Chapter 7: Dionysus
A group of pirates navigating on a long, small, but solid ship made of wood with a large white sail were accosted at a port in the south of Asia Minor in the Mediterranean Sea.
Boredom affected them and overall they were lacking money. A big while had passed since their last naval boarding. The food provisions diminished, day after day. Their mood wasn't at its highest.
But today was their lucky day!
Someone came near their boat. A young man. A beautiful youth with long black hair, a skin browned by the sun, piercing dark blue eyes and a good shaped body. He wore a grand tunic with fabrics of various colors and made with the purest silk and satin, where gold and many precious stones were embroidered.
It was definitely not a peasant. To be clothed with such luxurious attire, he had to be very rich or even better, a son of a king!
He approached their captain. A tall man with a grey beard who welcomed the new arriver with open arms.
"Hello, young man. Can I do something for you?"
"Well! I am coming back from a long journey from Asia and I am looking to go back where I live: Naxos. Will you accept to bring me there? Of course, I will give you money in exchange for that service."
We do expect to receive a lot of money from you. The pirate captain thought evilly before saying out loud. "Well, this is on our way. We can easily stop there for you."
"Thank you. Your help is really appreciated."
The captain smiled but with the worst intentions behind. It was obviously the chance of his life. They would make him a hostage and would ask a huge ransom from his certainly rich relatives.
And all the other members of the crew thought the exact same thing. Except one…
Indeed, one matelot felt something abnormal from this stranger. Something very…supernatural.
…
Delphina and Apollo didn't argue very often, but when they did, they could be freaking stubborn! No one could guess who would give up the first, if any of them was even willed to abandon at some point.
And now, they were exactly in the middle of an argument, breaking the usual peace inside Apollo's palace.
"I don't get it!" Delphina yelled. "Why do you have to go that place Hyper… Whatsoever?!"
"It is called Hyperborea." Apollo corrected.
"Anyway. You are telling me you have to leave to go living in this place in the north for the next three months? And you even have the intentions to go back there every winter?"
"Exactly. This place is linked to my mother. I am hugely worshipped there. Even more than my own father. And so, to thank them for such a strong devotion, I promised to bless them with my presence during that time of the year."
"And this is why you are asking me to watch over Delphi during your absence?"
"Exactly."
Delphina was truly annoyed. He truly got the nerves to ask her things like this at the last minute!
"Excuse me, but I am a goddess with duties! I have sailors on the sea to watch over already. I just cannot stay here for three months! Why don't you ask the Muses to do it instead of me?"
"Because they are coming with me. So this is your duty from now. Your dolphins can rescue the unlucky sailors all by themselves. This sanctuary needs you."
Delphina became even more pissed off. It was true that the dolphins were independent but still she was their leader and trainer. And anyway, she was a divinity from the sea. She just couldn't be kept away from the salt water like that!
Determined to not give up easily, Delphina riposted. "Are you sure there is nobody that can take care of it instead of me?"
"Who do you want me to ask to?" He replied. "Hermes is too busy with his role as the messenger of the gods. My mother is already taking care of Delos, my second most important sanctuary. Artemis also possesses her own temples to look over. The majority of the gods are either occupied or not trusted enough by me. And I cannot give that kind of responsibility to a nymph."
Damn it! She hated when he was right. Delphina forced herself to think again. There must be someone that could take on that role. Someone they forgot.
But again, Apollo insisted to have the last word. "Like I said, it's up to you to watch over Delphi. You are its patron goddess, so it's your own responsibility."
"Well, when I agreed to this, you never mentioned your vacations in this land called Hyperborea. It is unfair."
"The decision wasn't taken yet at that moment. And even if it was, when you accepted the patronage of this city, it meant you agreed to devote yourself to protect it no matter what."
He was right again. But still…still…
"Fine." She complied. "I am going to the sea for the day if you don't object it."
He didn't protest. He gazed at her stoically, satisfied of the dénouement. And so, the goddess left, angry for having given up just like that. How will she bear to be away from the dolphins for three months each year? And why Apollo absolutely had to go to that northern place?
