Dionysos on an amphora

Dionysos on an amphora

[Myth and Religion, 4]

As on this amphora or wine container, Dionysos (god of wine and fertility) usually appears in celebrations, accompanied by female worshippers, called bakchai or maenads, and male satyrs, who look like men with animal ears and tails. Dionysos is sometimes symbolised by the image of the phallos, which is not merely sexual but shows the life force and fertility over which he ruled. While Dionysos drinks and parties, artistic representations of him never show him partaking in sexual intercourse nor revealing his own genitals. Maybe this reflects the god’s identity as asexual: those who identify as asexual may have romantic feelings for others but not sexual attraction. The god’s avoidance of a rigid sexuality can be seen also as bisexuality. His appearance, which changes from that of a bearded man to that of a slim clean-cut youth around the fifth century bce, demonstrates sexual fluidity, in that he veers between masculinity and femininity, while never giving much away. Maybe it’s none of our business.