Diomedes in the act of bearing away the Palladium. off the palladium from the city of Troy, since it was believed that Troy could not be taken so long as the palladium was within its walls. After the capture of Troy, he returned to Argos, where he found his wife Aegialea living in adultery with Hippolytus, or, according to others, with Cometes or Cyllabarus. This misfortune befell him through the anger of Aphrodite. He therefore quitted Argos, and went to Aetolia. He subsequently attempted to return to Argos; but on his way home a storm threw him on the coast of Daunia, in Italy. He married Evippe, the daughter of Daunus, and settled in Daunia, where he died at an advanced age. He was buried in one of the islands off Cape Garganum, which were called after him the Diomedean islands. His companions were inconsolable at his loss, and were metamorphosed into birds (Aves Diomedeae), which, mindful of their origin, used to fly towards the Greek ships, but to avoid those of the Romans. A number of towns in the E. part of Italy were believed to have been founded by Diomedes. A plain of Apulia, near Salapia and Canusium, was called Diomedei Campi, after him.-(2) King of the Bistones, in Thrace, killed by Hercules on account of his mares, which he fed with human flesh. DION (-ōnis), a Syracusan, son of Hipparinus, and a relation of Dionysius, who treated him with the greatest distinction, and employed him in many services of trust and confidence. On the visit of Plato to Syracuse, Dion became an ardent disciple of the philosopher; and when the younger Dionysius succeeded his father, Dion watched with undisguised contempt his dissolute conduct, and so became an object of suspicion to the youthful tyrant. Dion, aided by Plato, endeavored to withdraw him from his vicious courses, but failed, and was banished. He then retired to 147 DIONYSIUS. Athens. Plato visited Syracuse a third time, that he might secure the recall of Dion; but failing in this, Dion determined on expelling the tyrant by force. In this he succeeded; but since his own conduct towards the Syracusans was equally tyrannical, a conspiracy was formed against him, and he was assassinated in his own house, B.C. 353. DION CASSIUS (-i), the historian, son of a Roman senator; born A.D. 155, at Nicaea, in Bithynia. He held several important offices under Commodus, Caracalla, and Alexander Severus, 180-229, and afterwards retired to Campania; subsequently he returned to Nicaea, his native town, where he passed the remainder of his life, and died. The chief work of Dion was a History of Rome, in SO books, from the landing of Aeneas in Italy to A.D. 229. Unfortunately, only a comparatively small portion of this work has come down to us entire. From the 36th book to the 54th the work is extant complete, and embraces the history from the wars of Lucullus and Cn. Pompey against Mithridates, down to the death of Agrippa, B.O. 10. Of the remaining books we have only the epitomes made by Xiphilinus and others. Dion Cassius consulted original authorities, and displayed great judgment and discrimination in the use of them. DION CHRYSOSTÕMUS (-i), that is, the golden-mouthed, a surname given him on account of his eloquence, was born at Prusa, in Bithynia, about the middle of the first century of our era. He was well educated, and increased his knowledge by traveling. The emperors Nerva and Trajan entertained for him the highest esteem. He was the most eminent of the Greek rhetoricians and Sophists in the time of the Roman empire. There are extant 80 of his orations; but they are rather essays on political, moral, and philosophical subjects than real orations, of which they have only the form. DIONAEA. [DIONE.] DĬŌNE (-es), a female Titan, by Zeus (Jupiter), by whom she became the mother of Aphrodite (Venus), who is hence called Dionaea, and sometimes even Dione. Hence Caesar is called Dionaeus Caesar, because he claimed descent from Venus. DIONYSIUS (-i). (1) The Elder, tyrant of Syracuse, sor of Hermocrates, born B.O. 430. He began life as a clerk in a public office. Prompted by ambition, and possessing natural talent, he gradually raised himself to distinction; and in B. c. 405, though only 25 years of age, was appointed sole general at Syracuse, with full powers. From this period we may date the commencement of his reign, or tyranny, which continued without interruption for 38 years. He strengthened himself by the increase of the army, and by converting the island Ortygia into a fortified residence for himself; and when thoroughly prepared, commenced the execution of his ambitious plans. These embraced the subjugation of the rest of Sicily, the humiliation of Carthage, and the annexation of part of southern Italy to his dominions. In all these He DIONYSUS. several have been preserved.