
210
Kadmos: Looking deep into behind the curtains SR
Teiresias, old friend, seeing that the sun’s rays don’t help your eyesight I’ll tell you what I see with mine. I can see Pentheus coming towards the palace. Ehion’s son. I’ve handed Thebes’ throne to him. He looks quite disturbed. I wonder what news he’s about to bring us.
They hide behind the tomb
Enter Pentheus SR. with two armed guards. He is a young man, full of anger.
He wears a short tunic and a sword. His hair is long but tied neatly in a “pony tail”
He enters the stage not having noticed the two men and addresses his guards.
215
Pentheus:
All I’ve done is to go away from Thebes for just a short while and what happens? My ears are buzzing with dreadful and bizarre disasters, hitting my beloved country.
I heard that our women have left their homes and gone off to the mountains dancing the Bacchic dances! Some new, young god! Utter rubbish! There they are, placing great tubs full of wine in the centre of their group, in the middle of nowhere and off they go, one here, another there, rolling around with any man they come across and giving the excuse that they are maenads; but what are they doing?
225
Serving Dionysos? No way! They’re serving Aphrodite!
I’ve caught some of them, tied their hands and locked them up in various public buildings. The rest, those who escaped, I’ll catch from the mountains. Ino, for example and Agave, she who with Ehion gave birth to me, as well as Aktaion’s mother, I mean Aftonoe. I’ll shut them up behind bars as well so that I can stop this scoundrel’s bacchic rites.
I’m told that he is some young foreign smooth talker, some magician from somewhere in Lydia, with blond and scented plaits, and they say also that one can see in his wine-coloured eyes the charms of Aphrodite. And this man hangs around all the young girls and offers them entry to the “mystic rites!”
If I get to catch this crook anywhere near this palace I’ll make sure I’ll stop his thyrsus-thrashing and his hair-waving once and for all, by separating his torso from his head.
241
Ha! Apparently, this fool says that Dionysos is a true god. He says that Dionysos was sown up inside Zeus’ thigh! How stupid! The true fact of the matter was that Zeus burned him, along with his mother with flaming lightning.
Well, when some stranger comes and gives you all these lies and insolence, what do you do? Isn’t all this stuff worthy of the hangman’s rope?
He notices Teiresias and Kadmos
Ha! O, my God! Now there’s a real sight to behold! Is this some sort of madman’s apparition? Our good old prophet, Teiresias, the seer of the guts of beasts! There he is, dressed with delightful skins of deer and, with him, my mother’s father –what a laugh- off for his bit of bacchic revelry with his own thyrsus at the ready.
No, no, no, grandfather, seeing you like this, I just can’t believe that your old age has filled your head with wisdom.
Unwind that ivy from your thyrsus, relieve your hands of them grandfather. They do not suit you. Did you persuade him to do this, Teiresias? Is it you who wants to bring to our city this new god only so that you can make more money with more new waffly oracles from birds and fires?
Your grey hair saved you old man. Otherwise, I’d tie you up and place you in the very centre of these wild women. That would teach you to bring to our good city treacherous new rites. I’m telling you both, no good comes out of drunk women.
Wine wisdom and orgies are dangerous.
263
Chorus: To Pentheus (Shocked)
O, what disrespect! What awful disrespect you show to our gods, friend! Not even towards Kadmos who sowed here the earth-born seed from which your race of men was born and you, Ehion’s son! How can you shame you own race like this?
Teiresias:
When a wise man is given the opportunity to speak, it’s no big problem to speak the truth. You, Pentheus, you are, of course an articulate man, or so you think, but your words lack logic. Audacity, strength and eloquence all on their own, make for a bad citizen – a stupid one.
This new god, whom you mock… I can’t tell how strong he is here in Greece but there are two things, young man that are most important to people: It is. goddess Demetre (call her by whatever other name you want) who feeds the folk on Earth and who IS Earth; and her counterpart, Dionysos, the son of Semele, this god, the god who discovered the juice of the grape and which he brought to us mortals.
