Dionysus/Bacchus

**Dionysus**, is the Greek god of grape-harvest, wine, orchards, fertility, madness, parties, religious ecstasy, and theater. His Roman counterpart is **Bacchus**. His Etruscan counterpart is **Fufluns**. He is known to stop by at Camp Olympia to be with his children

## Basic Info

### Alias

God of Wine, Grape-Harvest, Festivity, Madness, Religious Ecstasy and Theater, Dad (By his children), Wine Dude, Member of the Council of Cloven Elders, Dio

### Symbols

Thyrsus, grapevine, ivy, theatrical masks, phallus

## Family Info

### Parents

Zeus (father/maternal great-great-grandfather)Semele (mother/great-niece)

### Siblings

* Ares, Apollo, Hermes,Heracles, Hephaestus, Perseus, Isaac Reynoso, Minos, other sons of Zeus (Half-brothers)
* Athena, Artemis, Persephone, Eileithyia, Hebe, Helen of Troy, the Charites, the Horae, the Muses, the Moirai, Zamaya Reynoso, Tempest Leos (Half-sisters)
* Zagreus (Brother)

### Consorts

* Ariadne
* Leah Molina
* Courtney Scott

### Offspring

Priapus, Hymen, Thoas, Staphylus, Oenopion, Comus, Phthonus, the Graces, Deianira (Immortal Children)Frank Molina, Jaxson Scott, Brooklyn Molina (Demigod children)

### Extended Family

* Calix Athenian (Step-son)
* Cadmus (maternal grandfather)
* Harmonia (maternal grandmother/niece)
* Io (maternal ancestor)
* Nilus (maternal ancestor)
* Poseidon (uncle/maternal ancestor)
* Hypsipyle, Merope, Hemithea and Parthenos (granddaughters)
* Euneus and Thoas (great-grandsons)
* Zagreus (Brother)

## History

### Complicated Birth

Dionysus was often called the 'twice born' because of the circumstances around his birth. His mother was a mortal woman named Semele, daughter of Cadmus, king of Thebes, and his father was Zeus. This makes him the only Olympian to have a mortal parent, and according to some traditions the only one to have been born a demigod. As with most of Zeus' acts of infidelity, Hera was enraged when she found out that Semele was pregnant with Zeus' child. She disguised herself as an old woman (or as Semele's nurse in some stories) and made Semele begin to doubt that it was truly Zeus. While in disguise, Hera convinced Semele to ask Zeus to reveal his true form and, to make sure that he would do it, to have him swear on the River Styx, which is sacred to the Greek gods and an unbreakable oath. The next time Zeus visited her, Semele did as Hera advised, and though he tried to get around it, Zeus was bound by oath and so revealed to her his true divine form. Semele was burned to ashes, but Zeus managed to save the infant, and sewed him into his thigh. The child remained there until he emerged fully-grown a few months later, atop Mount Pramnos on the island of Ikaria. He was born a demigod, like Hercules and Perseus.

### Life With Athamas

Zeus sent the infant Dionysus off with Hermes, who took Dionysus to Athamas, king of Orchomenos, and his wife, Ino, Semele's sister and Dionysus' maternal aunt. Hermes had them raise Dionysus as a girl to hide him from Hera's scorn. When Dionysus was three he was discovered by Hera who disposed of his guardians and their children by inflicting madness upon the household, him only surviving as Zeus turned him into a goat to hide him. The young boy was then taken to the rain nymphs of Mount Nysa; they raised him through childhood, and to reward them for their care, Zeus placed the nymphs into the night sky as a new constellation, the Hyades.

### Discovering The Vine

When Dionysus grew up, he discovered the vine, and extracted the juice only to then be struck with madness by Hera who still had a grudge on him. Afterwards, he wandered various parts of the world, making his way through Egypt, Syria, and then Phrygia, a kingdom in central Anatolia; there he was found by the Titaness Rhea, his grandmother, who cured Dionysus and taught him her religious rites. Afterwards, the god set out on a journey across the world, teaching men how to cultivate the vine and inviting them to join in on the mysteries of his new cult.

