Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

5614

Euripides, Bacchae, 762-764

κεῖναι δὲ θύρσους ἐξανιεῖσαι χερῶν

and the sight of this was terrible to behold, lord. For their pointed spears drew no blood, but the women, hurling the thyrsoi from their hands, kept wounding them and turned them to flight—women did this to men, not without the help of some god.

ἐτραυμάτιζον κἀπενώτιζον φυγῇ

γυναῖκες ἄνδρας, οὐκ ἄνευ θεῶν τινος.

Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

12 results

1. Homer, Iliad, 6.130-6.140 (8th cent. BCE - 7th cent. BCE)

6.130. /Nay, for even the son of Dryas, mighty Lycurgus, lived not long, seeing that he strove with heavenly gods—he that on a time drave down over the sacred mount of Nysa the nursing mothers of mad Dionysus; and they all let fall to the ground their wands, smitten with an ox-goad by man-slaying Lycurgus. 6.131. /Nay, for even the son of Dryas, mighty Lycurgus, lived not long, seeing that he strove with heavenly gods—he that on a time drave down over the sacred mount of Nysa the nursing mothers of mad Dionysus; and they all let fall to the ground their wands, smitten with an ox-goad by man-slaying Lycurgus. 6.132. /Nay, for even the son of Dryas, mighty Lycurgus, lived not long, seeing that he strove with heavenly gods—he that on a time drave down over the sacred mount of Nysa the nursing mothers of mad Dionysus; and they all let fall to the ground their wands, smitten with an ox-goad by man-slaying Lycurgus. 6.133. /Nay, for even the son of Dryas, mighty Lycurgus, lived not long, seeing that he strove with heavenly gods—he that on a time drave down over the sacred mount of Nysa the nursing mothers of mad Dionysus; and they all let fall to the ground their wands, smitten with an ox-goad by man-slaying Lycurgus. 6.134. /Nay, for even the son of Dryas, mighty Lycurgus, lived not long, seeing that he strove with heavenly gods—he that on a time drave down over the sacred mount of Nysa the nursing mothers of mad Dionysus; and they all let fall to the ground their wands, smitten with an ox-goad by man-slaying Lycurgus. 6.135. /But Dionysus fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the man's threatenings. Then against Lycurgus did the gods that live at ease wax wroth, and the son of Cronos made him blind; 6.136. /But Dionysus fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the man's threatenings. Then against Lycurgus did the gods that live at ease wax wroth, and the son of Cronos made him blind; 6.137. /But Dionysus fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the man's threatenings. Then against Lycurgus did the gods that live at ease wax wroth, and the son of Cronos made him blind; 6.138. /But Dionysus fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the man's threatenings. Then against Lycurgus did the gods that live at ease wax wroth, and the son of Cronos made him blind; 6.139. /But Dionysus fled, and plunged beneath the wave of the sea, and Thetis received him in her bosom, filled with dread, for mighty terror gat hold of him at the man's threatenings. Then against Lycurgus did the gods that live at ease wax wroth, and the son of Cronos made him blind; 6.140. /and he lived not for long, seeing that he was hated of all the immortal gods. So would not I be minded to fight against the blessed gods. But if thou art of men, who eat the fruit of the field, draw nigh, that thou mayest the sooner enter the toils of destruction. Then spake to him the glorious son of Hippolochus:

2. Anacreon, Fragments, 357 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

3. Anacreon, Fragments, 357 (6th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

4. Aristophanes, The Women Celebrating The Thesmophoria, 985-1000 (5th cent. BCE - 4th cent. BCE)

1000. εὐπέταλος ἕλικι θάλλει.

5. Euripides, Bacchae, 1000-1009, 101, 1010-1019, 102, 1020-1023, 1025-1026, 1029, 103, 1030-1039, 104, 1040, 1043-1049, 105, 1050-1059, 106, 1060-1069, 107, 1070-1079, 108, 1080-1089, 109, 1090-1099, 110, 1100-1109, 111, 1110-1119, 112, 1120-1129, 113, 1130-1139, 114, 1140-1149, 115, 1150-1152, 116-123, 1233, 124-166, 31-40, 443-450, 453-459, 51-52, 576-639, 64, 640-647, 65, 652, 66, 667, 67, 677-679, 68, 680-689, 69, 690-699, 70, 700-709, 71, 710-719, 72, 720-729, 73, 730-739, 74, 740-749, 75, 750-759, 76, 760-761, 763-769, 77, 770-774, 78-91, 918-919, 92, 920-929, 93, 930-939, 94, 940-949, 95, 950-959, 96, 960-969, 97, 970-979, 98, 980-989, 99, 990-999, 100 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

100. τέλεσαν, ταυρόκερων θεὸν

100. had perfected him, the bull-horned god, and he crowned him with crowns of snakes, for which reason Maenads cloak their wild prey over their locks. Choru

6. Sophocles, Antigone, 1116-1152, 1115 (5th cent. BCE - 5th cent. BCE)

7. Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library, 4.3.3 (1st cent. BCE - 1st cent. BCE)

4.3.3. Consequently in many Greek cities every other year Bacchic bands of women gather, and it is lawful for the maidens to carry the thyrsus and to join in the frenzied revelry, crying out "Euai!" and honouring the god; while the matrons, forming in groups, offer sacrifices to the god and celebrate his mysteries and, in general, extol with hymns the presence of Dionysus, in this manner acting the part of the Maenads who, as history records, were of old the companions of the god.

8. Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 3.5.1 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

3.5.1. Διόνυσος δὲ εὑρετὴς ἀμπέλου γενόμενος, Ἥρας μανίαν αὐτῷ ἐμβαλούσης περιπλανᾶται Αἴγυπτόν τε καὶ Συρίαν. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον Πρωτεὺς αὐτὸν ὑποδέχεται βασιλεὺς Αἰγυπτίων, αὖθις δὲ εἰς Κύβελα τῆς Φρυγίας ἀφικνεῖται, κἀκεῖ καθαρθεὶς ὑπὸ Ῥέας καὶ τὰς τελετὰς ἐκμαθών, καὶ λαβὼν παρʼ ἐκείνης τὴν στολήν, ἐπὶ Ἰνδοὺς 1 -- διὰ τῆς Θράκης ἠπείγετο. Λυκοῦργος δὲ παῖς Δρύαντος, Ἠδωνῶν βασιλεύων, οἳ Στρυμόνα ποταμὸν παροικοῦσι, πρῶτος ὑβρίσας ἐξέβαλεν αὐτόν. καὶ Διόνυσος μὲν εἰς θάλασσαν πρὸς Θέτιν τὴν Νηρέως κατέφυγε, Βάκχαι δὲ ἐγένοντο αἰχμάλωτοι καὶ τὸ συνεπόμενον Σατύρων πλῆθος αὐτῷ. αὖθις δὲ αἱ Βάκχαι ἐλύθησαν ἐξαίφνης, Λυκούργῳ δὲ μανίαν ἐνεποίησε 2 -- Διόνυσος. ὁ δὲ μεμηνὼς Δρύαντα τὸν παῖδα, ἀμπέλου νομίζων κλῆμα κόπτειν, πελέκει πλήξας ἀπέκτεινε, καὶ ἀκρωτηριάσας αὐτὸν ἐσωφρόνησε. 1 -- τῆς δὲ γῆς ἀκάρπου μενούσης, ἔχρησεν ὁ θεὸς καρποφορήσειν αὐτήν, ἂν θανατωθῇ Λυκοῦργος. Ἠδωνοὶ δὲ ἀκούσαντες εἰς τὸ Παγγαῖον αὐτὸν ἀπαγαγόντες ὄρος ἔδησαν, κἀκεῖ κατὰ Διονύσου βούλησιν ὑπὸ ἵππων διαφθαρεὶς ἀπέθανε.

9. Plutarch, Camillus, 5.2 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)

5.2. From the sacred rites used in the worship of this goddess, she might be held to be almost identical with Leucothea. The women bring a serving-maid into the sanctuary and beat her with rods, then drive her forth again; they embrace their nephews and nieces in preference to their own children; and their conduct at the sacrifice resembles that of the nurses of Dionysus, or that of Ino under the afflictions put upon her by her husband’s concubine. After his vows, Camillus invaded the country of the Faliscans and conquered them in a great battle, together with the Capenates who came up to their aid.

10. Augustine, The City of God, 7.21 (4th cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)

7.21. Now as to the rites of Liber, whom they have set over liquid seeds, and therefore not only over the liquors of fruits, among which wine holds, so to speak, the primacy, but also over the seeds of animals:- as to these rites, I am unwilling to undertake to show to what excess of turpitude they had reached, because that would entail a lengthened discourse, though I am not unwilling to do so as a demonstration of the proud stupidity of those who practise them. Among other rites which I am compelled from the greatness of their number to omit, Varro says that in Italy, at the places where roads crossed each other the rites of Liber were celebrated with such unrestrained turpitude, that the private parts of a man were worshipped in his honor. Nor was this abomination transacted in secret that some regard at least might be paid to modesty, but was openly and wantonly displayed. For during the festival of Liber this obscene member, placed on a car, was carried with great honor, first over the crossroads in the country, and then into the city. But in the town of Lavinium a whole month was devoted to Liber alone, during the days of which all the people gave themselves up to the must dissolute conversation, until that member had been carried through the forum and brought to rest in its own place; on which unseemly member it was necessary that the most honorable matron should place a wreath in the presence of all the people. Thus, forsooth, was the god Liber to be appeased in order to the growth of seeds. Thus was enchantment to be driven away from fields, even by a matron's being compelled to do in public what not even a harlot ought to be permitted to do in a theatre, if there were matrons among the spectators. For these reasons, then, Saturn alone was not believed to be sufficient for seeds - namely, that the impure mind might find occasions for multiplying the gods; and that, being righteously abandoned to uncleanness by the one true God, and being prostituted to the worship of many false gods, through an avidity for ever greater and greater uncleanness, it should call these sacrilegious rites sacred things, and should abandon itself to be violated and polluted by crowds of foul demons.

