Gods that don’t fit

Dionysus.

When looking at the gods that don’t fit there a number of gods that we could really look at, one that seems to be majorly covered is Dionysus that does not seem to have a category to fit into. This is maybe because we are undecided if Dionysus is actually the thirteenth Olympian god or not. Gods like Dionysus don’t fit into any bracket whereas the gods are concerned. He is neither an Olympian nor a chthonian god, he is unique. This leads me on to bring Hades into my discussion that he is also just like Dionysus and does not fit his “chthonian” terminology that is given to him.  Just as Dionysus, Hades is an exception to the rule he is both Zeus and Poseidon’s brother who are both Olympian gods. Thus as he never travels up to the mount Olympus he is not classed as Olympian although he possesses the same responsibilities if not more than some of the gods and goddess that have a place within the twelve Olympian gods.

Both Dionysus and Hades are seemed to have a connection within the realms of the underworld.   Seaford summaries the similarities between Dionysus and Hades have together.  “The god who is most associated with exuberant life is also the god who is- apart from Hades himself- associated with death and the underworld, a paradox first noted by Herakleitos.”(Seaford, 2006,86) Dionysus just like Hades travels between the two realms of the worlds. Just as Hades does when he surfaces to take Persephone away, Herakleitos as Seaford mentions references to Dionysus and Hades being one the same person. ‘Hades and Dionysus, for whom they go on a mad range, are one of the same.’(Herakleitos;117.) Here Herakleitos makes an important comment in his view that they are one of the same. This leading back to the concept of Hades being a personification of the underworld means that both Hades and Dionysus are the personification of the underworld and then dead.   The festival of Anthesteria which is a festival associated with Dionysus was an important festival amongst the dead for the Ionians. As Walter comments, ‘It was believed that on these days the dead came to visit the living and remained with them until a ceremonial pronouncements was made significant to them that their time was up, and they had to take their leave’ (Walter,1965.177) As Walter comments that the festival was significant  to the Ionians who believed in the concept of celebrating Dionysus and the link that he held towards the dead and pass over. This in turn reinforces the belief in the idea of Hades and Dionysus being linked to death and the pass over.

Dionysus and Hades seem to have a share in aspects of the death and duties that entail the pass over rituals. With this “gods that don’t fit” image into the concept, we can see that they clearly are not part of either chthonian or Olympian gods. They should not be characterised as either of them for in fact they could fit in either terminology. This does not take away that they are any less important or vital to the worships of the gods.

Bibliography

Herakleitos

Seaford R, (2006) Dionysus: Gods and Heroes of Ancient World. London: Routledge

Walter F, O (1965), Dionysus, Myth and Cult. Translated with an introduction from: Robert B Palamar.  Indaina University Press