The Hymns to Dionysus Summary

"The Hymn to Dionysus"

This hymn begins with a sensually phrased description of the beautiful god Dionysus, and then narrates the story of the god's capture by the crew of a rogue sailing ship. The poet narrates the argument between a helmsman (who recognizes the holiness of the prisoner) and the captain (who is determined to hold the prisoner for ransom). As the ship sails onward on the captain's orders, vine leaves appear and sprout grapes, and Dionysus transforms himself into a lion, terrorizing the crew. Finally, all the crew but the helmsman jumps overboard, and they are turned into dolphins. The helmsman is richly rewarded, and the hymn concludes with praise of the god (see "Quotes," p. 17).

"The Second Hymn to Dionysus"

This brief hymn begins with a description of how Dionysus, the son of Zeus...