Dionysus was the god of the vine. He invented wine and spread the art of tending grapes. He had a dual nature. On one hand, he brought joy and divine ecstasy. On the other hand, he brought brutality, thoughtlessness and rage. This reflected both sides of wine's nature. If he chooses, Dionysus can drive a man mad. No normal fetters can hold him or his followers. Dionysus was the son of Zeus and Semele. Zeus …
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…twelve great Olympian gods. He banishes the sufferings of wretched mortals, and brings forgetfulness of each day's troubles in sleep. Homer calls him a "joy for mortals" and Hesiod "he of many delights". Dionysus was a god of character and will not be soon forgotten. Bibliography March, Jenny. Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology. Cassel & Co, London; 2001 Ovid. Metamorphoses. Penguin Group, London; 1955 Apollodorus. Gods & Heroes of the Greeks. The University of Massachusetts Press, Mass.; 1976