280
This liquid holds back the pain of the tortured soul, gives soft sleep to folk and lets them forget their daily suffering. There’s truly no better medicine for pain or fatigue.
He is truly a god and he is revered as much as the other gods so that mortals may enjoy his offerings.
You laugh at the fact that he was sown into Zeus’ thigh? Well, let me show you exactly how that happened.
You see, as soon as Zeus grabbed the newborn Dionysos from the fire of the lightning bolt, he took him to Mt Olympus and presented him to all the gods there as another god. Hera, however, his wife, would have none of this and wanted him thrown out of the Heavens, so Zeus, the great god that he is, thought of this clever idea to protect the child. He opened up a small pocket in the sky, in the ether, that surrounds our earth and placed him in there. This, it seems calmed Hera’s anger and he too, was able to avoid Hera’s constant whining. In time, the words, “ether” and “thigh” were mingled in the minds of men and so the myth has been spun how Dionysos was sown in Zeus’ thigh.
295
Moreover, this god is also a teller of oracles. He’s a prophet. You see, the Bacchic rites and the ecstasy which comes with it, have a potent prophetic strength because when the god takes over the body of his followers completely and utterly, when he enters himself in their body, and therein he blossoms to his full, those lucky people are given the abilities of the prophets. It’s called Prophecy through frenzy.
Yet, he also possesses much of Ares’ art of war, as well. You can visualise a whole army, standing in line, ready for attack, spears, shields and bows at the ready. Suddenly, even before a spear has been thrown, a panic, an incomprehensible frenzy takes over the whole army. This frenzy is the work of Dionysos.
You’ll also see him around Delphi, jumping about its stones, over the two-peaked mountains of pine, shaking the huge Bacchic branches.
Dionysos is a great god, loved and revered throughout the whole of Greece!
310
But believe me, young Pentheus! Don’t ever think that great authority over men, like the one you hold, means great strength! Don’t be too proud of such a throne. Nor be proud of a faulty opinion. There’s no wisdom in pride of such things. Think a little better and accept this god on earth, participate in his rites and put the ivy garland around your head.
It’s not Dionysos who forces women to submit to lust. Wisdom is all things natural. A wise woman will not abuse her chastity even during the Bacchic rites. This you have to see.
320
You know how you enjoy it when there are many people at these gates and Pentheus’ name is exalted throughout Thebes? Well, I think that that’s how Dionysos feels also when we revere him.
You laugh at poor Kadmos here, your kind grandfather but he and I, with the ivy on our heads will go dancing the Bacchic dances! You see our grey hair and you think we must be mad but we shall dance! We shall dance! (kicks his heels high).
We’re not going to stand here and argue theology with you and use your type of irreverent words.
You’re profoundly mad, Pentheus.
There’s no medicine for that and no matter which medicine you take, you’ll still be mad!
Chorus:
Old man, Teiresias, your words certainly don’t offend Apollo. By respecting the Bellowing Dionysos you show yourself a wise individual.
330
Kadmos:
Come, my child. Teiresias is right. Believe as we do. Don’t try and move away from our Laws. Your mind is a bit… flighty at the moment and so, no matter what you put your mind to, you comprehend nothing. Even if by your calculation, Dionysos is no god so what? It would be best for you to lie. Lie so that Semele believes that she gave birth to a god. That way, even we and our whole race, would receive honours.
You saw Aktaion’s gruesome death. Torn to shreds by flesh-eating hounds, the very ones he was nurturing. That’s the Fate that visited him when he boasted that he was a better hunter than Artemis. Don’t let the same happen to you. Come, let me make you an ivy crown and pay your respects to the god as we do.
343
Pentheus:
Forget it! No, don’t come near me! Off you go! Go on, off to your Bacchic rites you go! Don’t try and corrupt me with your idiocy. I’ll have this teacher of yours, this teacher of madness and frenzy, arrested.