### The First Gigantomachy

Dionysus also helped the gods during the First Gigantomachy alongside his half-brother Hercules, as a god could only defeat the giants with a demigod fighting along side them.

### Ascending to Olympus

He was very handsome as a young man, eager for challenges. Dionysus later said he was good at nothing in his human life but cultivating wine. The people in his village mocked him, not knowing of his heritage or his future, and what he would one day become. Later, when Dionysus was invited to Mount Olympus, it was Hestia, goddess of the hearth, who graciously offered him her throne to prevent any conflict or embarrassment.

As a newly emerged god, Dionysus would travel around the world recruiting humans and other creatures to join his wine cult and party with him resulting in his group consisting of many wild and crazy Maenads and satyrs. Eventually Dionysus came in contact with the Amazons and recruited many of them. After hearing about this, the Amazon queen Otrera was enraged and attacked the god. However, Dionysus and his followers easily defeated them, slaughtered much of the Amazon army and forced them to retreat and chasing them into India. Eventually, Dionysus and his men quit the chase for unknown reasons.

### Rescuing Semele and Marring Ariadne

Dionysus then rescued his mother from Hades, and she became a goddess on Mount Olympus, with the new name *Thyone*, presiding over the frenzy inspired by her son Dionysus. When Theseus abandoned Ariadne sleeping on Naxos, Dionysus found and married her, and took in her son, Calix. When she died, he went to the Underworld and rescued her, taking her up to Mount Olympus, where, at Dionysus' request, Zeus made her immortal, but his step-son would later become immortal at the age of seventeen.

### That One Time He Got Kidnapped

He was disguised as a mortal on the seashore once when a group of pirates spotted him. They thought he was a prince, and tried to kidnap him and hold him for ransom or to sell into slavery. They tried to tie his hands behind his back, but no ropes would hold him to the pole. At this point Dionysus turned into a lion and let a bear loose on board. It killed those it came in contact with, and those who jumped off the ship were turned into dolphins as an act of mercy. The only one to survive was the helmsman Acoetes, who had recognized him as a god, and tried to stop his comrades from the beginning.

## Personality

At first glance, Dionysus seems like a rather displeasing god. He enjoys calling people by incorrect names, especially Caspian Portal, often calling him "Casper Potter". He sometimes does this with the campers he sometimes sees whenever he's at Camp Olympia and with campers who have been at camp for a long time, such as Melody Potvin, who he calls "Melanie Parker" right after she was captured. He often does this to make the demigods think that he cares so little for them, that he will make no effort to remember their names. He even refuses to acknowledge when he calls them by their correct names. This is also because he hates almost all heroes. His hatred for heroes stems back to how Theseus abandoned Ariadne, and thus is why he has the fewest shown demigod children among the major gods. He presented the exterior of a true misanthrope: cruel, intensely bitter, facetious and sarcastic to a fault. He also apparently has a catastrophic temper, as when he confesses himself to not be in a good mood whilst arguing with Silenus, all of the satyrs back down so as not to provoke the god. Dionysus doesn't like to be referred to as "the wine dude". The first time is when Evan called him that before he left Camp after visiting Frank. Dionysus is not pleased but tones down his anger when Evanstarts complimenting him in his excitement. The second time this happens is when Dionysus catches Caspian after Astra, Zamaya, Clover, and Helen. Flapjack yells "God alert, it's the wine dude" and Dionysus becomes exasperated and threatens to stick the next person (or horse) who calls him that in a bottle of Merlot. He can also be quite unforgiving, as both Zoe and Daedalus claimed that Dionysus viciously punished Seymor's previous owner for what he did to the animal, to the point that Seymor's current status (a discorporial head) is much better than the mortal's own. However, despite the impression he tries to give, deep down, Dionysus cares about the demigods quite a bit. For example, while Dionysus stresses the fact that he cares little for the demigod (except his own children, Frank, Jaxson, and Brooke) he dislikes Tantalus due to his demeaning attitude and for treating the campers so badly (even though he himself is generally disrespectful towards them), he finds humor in his attempts to grab food and is also happy to send him back to the Fields of Punishment. He is no kinder to Zoe and Daedalus, but never threatens them like he threatens his family or the campers, and even admits he misses Zoe during her exile from Camp (as she was fired by the gods) and also some what missed Daedalus after he died (was killed by his mother, Athena). He asks Caspian took after his son, Jaxson, after Frank had broken his arm during the Labyrinth Conflict, and Caspian admitted to being surprised that Dionysus could actually be a loving parent. Dionysus is also willing to send help using his godly powers when a demigod is in danger and desperately needs help. For example, in The 3rd Story, when the Manticore was attacking Caspian, Zamaya, and their friends, he used grape vines to kill the Manticore, Dr. Thorn, and caused several to descend into madness, saving Cassy's life - he later coldly remarked that it was fun, hinting that he hadn't exerted himself in the act. Also, despite his rude demeanor, he tells Caspian he is one of the nicest gods, as he had cured a camper from their madness when he came back out of the Labyrinth, in spite of having previously betrayed them. Both actions proved that he's much more selfless than he appears to be. In stark contrast to his gruffness and bitterness, Dionysus has been known to enjoy parties (likely because he is the god of festivals where there is wine).

