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Dionysiaca, Books 36-48
Nonnos of Panopolis in Egypt, who lived in the fifth century of our era, composed the last great epic poem of antiquity. The "Dionysiaca," in 48 books, has for its chief theme the expedition of Dionysus against the Indians; but the poet contrives to include all the adventures of the god (as well as much other mythological lore) in a narrative which begins with chaos in heaven and ends with the apotheosis of Ariadne's crown. The wild ecstasy inspired by the god is certainly reflected in the poet's style, which is baroque, extravagant, and unrestrained. It seems that Nonnos was in later years converted to Christianity, for in marked contrast to the "Dionysiaca," a poem dealing unreservedly with classical myths and redolent of a pagan outlook, there is extant and ascribed to him a hexameter paraphrase of the Gospel of John.
The Loeb Classical Library edition of the "Dionysiaca" is in three volumes.
The Loeb Classical Library edition of the "Dionysiaca" is in three volumes.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 400
About the author
Nonnus of Panopolis
80 books8 followersNonnus of Panopolis (Νόννος) was a Greek epic poet. He was a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in the Egyptian Thebaid, and probably lived at the end of the 4th or early 5th century. He is known as the composer of the Dionysiaca, an epic tale of the god Dionysus, and the Metabole, a paraphrase of the Gospel of John.
There is almost no evidence for the life of Nonnus. It is known that he was a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in Upper Egypt, by his naming in manuscripts. Scholars have generally dated him from the end of the 4th to the early part of the 5th century AD. He must have lived after a poem of Claudian's which he appears to be familiar with (after 394–397 AD), but before Agathias Scholasticus' reference to him as a "recent author." (before 530–580). He is known chiefly for his 48-book poem the Dionysiaca, the longest surviving poem in Greek from antiquity (it is only 7,000 lines shorter than the Iliad and Odyssey combined). A poetic paraphrase of the Gospel of John, the Metabole is attributed to him as well, which is thought by certain verbal echoes to have been composed after the Dionysiaca. At least two other works by Nonnus are lost. Only four lines of the Bassarica (also on the subject of Dionysus) have been preserved in a commentary by Stephanus of Byzantium, and according to an epigram in the Palatine Anthology (9.198), Nonnus was the author of a work titled the Battle of the Giants.
Also surviving is his paraphrase of the Gospel of John, which is chiefly interesting as an indication of Nonnus' apparent conversion to Christianity in his later years. The style is not inferior to that of his epic. A team of Italian scholars is currently producing a full commentary of the poem, book by book, of which several parts have already been published. They have shown that Nonnus was as learned in Christian theology as in pagan myth. That a learned Christian poem and a synthesis of Greek myths could come from the same pen continues to intrigue.
There is almost no evidence for the life of Nonnus. It is known that he was a native of Panopolis (Akhmim) in Upper Egypt, by his naming in manuscripts. Scholars have generally dated him from the end of the 4th to the early part of the 5th century AD. He must have lived after a poem of Claudian's which he appears to be familiar with (after 394–397 AD), but before Agathias Scholasticus' reference to him as a "recent author." (before 530–580). He is known chiefly for his 48-book poem the Dionysiaca, the longest surviving poem in Greek from antiquity (it is only 7,000 lines shorter than the Iliad and Odyssey combined). A poetic paraphrase of the Gospel of John, the Metabole is attributed to him as well, which is thought by certain verbal echoes to have been composed after the Dionysiaca. At least two other works by Nonnus are lost. Only four lines of the Bassarica (also on the subject of Dionysus) have been preserved in a commentary by Stephanus of Byzantium, and according to an epigram in the Palatine Anthology (9.198), Nonnus was the author of a work titled the Battle of the Giants.
Also surviving is his paraphrase of the Gospel of John, which is chiefly interesting as an indication of Nonnus' apparent conversion to Christianity in his later years. The style is not inferior to that of his epic. A team of Italian scholars is currently producing a full commentary of the poem, book by book, of which several parts have already been published. They have shown that Nonnus was as learned in Christian theology as in pagan myth. That a learned Christian poem and a synthesis of Greek myths could come from the same pen continues to intrigue.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 12, 2026
The final volume of the DIONYSIACA covers the end of Dionysus’ campaign in India and his subsequent “marriages” to various women (some consenting and some not). Interwoven between these episodes are other mythological episodes, often told with a comedic twist.
