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Diodorus Siculus · Bibliotheca Historica §4.5.1-4.5.4

Epithets of Dionysus and the Founding of Contests

Passage 241 of 406 · Greek

Summary

The text explains the origins of various epithets given to Dionysus (such as Bakcheios, Lenaios, Bromios, Thriambos, and Dimorphos) along with their etymologies and mythological backgrounds. It also describes Dionysus as the founder of theatrical contests who granted privileges to musicians, and concludes the narrative about him.

§4.5.1ἐπωνυμίας δʼ αὐτῷ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πολλὰς προσάψαι, τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἀπὸ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν ἐπιτηδευμάτων λαβόντας.
And they say that men attached many epithets to him, taking their motives from his practices.
βακχεῖον μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν συνεπομένων βακχῶν ὀνομάσαι, Ληναῖον δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατῆσαι τὰς σταφυλὰς ἐν ληνῷ, Βρόμιον δʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν γένεσιν αὐτοῦ γενομένου βρόμου· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ πυριγενῆ διὰ τὴν ὁμοίαν αἰτίαν ὠνομάσθαι.
For they named him 'Bakcheios' from the Bacchantes who accompanied him, and 'Lenaios' from treading the grapes in a winepress, and 'Bromios' from the thunderous roar that occurred at his birth; and likewise he was also named 'Pyrigenes' (fire-born) for a similar reason.
§4.5.2θρίαμβον δʼ αὐτὸν ὀνομασθῆναί φασιν ἀπὸ τοῦ πρῶτον τῶν μνημονευομένων καταγαγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς στρατείας θρίαμβον εἰς τὴν πατρίδα, τὴν ἐξ Ἰνδῶν ποιησάμενον ἐπάνοδον μετὰ πολλῶν λαφύρων.
And they say that he was named 'Thriambos' because he was the first of those recorded to have brought a triumphal procession (thriambos) back to his homeland from his expedition, having made his return from India with much booty.
παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς προσηγορίας ἐπιθετικὰς αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι, περὶ ὧν μακρὸν ἂν εἴη λέγειν καὶ τῆς ὑποκειμένης ἱστορίας ἀνοίκειον.
Similarly, his other remaining epithets also arose, about which it would be long to speak and unsuited to the present history.
δίμορφον δʼ αὐτὸν δοκεῖν ὑπάρχειν διὰ τὸ δύο Διονύσους γεγονέναι, τὸν μὲν παλαιὸν καταπώγωνα διὰ τὸ τοὺς ἀρχαίους πάντας πωγωνοτροφεῖν, τὸν δὲ νεώτερον ὡραῖον καὶ τρυφερὸν καὶ νέον, καθότι προείρηται.
And he is thought to be 'of two forms' because there were two Dionysi, the older one having a full beard because all the ancients grew beards, but the younger being beautiful, delicate, and young, just as has been said before.
§4.5.3ἔνιοι δὲ λέγουσιν ὅτι τῶν μεθυόντων διττὰς διαθέσεις ἐχόντων, καὶ τῶν μὲν ἱλαρῶν, τῶν δὲ ὀργίλων γινομένων, δίμορφον ὠνομάσθαι τὸν θεόν. καὶ Σατύρους δέ φασιν αὐτὸν περιάγεσθαι, καὶ τούτους ἐν ταῖς ὀρχήσεσι καὶ ταῖς τραγῳδίαις τέρψιν καὶ πολλὴν ἡδονὴν παρέχεσθαι τῷ θεῷ.
But some say that because those who are drunk have two temperaments, and some become cheerful while others become angry, the god was named 'of two forms.' And they say that he also led Satyrs about, and these afforded the god diversion and great pleasure in dances and tragedies.
§4.5.4καθόλου δὲ τὰς μὲν Μούσας τοῖς ἐκ τῆς παιδείας ἀγαθοῖς ὠφελούσας τε καὶ τερπούσας, τοὺς δὲ Σατύρους τοῖς πρὸς γέλωτα συνεργοῦσιν ἐπιτηδεύμασι χρωμένους, παρασκευάζειν τῷ Διονύσῳ τὸν εὐδαίμονα καὶ κεχαρισμένον βίον.
On the whole, while the Muses benefited and delighted him with the good things derived from education, and the Satyrs employed practices that contributed to laughter, they provided Dionysus with a happy and pleasing life.
καθόλου δὲ τοῦτον τῶν θυμελικῶν ἀγώνων φασὶν εὑρετὴν γενέσθαι, καὶ θέατρα καταδεῖξαι, καὶ μουσικῶν ἀκροαμάτων σύστημα ποιήσασθαι· πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἀλειτουργήτους ποιῆσαι καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταῖς στρατείαις μεταχειριζομένους τι τῆς μουσικῆς ἐπιστήμης· ἀφʼ ὧν τοὺς μεταγενεστέρους μουσικὰς συνόδους συστήσασθαι τῶν περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνιτῶν, καὶ ἀτελεῖς ποιῆσαι τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπιτηδεύοντας.
And in general they say that he was the discoverer of theatrical contests, established theaters, and organized a system of musical performances; moreover, he made those who practiced any part of the musical art on expeditions exempt from public services; from which things later generations organized musical associations of the artists of Dionysus, and made those who engaged in such practices exempt from taxation.
καὶ περὶ μὲν Διονύσου καὶ τῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ μυθολογουμένων ἀρκεσθησόμεθα τοῖς ῥηθεῖσι στοχαζόμενοι τῆς συμμετρίας.
And concerning Dionysus and the myths told about him, we shall be satisfied with what has been said, aiming at due proportion.

Notes

  1. §4.5.1προσάψαι — The infinitive `προσάψαι` (as well as the subsequent `ὀνομάσαι` and `ὠνομάσαι`) functions in indirect discourse, depending on a leading verb of saying (such as `λέγουσι` or `φασί`) understood from the previous context. Its subject accusative is `τοὺς ἀνθρώπους`.
  2. §4.5.2τῶν μνημονευομένων — Although it could be taken as a neuter genitive plural ("among the things mentioned"), it is better understood here as a masculine genitive plural ("among those recorded/remembered in history"), functioning as a partitive genitive qualifying the superlative-like adverb `πρῶτον`.
  3. §4.5.3τῶν μεθυόντων διττὰς διαθέσεις ἐχόντων — This phrase forms a nested double genitive absolute construction, governing the subsequent `καὶ τῶν μὲν ἱλαρῶν, τῶν δὲ ὀργίλων γινομένων`. It functions adverbially to express the reason for the passive infinitive `ὠνομάσαι` in the main clause of the `ὅτι`-clause.
  4. §4.5.4ἀλειτουργήτους ποιῆσαι — This is a double accusative construction consisting of the direct object of `ποιῆσαι` (`τοὺς ... μεταχειριζομένους`) and its object complement adjective `ἀλειτουργήτους` ("exempt from public liturgies/services").

Cite this passage

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica §4.5.1-4.5.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.humanitext-grc5:4.5.1-4.5.4

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