## Appearance

Dionysus has a chubby face, a red nose and curly hair so black, it looks purple. He normally has watery, blue, bloodshot eyes from drinking. He is usually described as wearing tiger-striped (or leopard-spot) Hawaiian shirts and purple running shoes. He is described by Frank as a cherub who had grown up in a trailer park. Anyone can tell he's no stranger to wine just by looking at him. However, this might not be his true appearance, since in *Caspian's Miscellaneous Myths*, he is described as incredibly handsome (more so than a mortal man). During his conquest of India, Dionysus rode in a golden chariot pulled by two centaurs. He wields a pine cone-topped thyrsus rod wreathed in ivy while battling foes, which can "glow with purple fire" when he is agitated.

## Powers and Abilities

### God Abilities

As a son of Zeus, Dionysus is an extremely powerful god. His heritage as a legacy of Harmonia may have amplified his powers as a mortal, setting the stage for his becoming a god.

* **Prowess in Battle**: Dionysus is known to have fought bravely in the first Gigantomachy (while still a demigod), wielding a pine cone-topped thyrsus rod. He helped Hercules take down Otis and Ephialtes, and also took down Clytius together with Hercules and Hecate. Dionysus also participated in the Olympians' massive battle with Typhon in The 5th Story, though he was defeated and smashed deep into a mountain by the huge Storm Giant.
* **Chlorokinesis**: Dionysus can grow, control, and summon plants, but he prefers grape and strawberry vines.
	+ **Vine Binding**: He can bind and suffocate his enemies with grape vines which are incredibly strong and durable, shown when he killed Dr. Thorn
	+ **Vine Manipulation**: In The 4th Story, Dionysus magically creates a throne of grapevines to sit at the Council of Cloven Elders.
* **Madness Manipulation**: As the god of madness, Dionysus is able to both induce and cure it
	+ **Induced Madness**: He can induce madness, shown in *Caspian's Miscellaneous Myths*, when he instantly drove King Lycurgus insane, and in The 3rd Story, when Dionysus did the same to Dr. Thorn's minions.
	+ **Curing Madness**: Dionysus can cure madness, shown in The 4th Story, when he quickly cured a camper, whom not even nectar and ambrosia could cure.
* **Alcokinesis**: As the god of wine, Dionysus can manipulate alcohol.
	+ **Alcohol Transformation**: He can transform people and objects into anything wine related
	+ **Alcohol Conjuration**: He can conjure any kind of drink, but generally only creates cans of Diet Coke, since Hestia believes it's more "family friendly" to his children
	+ **Alcohol Immunity**: Dionysus is completely immune to the effects of any amount of alcohol.

