Διόνυσος

69

dried fig from the branch” (probably an imitation of Euripides’ Ύψιπύλη; see Orth
2009, 208-11). Timocles’ Διονυσιάζουσαι is another play associated with both
Dionysus and tragedy; the title perhaps indicates a chorus consisting of women
celebrating the Dionysia, while in fr. 6 the educational and consolatory function
of tragedy is stressed.
Dionysus is often associated in drama with wine: in E. Ba. 771-2 he is described
as the creator of the vine: κάκεΐνό φασιν αύτόν, ώς έγώ κλύω, την παυσίλυπον
άμπελον δούναι βροτοΐς “and they also say this of him, as I hear, that he gives to
mortals the vine that ends grief”; cf. S. fr. 172 Radt (from Διονυσιακός Σατυρικός).
In comedy, in particular, Dionysus speaks about different kinds of wine in Hermipp.
fr. 77; cf. Olson, 2007, 305-6; Gkaras 2009, 168-78; Commentale 2017, 313-5. In
Alexis’ Συντρέχοντες, Dionysus and Aphrodite are compared, associated with wine
and love respectively; see Arnott 1996,618-20. Sometimes Dionysus is a metonym
for wine in tragedy, satyr play and comedy: E. Ba. 284 ούτος (Dionysus) θεοϊσι
σπένδεται θεός γεγώς “Himself a god, he is poured out in libations to the gods”;
Cycl. 525 θεός δ’ έν άσκώ πώς γέγηθ’ οϊκους έχων; “but why would a god delight in
making his home in a wineskin?”; Eup. fr. 6; Amips. fr. 4 ψέγώ δε Διόνυσος! I
πασιν ύμΐν είμί, πέντε και δύο “but I am Dionysus to all of you, five and two”; see
Orth 2013, 132-5; Alex. fr. 225 Νάννιον δε μαίνεται έπι τω Διονύσω “Nannion is
crazy for Dionysus”. Finally, Dionysus is sometimes represented as effeminate both
in tragedy and in comedy; cf. E. Ba. 453-9; Ar. Ra. 45-6. For Dionysus in comedy
see Pascal 1911, 25-7; Pellegrino 2000, 201-2; Casolari 2003, 112-26.
Content A standard pattern of Dionysus myths is the arrival of the god at a
particular place, the resistance of the local leaders and his ultimate victory.77 The
emblematic development of this pattern occurs in Euripides’ Βάκχαι (407/6 B.C.);
this tragedy deals with the invasion of Thebes by the Dionysiac cult, Pentheus’
resistance and the gods revenge.
We can say with some confidence that Timocles’ Διόνυσος shows a clear in-
terest in political satire. In the unique surviving fragment, two characters partici-
pate in a dialogue concerning current politics (see below, under “Interpretation”).
Dionysus often appears, usually disguised, as a character in comedy (especially in
the 5th century) with reference to political issues. In Cratinus’ Διονυσαλέξανδρος,
mythological parody and political satire are combined. Dionysus is represented as
a versatile divine figure in different transformations; he appears with divine regalia
(fr. 40), as Paris (test. 1) and is transformed into a ram, presumably symbolizing
Pericles (see Hypothesis w. 31-33 and fr. 45).78

77 Cf. Aristophanes’ Ώραι, where Sabazius and other foreign gods are put on trial; in
Apollophanes’ Κρητες, Eupolis’ Βάπται and Plato Comicus’’Άδωνις foreign gods (θεοί
ξενικοί) are satirized.
78 For the play Dionysalexandros see Casolari 2003, 98-112, with additional bibliogra-
phy; Bakola 2010, 81-102, 180-208, 253-72, 286-96; Bianchi, 2015, 198-308. For
Hermippus see Gkaras 2009, 90-6; Commentale 2017, 181-94.