But it was pretty hard to win an argument with him. She hated when he acted like that. He might be an Olympian and so of higher rank than she would ever be, but he could try to treat her more as his equal in the matters of Delphi. Now, she felt like she had to submit to his decision!
She plunged in the sea, trying to relax a little. Then, she suddenly heard a cry of distress. Good! A little distraction would probably uplift her mood.
…
Back on the pirate ship, the rich man had been tied up with ropes to the mast. All the pirates looked at him and laughed loudly. They were very proud of their catch and were now debating about his fate: asking a ransom or selling him to a slave market?
They praised themselves for having succeeded to trick their new prisoner but what if they were the ones tricked?
That was what a member of the crew, Acoetes, a young brown-haired man who stared at the victim with great attention was thinking. He was too beautiful. That was abnormal. He couldn't be a simple mortal. He had to possess at least some divine blood or worse…being a god himself.
As soon the suggestion surged in his head, the Fates seemed to send him a sign when something magical happened…the ropes that attached the youth fell.
The whole crew was stunned. How could he? He didn't even attempt any movement to free himself, he just…got free himself!
Not that much impressed, the captain ordered his men to tie him up again. They obeyed but again the ropes just fell down no matter how tide the nodes were. And the mysterious stranger just stood there, smiling, not saying a single word…like if he was amused.
Acoetes became scared. The hostage was clearly a god! They got into serious trouble. He had to do something.
Following his instinct, he warned the other crewmen. "Guys. Don't you see? This isn't an ordinary man. He is certainly a god. Poseidon, Apollo or worse Zeus… We have to bring him to Naxos like we promised!"
"Don't be so ridiculous, Acoetes." The captain said.
"But it is the truth! How else would you explain the ropes untying again?
And his mysterious calm despite being in a terrible situation? Don't be fools. You know what happens to the ones who offend the gods!"
But no one listened to him. They all thought he became crazy. They plenty refused to release their best opportunity to gain a huge amount of money just because of the suspicions caused by some supernatural phenomenon.
But Acoetes insisted. He didn't feel safe at all. But again, his claims were turned down.
A matelot was about to tie the prisoner up again when the latter, still smiling, finally said. "Poor you. You should have listened to him."
And suddenly, vines began to grow from the woody floor of the boat and attacked all the pirates, with the exception of Acoetes. The mysterious stranger also transformed himself into a lion roaring in a freaking intimidating way, achieving to provoke a huge panic on board.
Afraid by the magical vines and the majestic beast, the pirates threw themselves into the sea, excepted Acoetes who remained spared by the divine fury. However, he was still worried for his companions. Few of them knew how to swim!
And indeed, the poor sailors were drowning. By reflex, they invoked the first divinity that came up in their minds.
"Delphina! Please, save us!"
Happily, they didn't wait too long.
A group of dolphins appeared and each one went to assist a crewmen to keep them at the surface.
The lion returned to his human form and eyed carefully the scene until a blond mermaid surged from the water, staring at the boat and himself. Noting the abnormal presence of vines around the boat in the middle of the sea, she concluded. "You are a god."
"That's exact. And you must be the famous Goddess of Dolphins." He answered.
"This is me. But I don't think I recognize you."
"I am Dionysus, God of wine."
Delphina blinked. She heard that name before but couldn't remember where. Anyway, she had other priorities.
"Alright, Dionysus. Can you tell me what happened? Why these men are out of their ship and why the ship itself is covered with vines?"
"These mortals are fools who attempted to kidnap and use me as they want even after I gave them multiple hints about my godly nature. I am only punishing them as they deserve it."
"No!" One of the seafarer screamed. "Please, Delphina. Don't listen to him. We didn't know, we swear it. Spare our lives!"
The goddess understood that they were pirates who probably committed other crimes and hurt many innocent people. But, despite all of this, she couldn't let them die, neither let them at the mercy of the god.
So, she did the only thing she could do.
"Don't worry. I am still going to save your lives." She told them. "But, sadly, it is going to come with conditions."