To his attendants
One of you go quickly to this god’s “throne,” where he does all his prophesying and with iron picks toss everything upside-down, break down walls, throw all the garlands to the four winds. Toss them all to the storms.
This ought to hurt him a bit. And let some others search the city for this effeminate stranger, this idiot who brought this new sickness to our women and has polluted their bed. And when you catch him, tie him up and bring him here to me. Then he’ll see a merciless trial. He’ll see a bitter celebration of his religion here in Thebes.
Exit guards hurriedly SL.
Exit Pentheus angrily into the palace, centre gate.
358
Teiresias:
Irrational, impetuous youth! Fire in the head! He can’t see where his words are leading him. Out of his wits one moment, thoroughly insane the next!
Come, Kadmos, come, my old friend. Let’s go. At least we can pray to the god for him. He’s a madman that grandson of yours and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he brought some new disaster to Thebes.
Right, now you follow me with your thyrsus and I’ll try and keep my body straight. You do the same with yours. It’d be a great shame for two old men to tumble over. Come on, we have to hurry. Dionysos, Zeus’ son is waiting.
Do you think Mister Mournful in there (indicating Pentheus) will bring into your palace something to really mourn about, Kadmos? I’m not giving you a prophesy now, though I am a seer; I’m just talking: hollow words from a hollow-headed old man.
Exit both
370
Chorus:
Most revered of all gods, holy goddess!
Holy goddess who gently hovers over earth with her golden wings!
Do you see what Pentheus is up to?
Can you feel the unholy insult he sent to our Dionysos, Semele’s son, the god who’s first among the blessed gods, the gods whose wreaths are most brilliant, the gods of joy?
This our god’s domain: Rites with dancing, rites that unite our laughter with the sounds of the flute, rites that allow us to forget our everyday cares.
Ah! And that’s when the shiny grape - when we’re having our supper among the gods - that’s when the shiny grape, I say, lets the garlanded, hearty men be overtaken by sleep.
The folk whose mouths are unreined, unlawful and unwise come to a bad end. Calm life and circumspection are the unassailable foundations of a good home because the inhabitants of the heavens look down and inspect our work from above.
The wise are not wise if they don’t consider a human’s lot.
Life is short.
He who constantly pursues great achievements in this life, won’t have time to enjoy those he already has achieved.
400
So far as I can tell, these are the doings of madmen and evil minds.
How I'd love to be in Cyprus, Aphrodite’s island where sublime love is spread evenly among the folk. Take me to Pafos, Dionysos, Bellowing god, take me to Pafos, where one hundred fountains rage in the barbarous torrent of a river, though it never rains; and to Pieria where the beautifully crowned seat of the Muses is and the revered chambers of Olympus! Guide me there, god, leader of the Bacchants. There the Graces, there the Passion, there the Bacchants usually hold their celebrations.
Dionysos, Zeus’ son enjoys the wearing of flowers.
420
He lovesPeace, the goddess who gives joy and feeds children. He gave equally to rich and poor the happiness of his wine, the liquid that sends away all sadness. He despises those who hate this joy, those who do not enjoy their lives sitting with friends by the light of the night sky.
Wisdom? It is wise for men to distance themselves from illogical, far fetched emotions and fruitless thoughts. Give me the thoughts and deeds of the common folk. Now those, I’ll accept far easier.
Enter the guards who Pentheus has sent earlier, with Dionysos in chains. Dionysos is carrying his thyrsus. One of the guards walks over to the palace and bangs at the gate with his spear.
The gate opens and Pentheus enters.
433
Guard 1:
Pentheus, my Lord, here we are with the prey you’ve asked us to hunt for. We’ve sat and we’ve waited and, true enough, we’ve caught him. Our watch was not wasted.
Now this… “beast” was quite tame with me, my Lord . Never shook his legs or anything, trying to escape, like, but gave his hands to me without the slightest hesitation. He didn’t become pale or lose the deep blush of his cheeks. He just let himself be taken easily, laughed even and wondered where we’d be taking him. Towards me, in any case, this man was a proper gentleman and I felt a bit ashamed about tying him up, see, so I said to him, “Stranger,” I said, “I ain’t doin’ this out of my own accord, it’s ‘cause of Pentheus’ orders. He sent us to do it,” I said.