Nonnos ramps up both the absurdity and callousness of the Olympian gods in the final third of his epic, and thus the writing truly begins to shine. While the intrinsic character of his narrative hasn’t changed — his prior attempt at comedy is juvenile in its execution — and he’s as crude and tactless as ever, the jokes land better the more Nonnos takes ancient writers to task for their cruel and misogynistic mythology.
One of the highlights is Nonnos’ examination about the hypocrisy surrounding the goddess Artemis. She’s simultaneously the “proper” goddess for young women to aspire toward, while in truth, her values, image and even her followers are just as anachronistic and “mad” as Dionysus’ own. Nonnos is unflinching in his description of the “punishment” Artemis metes out for Aura, her most prideful and devoted followers, and uses the gruesome results to illustrate how the sane gods are just as mad and cruel as Bacchus. If anything, Bacchus’ “mad women” are more socially accepted, free and happy with their lives than the traditional woman trying to live up to an impossible standard. When sanity and society is restored to them, they suffer or die.
Some academics believe the DIONYSIACA is unfinished because it ends in an awkward and unfulfilling place. I disagree. Dionysus, depicted an analog to the powermad emperors of Rome, destroyed India in a seven war year, violated multiple women, invented wine, etc. to earn a place in history… and all humanity chooses to remember about him are the names of his children. It’s a political statement, and one which would be completely undone if the DIONYSIACA was a single word longer.
Nonnos, of course, is still Nonnos. All of his other flaws remain unchanged: the verbose purple prose, his borderline plagiarism of Homer, and he’s as crude as ever with his borderline soft-core porn. The man liked his muscle mommies and breastfeeding virgins, that’s for sure.
Worth noting are translator W.H.D. Rouse’s footnotes, which become increasingly unhinged and he tries to decipher Nonnos’ extensive knowledge of classic literature. His admiration and frustration with the source material is delightful.
Nonnos ramps up both the absurdity and callousness of the Olympian gods in the final third of his epic, and thus the writing truly begins to shine. While the intrinsic character of his narrative hasn’t changed — his prior attempt at comedy is juvenile in its execution — and he’s as crude and tactless as ever, the jokes land better the more Nonnos takes ancient writers to task for their cruel and misogynistic mythology.
One of the highlights is Nonnos’ examination about the hypocrisy surrounding the goddess Artemis. She’s simultaneously the “proper” goddess for young women to aspire toward, while in truth, her values, image and even her followers are just as anachronistic and “mad” as Dionysus’ own. Nonnos is unflinching in his description of the “punishment” Artemis metes out for Aura, her most prideful and devoted followers, and uses the gruesome results to illustrate how the sane gods are just as mad and cruel as Bacchus. If anything, Bacchus’ “mad women” are more socially accepted, free and happy with their lives than the traditional woman trying to live up to an impossible standard. When sanity and society is restored to them, they suffer or die.
Some academics believe the DIONYSIACA is unfinished because it ends in an awkward and unfulfilling place. I disagree. Dionysus, depicted an analog to the powermad emperors of Rome, destroyed India in a seven war year, violated multiple women, invented wine, etc. to earn a place in history… and all humanity chooses to remember about him are the names of his children. It’s a political statement, and one which would be completely undone if the DIONYSIACA was a single word longer.
Nonnos, of course, is still Nonnos. All of his other flaws remain unchanged: the verbose purple prose, his borderline plagiarism of Homer, and he’s as crude as ever with his borderline soft-core porn. The man liked his muscle mommies and breastfeeding virgins, that’s for sure.
Worth noting are translator W.H.D. Rouse’s footnotes, which become increasingly unhinged and he tries to decipher Nonnos’ extensive knowledge of classic literature. His admiration and frustration with the source material is delightful.
March 22, 2014
Difficult to know why I liked this poet, in translation: he's deleriously netting as much mythology as he can to do with his subject, Dionysus, and showing off with as many allusions to past great poets as he can muster, deploying his penchant for rhetoric and poetic conceits. The one time he gives anything near psychological plausibility is Artemis' expression of spite against Aura. He's best at soft porn descriptions of sex and violence, the latter horribly good.
October 7, 2012
Fun mythology. Got to finally read about Aura, which was the goal out reading this, in the very last book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews