I love mythology – I love where they can take the mind, how magical they are, the lessons wrapped in them. One of my favourite mythical gods is Baubo, the Belly Goddess, the Goddess of Laughter. I shall say no more about her, but if you want to know more, Google her name.
That wine has a god is of no surprise. Something that tastes that good should have a god, more than one actually, several! There should be a god for every grape picked, for each barrel closed, for every bottle of wine poured! That’s not too much to ask, is it?
There are different versions of the legend of Bacchus.
Bacchus was the son of the god, Zeus, and a mortal woman, Semele. One of Zeus’s wives, Hera, was extremely jealous that Semele was expecting Zeus’s child and so she disguised herself as an old woman and befriended Semele.
Even though Semele knew Zeus was an all-powerful god, Hera placed doubts in her mind. Semele therefore confronted Zeus and asked him to prove he was indeed a god. He didn’t want to do this as revealing himself would turn a mortal to ashes; however, Semele insisted. He revealed himself and she perished.
Zeus rescued his infant son, Bacchus, and gave him to rain-nymphs to raise.
It was as a young man that Bacchus learnt all about vineries and how to make wine. He then travelled far and wide teaching people how to cultivate and harvest grape vines.
In Ancient Rome, a festival called Bacchanalia was celebrated every year on the 16th and 17th of March in honour of the wine god, but was banned after 100 years for being too wild.
There’s a phrase, ‘bacchanal’, often used when describing Caribbean calypso/soca (or a Caribbean carnival). It’s rather interesting to see how far the God of Wine has indeed travelled!
(p.s: In Greek mythology, Bacchus is known as Dionysus. He’s also called the God of Intoxication or the God of Festivity, amongst other definitions.)
(img by: Raelene G)