And then, she transformed all of them into dolphins, confusing them with the sudden physical change. They tried to adapt, resigned to their fate.
But Acoetes cried. "No! Why? Why did you change them?"
"I cannot send them where they come from since they are criminals. As dolphins, they will help me to save people at the sea and will redeem themselves this way."
"Then, take me with you as well."
Dionysus raised his eyebrows after hearing the request and said. "Are you sure? I did spare you because you were the only one wise enough to recognise me. I can take you with me and make you a priest of mine."
"I am truly flattered by your offer, Lord Dionysus. But despite their flaws, these men were my friends and I couldn't bear to live away from them. Please!"
"Well, if this is your wish, then, you are welcome among my children." The mermaid declared.
"Thank you, Delphina." Acoetes said before jumping in the water, metamorphosing into a dolphin under the goddess's magic.
Dionysus was really impressed. He applauded and even invited the goddess to come on the boat. Delphina accepted, entrusting the native dolphins to guide the newcomers. She didn't know that god but was curious. He seemed to be nice.
She used the vines to climb after getting back her legs. As soon she got on board, the god welcomed her.
"I am very happy to meet you, Delphina. I heard you were very benevolent and I am not disappointed."
"Thank you. I wish I could say the same but I really don't know who you are."
"I am not surprised. I am a newcomer among the gods. Another child of Zeus."
"Wait! I remember now. You are the one that Zeus sewed inside his thigh after accidentally killing the mother. Hermes told me he brought you to be raised by a group of nymphs."
"Yes! This is me! I've just came back from my travel in Asia where I extended my own cult. As the last Olympian, I still have a lot to do to make my name known. "
"Hum? I don't understand. I thought Hermes was the last one."
"Well, in fact, my aunt Hestia decided to step down and so, my father gave me her throne. The decision is very recent so this may explain why you ignored it."
And he continued to tell the tale of his journey. He explained how he came to discover the process of winemaking. He described everything he experimented in India and other marvellous kingdoms. Delphina listened attentively but, in reality, only one thing truly interested her.
"So, if I understand, your worship is just beginning to grow?" She asked.
"Exactly. It's quite difficult because my cult brings controversy and also because my mortal origins put my legitimacy in question but, you know, I am still managing to get my place!"
"Ok! And I suppose that you are still looking for temples to occupy."
"For the moment, I am on my way to patronize Thebes, my birth place."
"But you are not busy?"
"Not that much, but why are you asking…?"
"Great! You are hired!" She declared with enthusiasm.
And Dionysus became totally clueless about what she meant, until she told him the whole story.
…
Apollo was being bathed by the nymphs. He was sat on a chair, all naked except for his waist being covered by a golden fabric. A nymph stood behind him, arranging his curly blond hair. Another, situated at his left, held his hand to bathe it in a plate full of water. On the floor, another servant washed his feet in a small basin which another was filling it up with hot water transported inside a vase.
The god was well taken care of and simply closed his eyes, relaxing… Until someone showed up inside the room without any warning.
"Apollo, I need to share good news with you!" Delphina announced.
All the nymphs gasped at the irruption. One of them who held a vase retorted. "Lady Delphina! It is inappropriate to disturb Lord Apollo during his bath. Please, leave and wait until it is finished."
"But it is really important!" The goddess protested.
"That's fine." Apollo intervened, a little annoyed. "Just speak quickly, Delphina."
"Well, I have found someone to watch over Delphi during your absence instead of me!"
"What?!" He exclaimed. "Who?"
"Your half-brother, Dionysus. He accepted!"
But instead to be happy, Apollo opened widely his eyes in shock. Trying to keep his calm, he ordered to his servants. "Leave us. I need to talk to her alone."
"But, my Lord…"
"Leave us!"
The god totally hated to repeat and the other nymphs noted it by leaving very fast, terrified by his anger. Delphina wasn't that much afraid, mostly confused by his reaction.
"Seriously." He spoke. "After our fight from this morning, I hoped to be able to enjoy a relaxing bath, but you have to be so stubborn!"
It was Delphina's turn to be angry. "Why? Why are you reacting like that? What I did wrong?"
