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The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine) Lyrics by Euripedes

Euripedes Bacchae, Alterman translation

2012

DIONYSUS
I have come home to Theban soil where I was born
Dionysus, son of Zeus. My human mother was Cadmus’ child
Semele, who felt the dazzling light of heaven’s fire
that forced my birth.
For now I’ve laid aside the form of god
and taken that of man;
and here I stand at the springs of Dirce
and the waters of the Ismenus
near the old palace where my mother was struck by lightening.
I see her grave among the ruins of her house.
I see the smoke that still rises
from the living flames of Zeus’s fire–
an undying witness to Hera’s hatred
of my mother.
But I praise Cadmus, who hallowed this ground, his daughter’s
sacred shrine. As my tribute I have wrapped it all around
with lush shoots of the clustering vine.
I left the rich, golden lands of Lydia and Phrygia
and journeyed through the sun-blasted Persian plateaus,
the walled cities of Bactria, the miserable land of the Medes,
blessed Arabia, and all the coasts of Asia, the salty
shores that team with towered cities where Greeks mingle
freely with Barbarians.
I set those people dancing first and taught my mysteries
there, and now return to Greece, to this city,
where I shall reveal myself to mortals as a god.
So Thebes is the first Hellenic city I’ve taught to shout
“Ololu!” I fastened fawn skin to the women’s flesh
and put my thyrsus in their hands--
the ivy-covered shaft.
My mother’s sisters–who have no right–deny that
Dionysus is born of Zeus. Instead, they say, Semele
was taken to bed by some local man and blamed
the paternity on Zeus! Cadmus, they say, devised
the clever story to cover up her sin.
And so, they say, Zeus killed her, for saying
she was married to him.
“She lied, she died.
She wasn’t Zeus’s bride!”
They gloat like that.
But I’ve stung them with madness.
Driven from their homes, they now live on the mountains,
out of their minds, forced to bear the apparatus of my ecstasies.
In fact, the whole female tribe of Cadmeius–all the women–
I have driven from their homes.
The royal daughters of Cadmus mingle with the throng;
They sit beneath the silver firs on bare rock ledges.
For this city, uninitiated still, must learn
against its will the ways of Bacchus.
And they will know that I defend my mother
and show myself to humans–
the god she bore to Zeus.
Now Cadmus has given up the power and the glory
of his throne to Pentheus, his other daughter’s son,
who wages holy war against the gods–and me.
He never spills a drop of wine in offering to me.
He shuns my name; you never hear me mentioned
in his prayers. These are the reasons I will reveal
myself to him, and all the Theban children,
as god by birth.
After that I plant my foot in another land,
once my worship is established here,
and there reveal myself anew.
But if the city of Thebes attempts in anger
to drive my Bacchae from the mountains with force of arms,
I will join my army of the Maenads.
These are the reasons–I remind you one more time–
I have exchanged my true form and taken on
the image of a mortal man.
But you O devotees, who followed me from Tmolus,
the sacred Mountain of Lydia,
come my sisters, Asian women,
my companions at the table and on the march.
Take up the instrument native to Phrygian soil,
mother Rhea’s invention and mine. Gather round
the royal house of Pentheus and strike the kettle drum
so Cadmus’ city may see. And I will meet my Bacchae
at Citheron’s woods to join them in the dances.
Credits
Euripedes

Euripedes

About “The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)” by Euripedes

Read the complete lyrics to "The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)" by Euripedes from the album "Euripedes Bacchae, Alterman translation" in 2012. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)" is performed by Euripedes. from the album "Euripedes Bacchae, Alterman translation" in 2012 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)", explore more songs by Euripedes using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)" is credited to Euripedes. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Bacchae (Prologue: Dionysus at his mother’s shrine)" appears on "Euripedes Bacchae, Alterman translation" in 2012.

Visit the Euripedes artist page at /artist/euripedes for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.