Guard 2:
And as for all them women, me Lord, them that follow that god, my Lord, the Bacchants, those whom you grabbed and locked up with chains and all in all the city’s buildings, well, sir, they’re all loose, sir. Running about all over the countryside, sir, all ready for their orgiasums sir, and they’re all calling out for their Bellowing God, Dionysos. All their chains fell apart all by themselves, letting their legs free. So did all the padlocks of the gates. They’ve all gone and opened themselves right up without even one human hand touching them! This man here has a great many tricks up his sneaky sleeves.
It’s your call now, my Lord.
451
Pentheus:
Move away from him. He’s no bother while he’s chained like that. He’s not that fast that he’ll escape me.
He examines Dionysos thoroughly.
Hmmm. Physically, you’re not unattractive,
stranger. Just like the women for whom
you came here, in
But first, tell me, what is your race? Where are you from?
461
Dionysos:
That’s an easy question to answer. You’ve heard of Tmolos of the many blooms?
Pentheus:
Yes, I’ve heard of Tmolos. That’s the place that surrounds
Dionysos:
That’s where I’m from.
Pentheus:
Where did you get all these “mysteries” from?
Dionysos:
Dionysos, Zeus’ son, initiated me into them.
Pentheus:
Is there a Zeus in
Dionysos:
No, just the one here, who slept in marriage with Semele
Pentheus:
Did he initiate you in darkness or in light?
Dionysos:
Face-to-face. In the light of day.
470
Pentheus:
What are these mysteries? What is your view of them?
Dionysos:
They are secret to the uninitiated mortals.
Pentheus:
Is there some benefit for those who participate in these mysteries of yours?
Dionysos:
It is not right for you to know this but it would be good for you to see those mysteries.
Pentheus:
You’re making them sound great so that I can be persuaded to go on listening to you.
Dionysos:
He who practices disrespect to the gods earns their wrath.
Pentheus:
Tell me clearly what your god looks like –if you ever saw him!
Dionysos:
He looked as he pleased. That was not something which I could determine.
Pentheus:
All the words that came out of your mouth so far meant nothing to me.
480
Dionysos:
It is not wise for someone to say anything wise to the ignorant.
Pentheus:
You came here, to
Dionysos:
The rest of the world dances to these dances.
Pentheus:
That’s why when it comes to wisdom, they’re far worse than the Greeks.
Dionysos:
In that too, they are better; it’s just that their laws are different.
Pentheus:
These… holy orgies of yours… do you perform them during the day or in the night?
Dionysos:
Most of them during the night. Darkness adds a certain modesty.
Pentheus:
That’s quite a dubious thing for the women… and rather lecherous, I’d say.
Dionysos:
Shame, of course can be seen during the day, too, if it exists and if one were to look for it.
Pentheus:
We must take you to court for your evil philosophies.
490
Dionysos:
And you, too, for your ignorance and your disrespect for the god.
Pentheus:
How bold this Bacchic initiate is! His tongue is not at all trained in speech.
Dionysos:
Show me, then what terrible fate you have in store for me. What am I about to suffer?
Pentheus:
First, I’ll chop off this long plait of yours.
Dionysos:
The plait is sacred. I nurture it for the god.
Pentheus:
Then your Thyrsus. Give it to me!
Dionysos:
You come and take it away from me yourself. I’m holding it for Dionysos.
Pentheus:
And then we’ll be guarding your body in jail day and night.
Dionysos:
God himself will free me when I ask him.
Pentheus:
Of course, you’ll be praying to him only when you’re among all those women followers of yours, all those Bacchants. You’d all be working together to accomplish your escape.
500
Dionysos:
God is present even now, next to me and he sees all that I’m going through.
Pentheus:
Where is he? I can’t see him. Not with my eyes.