He looked at her with piercing eyes.
"It is out of question that I leave Delphi in the hands of Dionysus. Understood?"
"But why? He is your brother. He is going to be one of the twelve Olympians. He still doesn't possess a big sanctuary, so that makes him available. "
"Ok! Tell me how you met him."
"Out there at the sea. I don't want to tell the whole story but I am really happy to have encountered him because he is the perfect candidate!"
"Delphina. I said no." He repeated more firmly.
"Damn! What's your problem with Dionysus?"
"You want to know? Well, the problem is that he and I are completely opposite. I am the God of Reason, of Civilisation and of Order… He is the God of Wine, of Ecstasy, of Disorder and, well, of Madness! I just cannot entrust my sanctuary to someone so unlike me."
"Not that much. He enjoys art like you, in particular theatre."
"Good try, but my mind didn't change. My answer is no and that's finale!"
Now, Delphina was very upset and couldn't keep it for herself. "Apollo! Have you even considered my feelings for a single moment?!"
"Your feelings?"
"Yes! The sea is all my life! My family lives there! And now, you want me to live alone in this palace for three months without any company! You will have your Muses with you but I cannot have my dolphins here. No nymph will be able to replace them. It will drive me insane! How can you be so selfish?!"
Apollo became mute for a while, surprised by the declaration. Delphina was almost crying. She liked her friend, but couldn't simply stand being treated like that!
Then, she heard him say. "Is he here?"
"Yes. He is waiting outside." She answered.
Apollo ordered a servant to let him enter. The wait wasn't long. Dionysus, wearing a brown fabric around his waist and crowned with vines and grapes, penetrated the room and bowed briefly in respect before the master of the palace.
"Hello, brother. I hope that you are doing well."
"I do. I hope you do as well. I see you have come back from your travel through Asia."
"It was a wonderful journey. My cult is growing gradually each day. I have now plenty of faithful followers and am gaining respect. I can't wait to sit with you and the other Olympians!"
"I see. Well, as you have probably guessed, Delphi is the center of my own cult. And I am sharing it with Delphina. She was supposed to watch over it during my absence but she suggested me to choose you to replace her. Now, I want you to know that I don't entrust my dear shrine to anybody. This is why I will let you the sanctuary for the night. This is a test to see if your cult can fit my own."
"Thank you, brother. I promise to not disappoint you!"
Delphina was more than happy! She hoped that Dionysus would succeed.
"I will help you!" She told him, determined to make sure he would feel comfortable at Delphi by sharing her own experiences.
"Delphina, you are staying here." Apollo suddenly ordered her.
"What?"
Apollo looked at her firmly.
"You heard me."
"But why?"
"Because I said so."
"That's ridiculous! You cannot give me orders like that!"
"Then, take it as a wise advice from me. The discussion is now over. Both of you can leave."
The goddess was really irritated! She liked Apollo but sometimes, he was so…so himself!
Dionysus left the chamber and Delphina was forced to do the same. She went straight to her own assigned bedroom where a lot of dolphins were painted on the walls.
She lay down on the white blankets covering her bed. She needed to calm her nerves. Apollo's recent attitude was totally getting under her skin. She thought about her dolphins. Dionysus was her only chance to avoid to be separated from them for so long.
Apollo was truly mistrustful toward his brother. She got that but…she was worried. It was up to Dionysus to prove his value to the God of Sun but she was the one who wanted him to look over Delphi more than anyone else, more for her own benefits.
This was her last chance. So was it wrong to want to make sure that nothing bad was going to happen during the night? Seriously, what harm could happen to her?
The sun set and the moon rose. Delphina passed by the window. Her bedroom was luckily on the first floor. She landed on her feet.
She made her decision. She was going to join Dionysus and make sure he will do the right job at guarding the sanctuary that bore her name.
…
It wasn't what she expected.
She found Dionysus in the woods nearby. He wasn't alone. He was surrounded by many nymphs (known as the maenads), wearing clothes and furs covering very few of their skins. Vines decorated their hair just like the god. There were also satyrs and wildcats like panthers, tigers and lions running around.
