Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

DIONYSIA. -DIONYSIA. 413
ev-erywhere, only modified by the national differ- changed the whole method of celebration: she
ences of the various tribes of the Greeks. It is admitted men to the initiation, and transferred
expressly stated that the Spartans did not indulge the solemnisation which had hitherto taken place
so much in drinking during the celebration of the during the daytime to the night. Instead of three
Dionysia as other Greeks. (Athen. iv. p. 156; days in the year, she ordered that the Bacchanalia
Plato, De Leg. i. p. 637.) The worship of Dio- should be held during five days in every month.
nysus was in general, with the exception of Co- It was from the time that these orgies were carrinth, Sicyon, and the Doric colonies in southern ried on after this new plan that, according to the
Italy, less popular among the Doric states than in statement of an eye witness (Liv. xxxix. 13),
other parts of Greece. (MUller, Dorians, ii. 10. licentiousness and crimes of every description were
~ 6; Bbttiger, Ideen z. Asrchaeol. der ]l4alerei, committed. MLIen as well as women indulged in
p. 289, &c.) It was most enthusiastic in Boeotia the most unnatural appetites, and those who atin the orgies on Mount Cithaeron, as is well tempted to stop or to oppose such odious proknown from allusions and descriptions in several ceedings fell as victims. It was, as Livy says, a
Roman poets. That the extravagant merriment, principle of the society to hold every ordinance
and the unrestrained conduct with which all fes- of god and nature in contempt. Men, as if seized
tivals of this class were celebrated, did in the by fits of madness, and under great convulsions,
course of time lead to the grossest excesses, cannot gave oracles; and the matrons, dressed as Bacbe denied; but we must at the same time acknow- chae, with dishevelled hair and burning torches in
ledge, that such excesses did not occur until a their hands, ran down to the Tiber and plunged
comparatively late period. At a very early period their torches into the water; the torches, howof Grecian history, Bacchic festivals were so- ever, containing sulphur and chalk, were not exlemnized with human sacrifices, and traces of this tinguished. MIen who refused to take part in the
custom are discernible even until very late. In crimes of these orgies, were frequently thrown into
Chios this custom was superseded by another, dark caverns and despatched, while the perpeaccording to which the Bacchae were obliged to trators declared that they had been carried off by
eat the raw pieces of flesh of the victim which the gods. Among the number of the members of
were distributed among them. This act was called these mysteries, were, at the time when they were
c.pocpayia, and Dionysus derived from it the name suppressed, persons of all classes; and during the
of Copdslos and jo-,T7 s. There was a report that last two years, nobody had been initiated who
even Themistocles, after the battle of Salamis, sacri- was above the age of twenty years, as this age
ficed three noble Persians to this divinity. (Plut. was thought most fit for seduction and sensual
Themnist. 13, Pelop. 21; compare Thirlwall, Hist. pleasure.
of Greece, ii. p. 310.) But Plutarch's account of In the year B. c. 186, the consuls Spurius Pos.
this very instance, if true, shows that at this time tumius Albinus and Q. Marcits Philippus were
such savage rites were looked upon with horror. informed of the existence of these meetings; and
The worship of Dionysus, whom the Romans after having ascertained the facts mentioned above,
called Bacchus, or rather the Bacchic mysteries they made a report to the senate. (Liv. xxxix.
and orgies (Bacchanalia), are said to have been 14.) The senate, alarmed by this singular disintroduced from southern Italy into Etruria, and covery, and although dreading lest members of
from thence to Rome (Liv. xxxix. 8), where for a their own families might be involved, invested the
time they were carried on in secret, and, during consuls with extraordinary power, to inquire into
the latter period of their existence, at night. The the nature of these nocturnal meetings, to exert all
initiated, according to Livy, did not only indulge their energy to secure the priests and priestesses,
in feasting and drinking at their meetings, but to issue a proclamation throughout Rome and
when their minds were heated with wine, they Italy, forbidding any one to be initiated in the
indulged in the coarsest excesses and the mnost Bacchic mysteries, or to meet for the purpose of
unnatural vices. Young girls and youths were celebrating them; but above all things, to submit
seduced, and all modesty was set aside; every those individuals who had already been secured
kind of vice found here its full' satisfaction. But to a rigid trial. The consuls, after having given
the crimes did not remain confined to these meet- to the subordinate magistrates all the necessary
ings: their consequences were manifest in all direc- instructions, held an assembly of the people, in
tions; for false witnesses, forgeries, false wills, which the facts just discovered were explained to
and denunciations proceeded from this focus of the public, in order that the objects of the procrime. Poison and assassination were carried on ceedings which were to take place might be known
under the cover of the society; and the voices of to every citizen. A reward was at the same time
those who had been fraudulently drawn into these offered to any one who might be able to give
orgies, and would cry out against the shameless further information, or to name ally one that bepractices, were drowned by the shouts of the Bac- longed to the conspiracy, as it was called. Meachantes, and the deafening sounds of drums and sures were also taken to prevent any one from
cymsbals. leaving Italy. During the night following, a great
The time of initiation lasted ten days, during number of persons were apprehended; many of
which a person was obliged to abstain from all them put an end to their own lives. The whole
sexual intercourse; on the tenth he took a solemn number of the initiated was said to be 7000. The
meal, underwent a purification by water, and was trial of all those who were apprehended lasted
led into the sanctuary (Bacchanal). At first only thirty days. Rome was almost deserted, for the
women were initiated, and the orgies were cele- innocent as well as the guilty had reason to fear.
brated every year during three days. Matrons The punishment inflicted on those who were conalternately performed the functions of priests. But victed, varied according to the degree of their
Pacula Annia, a Campanian matron, pretending guilt; some were thrown into priseon, others were
to act turder the direct influence of Bacchus, put to death. The women Awere surrendered to,