Finding Dionysos

“Prepare yourselves for the roaring voice of the God of Joy!"

- Euripides, The Bacchae

What could be found an an ancient Dionysian celebration?
Alcohol
Scantily clad revelers
Men and women on the prowl for a mate
Dancing
Make up
Drugs
Bull riding (well didn't we just talk about him being a bull god? Even True Blood got that right...)


Does this sound familiar? What else has all of these things? Why, a bar! Well, not all of them have a mechanical bull, but still! The cult of Dionysos lives! There's a wonderful quote in The Last Olympian, the final book in the first Percy Jackson series. Dionysos says: "Wherever there is a party, my presence is invoked." My favorite quote? Dionysos is playing Pacman and is eaten by the red ghost. He exclaims: "Erre es korakas, Blinky! I will have your soul!"

I'm keeping this blog short because I don't want to turn this into a brain dump. I'm going to go commune with the God of Joy and continue to read about Sin, the deity, not the slang for doing something wrong. It's also the new moon and time to ritualize! I'm keeping it to a simple devotion, incense and a candle offerings along with bread and purified water and wine. So let's close tonight with the Orphic Hymn to the God of Joy:

Come, blessed Dionysos, various-named, bull-faced, begot from thunder, Bakkhos (Bacchus) famed. Bassaros God, of universal might, whom swords and blood and sacred rage delight: in heaven rejoicing, mad, loud-sounding God, furious inspirer, bearer of the rod: by Gods revered, who dwellest with humankind, propitious come, with much rejoicing mind.

Khaire, Dionysos!