And there was the ambiance…
Everyone was drinking and appeared drowned into intoxication. They danced in a very erotic and sensual way. Many of them went wild and screamed incomprehensible things.
They were enjoying themselves and seemed liberated of any social codes. They allowed themselves to act with feral manners making them look closer to beasts than humans. They seemed to be possessed, but conveniently happy of this madness where the limits were evaporated.
Delphina felt…uncomfortable. It was really different of Apollo's cult.
She walked carefully to reach Dionysus, sat on a throne, who finally recognized and greeted her.
"Delphina! What a surprise! You finally came!"
"Of course. I wanted to make sure you would be alright, but… I am very worried. This is very so unlike Apollo's style. Not sure if it fits Delphi."
"Really? But that's only the power of wine! It brings you an ecstasy that free you from all the stress and the pressure of life. You fall in a state where all the forbidden are gone. You can truly feel pleasure and be yourself without any fear."
"I see, but…"
"Don't worry. I am not going to bring ecstasy to everybody in the village if it is what you fear. This is why I am doing my rituals in the forest. Anyway, my cult is more than that. I was thinking about my passion for theatre. Maybe we could build one just in front of the temple of Apollo."
"Yeah. That sounds like a good proposition."
And the conversation got interrupted by an orgasmic cry. Delphina turned her attention to the source. Many nymphs were now completely naked and began to copulate with lustful satyrs. All concepts of decency were gone. The ritual was turning into an orgy.
This achieved to disturb the goddess. A known code among the nymphs was to never get close to the satyrs, these creatures unable to control their never ending sexual desires and always pursuing the divine ladies. But here, the wine was powerful enough to make the maenads submissive to the half-goat beast.
Delphina blushed. She was embarrassed beyond words. Of course, she wasn't naïve about sexuality despite being a virgin. The Nereids and herself often swam all nude and shared their adventures with attractive mortals and immortals.
However, according to the conventions, this act should happen in private. Not…like that.
Alright! Now, she understood why Apollo advised her to not come here.
She looked at Dionysus and told him. "I think that you are perfectly fine on your own. So, I am going to leave if you don't object it."
"Of course, no. I can guess you are not feeling in your place, here. So, you are free to go."
"Thank you."
She needed to get out of here. She didn't feel in danger, but the atmosphere was like trapping her in the intoxication. She freaking didn't enjoy it.
But on her way, many maenads intercepted her with drunk voices. "My lady, why are you leaving? You just arrived! Come and drink with us!"
"Hum? I don't…"
"Ho! Come on! You should definitely taste the delicacy of this alcohol. Your body is so tense. Just relax and submit yourself to the ecstasy!"
A glass of wine was given to her. Wanting to be polite, she accepted it.
"Yes! Drink it! And you will never feel worried anymore. You will discover freedom just like us!" One of them screamed, totally out of her mind.
Delphina gazed at the liquid inside the cup. She still heard the sound of the drums, the flutes, the roars, the screams, the laughs and the moans. Everything was insane. If she drank it, she would… She didn't want to, but she was curious nevertheless. Just how it really felt?
But all of sudden, the din calmed when the sound of a lyre resonated.
And it brought Delphina back to her senses.
There, at the entrance of the forest, Apollo was standing, followed by the nine Muses. He played his lyre, using the power of his music to bring a little order and harmony to the place. The noise diminished, appeased by the peaceful symphony.
But a look at the eyes of Apollo proved that he wasn't in any way peaceful. They reflected a great fury! Even the Muses seemed to be nervous in his presence.
Delphina's heartbeat became fast. Nothing of it meant good news.
Dionysus only laughed at the intervention of his half-brother. "Ho! Apollo, you really believe your power will be enough against the power of wine?"
"My only goal was to appease a little bit the typical wild attitude of your followers and it worked." He harshly replied.
And then, he pointed his attention straight into her direction and she gasped.
"Delphina." He called, not hiding his wrath in his tone. "Come back here immediately!"
