First Episode Summary

The blind prophet, Tiresius, enters the stage, calling for Cadmus. The two old men have agreed to join in the festivities honoring Dionysus, each dressed in fawn skins and carrying the thyrsus, which is a sort of spear made with leaves. The men also wear garlands of leaves on their heads. Tiresius and Cadmus prepare to walk out to honor Dionysus and enjoy feeling young again in his dance.

Pentheus, King of Thebes, enters with scandalous stories of what the women are doing in their worship of Dionysus. The king is clearly obsessed with what he imagines to be their wanton sexual behavior. Pentheus scolds his grandfather, Cadmus, for looking foolish and accuses Tiresius of supporting the new god, Dionysus, for his own selfish reasons, saying Tiresius does so to increase his own offerings as a prophet. Pentheus scoffs at the...