11. Valerius Flaccus Gaius, Argonautica, 2.242, 2.250-2.251, 2.264, 2.280, 2.283

12. Vergil, Aeneis, 7.385-7.400

7.385. But nay! Though flung forth from their native land 7.386. I o'er the waves, with enmity unstayed 7.387. dared give them chase, and on that exiled few 7.388. hurled the whole sea. I smote the sons of Troy 7.389. with ocean's power and heaven's. But what availed 7.390. Syrtes, or Scylla, or Charybdis' waves? 7.391. The Trojans are in Tiber ; and abide 7.392. within their prayed-for land delectable 7.393. afe from the seas and me! Mars once had power 7.394. the monstrous Lapithae to slay; and Jove 7.395. to Dian's honor and revenge gave o'er 7.396. the land of Calydon. What crime so foul 7.397. was wrought by Lapithae or Calydon? 7.398. But I, Jove's wife and Queen, who in my woes 7.399. have ventured each bold stroke my power could find 7.400. and every shift essayed,—behold me now

Subjects of this text:

subject	book bibliographic info
agave	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141; Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
amata	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
anti-hero,dionysus	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
apollodorus	Jeong (2023), Pauline Baptism among the Mysteries: Ritual Messages and the Promise of Initiation. 77
athena	Pucci (2016), Euripides' Revolution Under Cover: An Essay, 169
athens,athenian	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
bacchants,bacchae,bacchai	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
bacchants	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
bacchic rites,in vergils aeneid	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
bacchic rites,military imagery and	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
bacchic rites,slaves involved in	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 242
bacchus/dionysus	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 242
bull	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
butes	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
cattle	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
chorus,in drama	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
ciconian women,lemnian women compared	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
cithaeron	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
cult,cultic acts for specific cults, the corresponding god or place	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
dance,dancing,ecstatic,frenzied,maenadic,orgiastic	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
dido	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
dionysia,great and rural (festivals)	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
dionysos,arrival	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
dionysos,awakening	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
dionysos,dionysos as bull	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
dionysos,dionysos as goat	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
dionysos,dionysos bromios	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
dionysos,nurse of	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
dionysos,punishment	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
dionysos	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
dionysus	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
dismemberment	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
ecstasy ἔκστασις,ecstatic	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
euripides	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28; Jeong (2023), Pauline Baptism among the Mysteries: Ritual Messages and the Promise of Initiation. 77
experience/experiential	Jeong (2023), Pauline Baptism among the Mysteries: Ritual Messages and the Promise of Initiation. 77
furies	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
goat,dionysos as	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
goat	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
greek literature and practice,bacchic rites	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 242
hellenistic	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
heracles	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
hero	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
hypsipyle,in euripides hypsipyle	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
hypsipyle,jason/argonauts and	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
hypsipyle,vergils aeneid and	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
initiate	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
ino	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
intertextuality,hypsipyle story and	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
iobacchoi	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
ivy	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
jason and the argonauts	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
lion	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
lycurgus	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
maenad-nymphs	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
maenads,maenadic,maenadism,rites/cults	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
maenads,maenadic,maenadism	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
maenads	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28; Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
magnesia,magnesian	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
male	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
melitaia	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
messenger	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
miracles	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
myth,mythical	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
nymph	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
nysa,nyseion	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
ox-goad βουπλήξ	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
pelinna	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
pentheus	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141; Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
polyxo	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
pottery	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
procession	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
punishment	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
purification/purity	Jeong (2023), Pauline Baptism among the Mysteries: Ritual Messages and the Promise of Initiation. 77
religion,dionysiac	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
religion,feminine ritual language	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
religion,relationships with gods	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
religion	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
rite,ritual,maenadic	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
rite,ritual	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
ritual	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
rome,roman	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 161
semele	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
sheep	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
slaves	Brule (2003), Women of Ancient Greece, 28
sparagmos	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112; Pucci (2016), Euripides' Revolution Under Cover: An Essay, 169
thebes,theban	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
thebes (boeotia)	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
thessaly,thessalian	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
thiasos θίασος	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
thracia,thracian	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
thyrsus θύρσος	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
venus/aphrodite	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
vergil,aeneid,bacchic rites in	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
vergil,aeneid,hypsipyle story,valerius and statius versions of	Panoussi(2019), Brides, Mourners, Bacchae: Women's Rituals in Roman Literature, 249
versnel,h. s.	Pucci (2016), Euripides' Revolution Under Cover: An Essay, 169
violence/violent	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
woman	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141, 161
women	Lipka (2021), Epiphanies and Dreams in Greek Polytheism: Textual Genres and 'Reality' from Homer to Heliodorus, 112
worship'	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141
zeus	Bernabe et al. (2013), Redefining Dionysos, 141