She almost shook under the intensity of his authority. But she kept her sangfroid. Headstrong, she dared to talk back to him. "You cannot give me orders! Why are you even here?"
"Why am I here? I should be the one asking that question! You were supposed to stay in your bedroom! I asked the servants to check on you every hour and like I predicted, you did disobey me!"
"You are not my father! And you told me to take it as an advice as I remember."
"Calm down, my friends." Dionysus intervened with maturity. "My dear brother, don't scold Delphina like this. She was about to leave, anyway."
"Silent! I can deal with it all by myself. By the way, you failed your test. The shrine will be under the guardianship of Delphina. That's finale!"
"What?!" The sea goddess reacted. "But why? You cannot do that to me! It's totally unfair!"
"Well. You should have thought twice before acting against my own instructions!"
She boiled deep under her skin. Anger ran in every veins and corners of her brain. She forgot her surroundings. Only one thing mattered: how much she hated Apollo right now!
She was glad to have refused to marry him or else her life would have been a nightmare! How could he treat her like that without any remorse? She did nothing wrong to him to deserve such punishment!
Her vision got blinded by the rage. She wanted to do nothing more than back up and just give up her role as a patron goddess of Delphi so Apollo would be left alone to deal with his problems caused by his arrogance! But leaving a patronage wasn't that simple.
That didn't mean that Delphina couldn't show herself rebellious. She broke the stare contest between her and the god by proclaiming. "Well! If that's the way it is, then, I have nothing to lose!"
And unexpectedly, she drank in one shot her glass of wine, causing a shock in the face of the God of Music.
"Delphina! Don't…"
But suddenly… She spited all of the beverage. To the confusion of everyone in the place.
She coughed with a pale face while alerted a worried Apollo. "What's wrong? Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine." She answered, recuperating a normal state. "It's just… Wow! The taste is so terrible!"
A huge silence hit the place. The Goddess of Dolphins felt the intensive stares of everybody on her. The satyrs, the maenads and even the wildcats had their eyes wide open and their souls crushed by the shock. Some of them even fainted.
As to Dionysus, his body refused to move. Every fiber of his muscles was paralyzed. His eyes fixed the void space. His mouth remained open without any reason. His hand holding his cup of wine began to shake a little.
The silence ended with the explosion of a laugh. Grasping his belly, Apollo bursted into pure amusement.
"Ho! Brother!" Apollo expressed. "You should see your face right now. It's priceless!"
The God of Wine didn't reply, sending an unamused glare.
"Come on! Don't start to sulk. You should be happy because I now authorize you to occupy my shrine during my time at Hyperborea."
Wait, what? Everyone got confused. What a fast change of mind! Just how it happened? Well, it wasn't Dionysus and his followers who would complain.
But the female divinity was astonished beyond descriptions. What in Tartarus just happened? She ran to her friend, determined to get clear explanations.
"Apollo! Why you…? Did you just change your mind just like that? Because you have been amused?"
"Maybe." He smiled to her.
"Ah! Sometimes, you can be very strange."
"From you, I take it as a compliment."
And she smiled back at him. She was happy. Apollo returned to the attitude she preferred and she finally got what she wanted. What more could she want?
"Well. It's very late." Apollo noticed. "Let's go back home to bed."
"Yes." She nodded.
And this was how Dionysus came to watch over Delphi during the three months of winter where Apollo was gone to Hyperborea. Two gods that seemed to be separated by everything according to the philosophers finally shared together one of the most prestigious sanctuaries in the world.
Thank you for reading!
In the real myth of Dionysus and the pirates, Acoetes did not become a dolphin but since I needed Dionysus for the rest of the chapter, I had to get rid of him, so, hop, in the water! It was also Dionysus who transformed himself the men.
Apollo's bath scene is a representation of the sculpture of the same name at the Palace of Versailles. I just had to put it somewhere in my story.
In all my research, the only explanation I found to how Dionysus ended up at Delphi is that his tomb was there. Since it doesn't make sense because he is immortal, I had to invent something. And I can say that it was a lot of fun!
I hope you liked it. And this is your hint for the next chapter: Ethiopia.
See you soon!