-(4) Of HERAOLEA, a pupil of Zeno, at first a Stoic and afterwards an Eleatic philosopher. DIONYSUS (-i), the youthful, beautiful, but effeminate god of wine. He is also called both by Greeks and Romans BACCHUS, that Marble Head of the Youthful Dionysus. (Leyden.) projects he succeeded. During the last 20 years of his life he possessed an amount of power and influence far exceeding that enjoyed by any other Greek before the time of Alexander. His death took place at Syracuse, 367, in the middle of a war with Carthage. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Dionysius the younger. The character of Dionysius has been drawn in the blackest colors by many ancient writers; he appears, indeed, to have become a type of a tyrant in its worst sense. In his latter years he became extremely suspicious, and apprehensive of treachery, even from his nearest friends, and is said to have adopted the most excessive precautions to guard against it. built the terrible prison called Lautumiae, which was cut out of the solid rock in the part of Syracuse called Epipolae. Dionysius was fond of literature and the arts, and frequently entertained at his court men distinguished in literature and philosophy, among whom was the philosopher Plato. He was himself a poet, and repeatedly contended for the prize of tragedy at Athens.- (2) The Younger, son of the preceding, succeeded his father as tyrant of Syracuse, B. c. 367. He was at this time under 30 y ars of age; he had been brought up at his father's court in idleness and luxury, and was studiously precluded from taking any part in public affairs. The ascendency which Dion, and through his means Plato, obtained for a time over his mind was undermined by flatterers and the companions of his pleasures. Dion, who had been banished by Dionysius, returned to Sicily in 357, at the head of a small force, with is, the noisy or riotous god, which was origthe avowed object of dethroning him. Dio- inally only an epithet or surname of Dionysus. nysius, finding that he could not successfully He was the son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Semele, resist Dion, sailed away to Italy, and thus the daughter of Cadmus of Thebes. Before lost the sovereignty after a reign of 12 years, his birth, Semele was persuaded by Hera 356. He now repaired to Locri, the native (Juno), who appeared to her in disguise, to city of his mother, Doris, where he was re- request the father of the gods to appear to ceived in the most friendly manner; but he her in the same glory in which he approachmade himself tyrant of the city, and treated ed his own wife Hera. Zeus unwillingly the inhabitants with the utmost cruelty. Aft- complied, and appeared to her in thunder er remaining at Locri 10 years, he obtain- and lightning. Semele, being seized by the ed possession again of Syracuse, where he flames, gave premature birth to a child; but reigned for the next 3 years, until Timoleon Zeus saved the child, sewed him up in his came to Sicily to deliver the Greek cities thigh, and thus preserved him till he came there from the dominion of the tyrants. Be- to maturity. After his birth Dionysus was ing unable to resist Timoleon, he surrendered brought up by the nymphs of Mount Nysa, the citadel into the hands of the latter, on who were rewarded by Zeus by being placed condition of being allowed to depart in safety as Hyades among the stars. When he had to Corinth, 343. Here he spent the remainder grown up, Hera drove him mad, in which of his life in a private condition; and accord-state he wandered through various parts of ing to some writers was reduced to support himself by keeping a school. (3) Of HALICARNASSUS, a celebrated Greek rhetorician, lived many years at Rome in the time of Augustus, and died 1.0. 