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God of Ecstasy: Sex Roles and the Madness of Dionysos

Arthur Evans

4.41 · Rating details · 29 ratings · 2 reviews

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Paperback, 304 pages

Published August 1st 1988 by St. Martin's Press

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Dionysiaca, Books 1-15 by Nonnus of Panopolis

Dionysos - Διόνυσος

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Start your review of God of Ecstasy: Sex Roles and the Madness of Dionysos

Nov 26, 2015 Aonarán added it

Shelves: books-i-read-a-chunk-of

I read Evan's introduction to the text about a year ago and appreciated it. I have a hard time with a lot of ancient mythology *and* plays so will likely not read the actual play for a while. (Having someone passionate about the story explain why they like it was a good start).

Here's what I took away from the intro:

I don't get a lot out of theology or gods, but I do understand they can have different meanings in different times or for different people. At their best, the greco-roman gods are som I read Evan's introduction to the text about a year ago and appreciated it. I have a hard time with a lot of ancient mythology *and* plays so will likely not read the actual play for a while. (Having someone passionate about the story explain why they like it was a good start).

Here's what I took away from the intro:

I don't get a lot out of theology or gods, but I do understand they can have different meanings in different times or for different people. At their best, the greco-roman gods are something like the personification of an emotional or psychological state. It would seem that Evans sees Bacchus as the personification of Ecstasy.

According to the story (spoiler alert, and it's a little fuzzy cause it's been a year) Bacchus comes to town. Some (his followers) recognized him and make their way to the woods and start a big orgy or something. Meanwhile others who do not recognize him (including the local ruler) throw him in jail. Eventually, Bacchus possesses the ruler and sends him out of town dressed as an animal. Others are also possessed and taken there. At some point those who are not his followers (including the ruler's family) see the ruler but don't see him through the costume and kill him.

At first I was like, wow, what an asshole Bacchus. He just takes control of people, makes em have sex with each other and kill each other to prove a point. But as I read more (and thought about it), I realized that Bacchus is desire. What Evan's sees in the play is that those who embrace their desires (his followers, for lack of a better word) sort through their desires, decide which ones they want to act on and which they don't and can have a healthy, fulfilling relationship to them. Those who ignore or repress their desires (those who can't recognize Bacchus) will eventually let them out in fucked up ways: killing or raping each other, for example.

At least according to the introduction, it's a celebration of those who try and fulfill their desires and a warning to those who repress theirs.

"Is a dream a lie if it don't come true, or is it something worse?"

Intro: 4.5 ...more

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Jan 27, 2016 Dominique rated it liked it

Shelves: mythology, dionysus, greek-mythology

It got a little preachy at times, but otherwise was not that bad.

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About Arthur Evans

Arthur Evans

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In 1963 Evans discovered gay life in Greenwich Village, and in 1964 became lovers with Arthur Bell (later to become a columnist for the Village Voice). In 1966 Evans was admitted to City College of New York, which accepted all his credits from Brown University. He changed his major from political science to philosophy and became active in the anti-war movement. He participated in his first sit-in ...more