The Family Tree of the Greek Gods

The Myth Retold

We had just landed ashore to get supplies and plan our route. Me and the captain along with some of our crew were walking a trail when we heard someone coming. The captain ordered us to hide, most of us hid in the bushes that lined the trail. As we watched a seemingly rich young man was walking by, at that moment the captain gave us the order to capture the man. The man did not fight back so this made the capture easier. We brought him to the ship and we were trying to tie him up but every time the crew touch the man with the rope, the rope fell apart. I told the crew that we should let this man go and beg for his forgiveness, as only a god could achieve such a feat. The captain mocked me and told the crew to keep trying. I noticed along with some of the other crew members that the ship was becoming entangled with vines. the vines kept us in place even when the captain gave the order to set sail. Then I heard a disturbance in the direction of the man. I look over to see a lion where the man was, chasing the crew overboard. The creature did not look too intent on running me over board so I stayed were I was. I moved only a moment to look at the crew that was falling over board. I watch them all turn into dolphins just before they hit the water. The only person on the ship now was me and the lion now stood before me and transformed back into the man we had captured and told me that he would spare me because I had tried to let him go free.

The resolution

The resolution of Dionysus and the pirates was Dionysus turning the crew into pirates and sparing the helmsman.

Climax in the myth

The climax of this particular myth is Dionysus turning into a lion and causing all of the crew to jump over board.

Conflict within the myth

The conflict that happened within this myth was the pirates capturing Dionysus and not realizing their grave mistake until it was too late. The pirates tried to tie Dionysus to the mast of their ship but the ropes would not hold him each time the pirates touched Dionysus with the rope the rope fell apart, this was their first clue and the only one that caught on was the helmsman. The second clue was the grape vines entangling the ship. The next clue was when Dionysus Transformed into a lion and made them abandon ship. The last and final clue was all of the crew with the exception of the helmsman turned into dolphins.

The Setting of the Myth

The setting of this myth is in a foreign land that is next to a sea the myth never stated the city that it took place at or near. The context clues in the passage tell that the setting is near a harbor or at least near an ocean. One of the settings tells us that Dionysus is on a trail and the pirates are off the trail hiding in the foliage near the path looking at Dionysus. Since it is near an ocean or harbor that means it must be humid and smells like fish and salt water. Another setting of the story was on a Greek pirate ship, the ship was in the ocean so it also smelled of fish and salt water. The wood of the boat would feel rough and weathered I would image. Also the climate of the area would be close to tropical because of the vines that were growing.

Character development

 In the earlier myth that I posted there were the characters, Dionysus of course but also the pirates in general along with the helmsman and the captain. Dionysus in this myth was a man in his best years of his life. The pirates were lowlifes that reverted to any way to get quick money. The captain was a person that could not stand taking orders from someone "lower" than him. The pirates afterward were dolphins all except the helmsman that told everyone that they should let Dionysus go and beg for his mercy. On this man Dionysus took mercy and did not turn him into a fish.

Cultural conections

Dionysus is the god of wine or alcohol and he is also the god of madness and celebrations/ parties. This relates to modern day rock stars or other singers along with celebrities. Dionysus is the god that is related to almost the highest social class.

A myth related to the god

As a young god dioysus decided that he was going to journey ouside of greece
As he journeyed he was spotted by pirates. He appeared to them as a rich young man. He might even be the son of a king. He certainly looked like his parents would pay a rich ransom for his safe return. Happy at their good luck the pirates seized him and brought him aboard their ship. They then attempted to tie him to the ship but, the ropes refused to hold. Anyplace a rope touched him it just fell apart. Dionysus watched calmly, smiling.
After some time the helmsman realized that only a god could be responsible. He called out that the crew should free Dionysus and beg his forgiveness. But, the captain mocked the helmsman as a fool and called for the crew to set sail. The crew raised the sail and caught the wind but, the ship did not move. Looking around they saw the ship quickly becoming overgrown with vines that held it fast. Dionysus then changed himself into a lion and began to chase the crewmen. To escape they leaped overboard but, as they did they were changed to dolphins. Only on the helmsman did Dionysus have mercy.

Introduction to the god

Dionysus

Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and celebrations or parties along with madness. The god of wine was a man, he did not often have an old appearance but he did have a cheerful expression. He is not specified to be old or young. Dionysus does not have godlike children but he has a few half-gods. His parent was Zeus and at first he was not a god only half. His wife was Althaia. The powers that this god had was to make most plants grow and his sacred animal was the dolphin, in one of the myths about Dionysus, a crew of men upon a ship angered him so he tuned them half way into dolphins. The plant that is mostly associated with this god is a grape vine.