7. His principal work was a history of Rome in 22 books, containing the history of the city from the mythical times down to B. c. 264. Of this work only the first 11 books have come down to us. These prove that he possessed considerable artistic skill as well as rhetorical power, but was deficient both as an historian and as a statesman. He also wrote various rhetorical and critical works, which abound with the most exquisite remarks and criticisms on the works of the classical writers of Greece. Of these the earth. He first went to Egypt, thence proceeded through Syria, then traversed all Asia, teaching the inhabitants of the different countries of Asia the cultivation of the vine, and introducing among them the elements of civilization. The most famous part of his wanderings in Asia is his expedition to India, which is said to have lasted several years. On his return to Europe, he passed through Thrace, but was ill received by Lycurgus, king of the Edones. [LYOURGUS.] He then returned to Thebes, where he compelled the women to quit their houses, and to celebrate Bacchic festivals on Mount Cithaeron, and fearfully punished Peutheus, who attempted to prevent his worship. [PEN DIONYSUS. 149 DIONYSUS. the god who teaches man the preparation of wine. As the cultivation of the vine spread in Greece, the worship of Dionysus likewise spread farther; and after the time of Alexander's expedition to India, the celebration of the Bacchic festivals assumed more and more their wild and dissolute character. Dionysus may be taken as the representative of the productive and intoxicating power of nature. Since wine is the natural symbol of this power, it is called "the fruit of Dionysus." On account of the close connection between the cultivation of the soil and the earlier stages of civilization, he is regarded as a lawgiver and a lover of peace. As the Greek drama had grown out of the dithyrambic choruses at the festival of Dionysus, he was also regarded as the god of tragic art, and as the protector of theatres. Respecting his festivals and the mode of their celebration, and especially the introduction and suppression of his worship at Rome, see Dict. of Ant., art. Dionysia.-In the earliest times the Graces or Charites were the companions of Dionysus, but afterwards we find him accompanied in his expeditions and travels by Bacchantic women, called Lenae, Maenades, Thyiades, Mimallones, Clodones, Bassarae or Bassarides, all of whom are represented in works of art as raging with madness or enthusiasm, their heads thrown backwards, with disheveled hair, and carrying in their hands thyrsusstaffs (entwined with ivy, and headed with pine-cones), cymbals, swords, or serpents. Sileni, Pans, satyrs, centaurs, and other beings of a like kind, are also the constant companions of the god. The animal most com The Youthful Bacchus. (Louvre.) THEUS.] Dionysus next went to Argos, where the people first refused to acknowledge him, but after punishing the women with frenzy, he was recognized as a god. His last feat was performed on a voyage from Icaria to Naxos. He hired a ship which belonged to Tyrrhenian pirates; but the men, instead of landing at Naxos, steered towards Asia, to sell him there as a slave. Thereupon the god changed the mast and oars into serpents, and himself into a lion; ivy grew around the vessel, and the sound of flutes was heard on every side; the sailors were seized with madness, leaped into the sea, and were metamorphosed into dolphins. After he had thus gradually established his divine nature throughout the world, he took his mother out of Hades, called her Thyone, and rose with her into Olympus. Various mythological beings are described as the offspring of Dionysus; but among the women who won his love none is more famous in ancient story than Ariadne. [ARIADNE.]-The worship of Dionysus was no part of the original religion of Greece. In Homer he does not appear as one of the great divinities; he is there simply described as DIOSCORIDES. 150 DIOSCURI. Dionysus. (From the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates.) monly sacrificed to Dionysus was the ram. Among the things sacred to him, we may notice the vine, ivy, laurel, and asphodel; the dolphin, serpent, tiger, lynx, panther, and ass. In works of art he appears as a youthful god. The form of his body is manly, but approaches the female form by its softness and roundness. The expression of the countenance is languid, and his attitude is easy, like that of a man who is absorbed in sweet thoughts, or slightly intoxicated. DIOSCURI (-ōrum), that is, sons of Zeus (Jupiter), the well-known heroes CASTOR and POLLUX, called by the Greeks Polydeuces. The two brothers were sometimes called CASTORES by the Romans. According to Homer they were the sons of Leda and Tyndareus, king of Lacedaemon, and consequently brothers of Helen. Hence they are often called by the patronymic Tyndaridae. Castor was famous for his skill in taming and managing horses, and Pollux for his skill in boxing. |