Antinatalism and Depression XLIII: Euripides
Channel: Anekantavad
Date: 17/08/2012

Inspiration.

If we are just food/sex/death machines, why do we respond so powerfully to music? Poetry? Drama? What is going on when a spectacular sunset causes a tear to trickle down our cheek?

Wiki on Euripides' "The Bacchae" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bacchae
Pentheus being killed by the Maenads, from a painting in Pompeii: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Pompeii_-_Casa_dei_Vettii_-_Pentheus.jpg/745px-Pompeii_-_Casa_dei_Vettii_-_Pentheus.jpg

The Smiling Dionysus. A smile every bit as enigmatic and mocking as that of the Buddha: http://en.theatrhall.com/img/dia/BACCHUS_1.jpg

My favourite depiction of Dionysus, on a mosaic from the Greek island of Delos http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UnxSf1mC3dY/TsQLZjbRnZI/AAAAAAAAAv8/ls3sfZzkg4k/s1600/delos_dionysus_small.jpg

The Id in art: A drawing of a satyr: http://berkshirereview.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/satyr.jpg