HOMEDionysus, God of Wine and Merriment
Semele was a mortal and one of Zeus’s wives. Her son, Dionysus, was the youngest Olympian. Because he was Zeus's son, Hera grew jealous of his mother. One day, when Zeus wasn’t looking, she disguised herself as an old woman and snuck down to Semele.
"Why is your husband not at home?" she asked the girl.
Proudly, Semele answered, "He is Zeus".
Hera replied that many women claimed that their husband were Zeus. "How can you be sure?" She said. Then she left Semele to wonder at her words.
As soon as Zeus returned, Semele asked that her husband might grant her a wish. The unsuspecting Zeus swore on the river Styx, the most solemn oath a god can make, that he would fulfill any wish she had.
"Well then, show yourself in all your splendor," said Semele, and Zeus immediately tried to make her reconsider her wish, for he knew that he was one hundred times as bright as the sun in his true form. Semele refused. Zeus was forced to show himself to her, knowing that she would die.
At the sight of Zeus, Semele caught fire and burned to ashes. There was nothing for Zeus to do except to save his unborn son, whom he sewed under the skin of his thigh.
When the god was ready to be born, he sprung from Zeus's leg. Zeus named the little god Dionysus and gave him to Hermes, who whisked him to the valley of Nysa, where he was tended by Maenads, or nymphs. His playmates were lions and tigers. All over the valley grapes grew, and Dionysus created wine from them. When he was fully grown, he traveled all over Greece teaching others how to make wine. Wherever he went, he was worshipped.
Once, on one of his travels, when he was resting on a beach, pirates held him as their hostage because they thought that he was a prince. When he told them that they had made a mistake, they just laughed and continued to sail.
Suddenly, out of the sea sprang vines laden with grapes. They twined all over the ship. The air filled with the sound of tigers roaring.
Horrified, the sailors threw themselves into the water, but instead of letting them drown, Dionysus turned them into dolphins. That is why dolphins are one of the most human-like animals
Dionysus had so pleased Zeus that Zeus allowed him to live on Olympus. The only problem was that there were only twelve thrones, and each of them was take. Hestia, goddess of the hearth, kindly gave hers up saying that the hearth was her throne, she needed nothing else.
Dionysus then asked to see his mother, and Zeus allowed him to not only see her but bring her to Olympus, for she was now the mother of an Olympian.
All of Olympus partied as never before, for, after all, Dionysus was the god of merriment!