* **Partying**: Dionysus can appear anywhere a party is held. According to *Caspian's Miscellaneous Myths*, his parties are wild and infamous.
* **Maenad Curse**: Despite the fact that Dionysus despises the Maenads, he is obliged to curse anybody who either hurts or kills a single one of them
* **Photokinesis** (limited): Dionysus can generate an intense purple aura with his power
* **Levitation**: A revealed in The 3rd Story, Dionysus has the ability to levitate, which he did when confronting Caspian and Flapjack on the roof of a nine hundred foot tall building. Dionysus later used this ability in The 4th Story when "walking" with Caspian and conversing with him.
* **Teleportation**: Dionysus can teleport, instantly dissipating and leaving a faint smell of grapes.
* **Pyrokinesis**: Dionysus's eyes glow with a purple fire. And throughout the series, Dionysus is shown to create purple fire.
* **Granting Powers**: As King Midas mentions in The 6th Story, Dionysus was able to give him his infamous Golden Touch.
* **Forced Transformation**: Dionysus can turn people into animals. This happened in *Caspian's Miscellaneous Myths*, when he was kidnapped by pirates by mistake, and he subsequently turned them into dolphins with them later joining Chrysaor's crew. In 8th Story, Cassy is able to use the Dolphin Warriors lingering fear of Dionysus against them as a result.

## Attributes

Dionysus' attributes are his thyrsus, his silver goblet (which he brought back from his conquest of India), as well as grape vines. His sacred animals are the leopard, panther, goat, and donkey. Dionysus is also the patron god of theater.

## Attendants

Dionysus' loyal attendants are the fierce Maenads, and while he despises them, he is still obliged to curse anyone who either hurts or kills a single one of them. The satyrs at Camp Olympia also serve Dionysus, and can be seen sitting with the god at his table in the Dining Pavilion.

## Children and Romance

### Immortal Children

 Aphrodite
 Unknown
 Unknown
 Unknown

### Demigod Children

 Chthonophyle
 Leah Molina
 Courtney Scott

### Romance

#### Ariadne

Dionysus has a good relationship with Ariadne. When Theseus abandoned her on an island, Dionysus found her and made Ariadne his immortal wife on Olympus when she died. This is one of the reasons why he hates heroes so much. Dionysus has also shown a surprising amount of loyalty to his marriage to Ariadne as in stark contrast to his fellow Olympians(excluding the Big Three and Virgin Goddesses) Dionysus has the smallest number of Demigod children, having only Jaxson, Frank and Brook, with Frank and Jaxson being the same age and Brooke five year younger, thus implying that he has only cheated on her once in the last few decades.

## Etymology

From Greek *Διός (Dios)* meaning **"of Zeus"** combined with Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised.

## Trivia

1. Bacchus, a white wine grape, was named after his Roman counterpart.
2. Dionysus is the youngest of the major Olympians.
3. Dionysus received his throne in the Hall of the Gods from Hestia, who willingly gave it up to him.
4. His mother, Semele, was a demigod daughter of Harmonia (daughter of Ares and Aphrodite), making Dionysus a legacy of Harmonia. This would also make Aphrodite his great-grandmother and Ares his great-grandfather.
5. Dionysus hates heroes, despite the fact that he himself was one, and his grandfather, Cadmus, was one of the first great heroes along with Perseus and Bellerophon. He states that this stems from Theseus abandoning Ariadne (and Calix) on the island of Naxos, only for him to find her, heart-broken, and marrying her after they fell in love. Some versions of the story say he fell in love with Ariadne while she was on the ship and forced Theseus to abandon her
6. He is the only major Olympian to be born to a god and a mortal, making him an immortal demigod.
7. All his demigod children are known only by their first names.
8. Dionysus is also the patron god of all transgender and intersex individuals, due to him being forced to conceal his true gender in public during his childhood.
9. The **Dionysia**, named in honor of Dionysus, was a large festival that celebrated the cultivation of vines.
10. His Egyptian equivalent is Shezmu.
11. Curiously, apparently all of his children with Ariadne appear to have been demigods, possibly born before she became a goddess, although all of them became a king of some Greek city.
12. His Mayan counterpart is Akan.
13. Despite not having myths together and sometimes seen as the same god, it is assumed Zagreus and Dionysus are close; Zagreus being Dionysus' guide in the underworld to bring Ariadne and Semele back.