The Bacchae

By Euripides

Name:__Addison Hinson___

1. What is the location of the opening scene?...place /time

The opening sene takes place on Mount. Cithaeron in 4 th
century BCE
2. Who are the following characters?
Pentheus- The young king of Thebes, son of Agaue, and
cousin of Dionysus.
Cadmus- Former king of Thebes, father of Semele and
Agaue, this makes him the grand-dad of Pentheus ad Dionysus.
Semele- daughter of Camdus, sister of Agaue, mother of
Dionysus

3. Why has Dionysus come back home?

Dionysus returns home to demand that Pentheus (cousin of
Dionysus) will worship him as a god.

4. Who doesnt believe he is a real god?

Paentheus believes that Dionysus brith was no important of
of esteem, even though that is not important in the birth of gods.

5. What is Dionysus plan for those who do not believe in him?

He tricks Pentheus to come see what happens on mt.
Cithaeron, where there he will have his followed destroy
Pentheus.

6. How does he plan to accomplish his goal?

He gets his cousin to dress like a woman, and spy on the
maenads. There they will sevre him and destroy him.

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7. What do the followers of Dionysus need to do in order to
worship him?
In order to worship Dionysus they must revel in orgiastic
celebrations and festivities on the mountain.

8. Who is Tiresias?...What are he and Cadmus planning to do?

Tiresias is a blind soothsayer. He and Cadmus plan to dress
in deer skins and they plan to worship Dionysus on top of the
mountain too.

9. Pentheus is upset at the sorcerer with golden curlswho is

always surrounded by womenwho is he referring to and what
does Pentheus plan to do to him?
He is referring to his cousin (Dionysus) and he plans on cutting of
his hair (his golden curls and to destroy his belongings and lock
him up.

10. While imprisoned, what does Dionysus warn Pentheus will

happen if he does not listen?
Dionysus warns him that no matter how much Pentheus tries
the gods will always win, and that is Pentheus doesnt listen to his
cousin he will face is downfall.
What is Pentheus response?
He ignores him and cotines to lock up his cousin anyway.

11. How does Dionysus trick Pentheus and then escape?

He tricks Penthues into locking up and bull instead. Then
Dionysus escapes while Pentheus imagines an Earthquake
occurring.

12. As Pentheus then pursues Dionysus, he is met by whom?

What is the scene that he sees on Mt. Cithaeron?

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 He is met by a Shepard who sees his mom and sister
sleeping in a field on the mountain. When they wake up they
notice the shepherds and go after them, then the shepherds are
however saved by the cattle between them and the women. The
women are destroyed.

13. What does Dionysus warn Pentheus not to do?

He warns Pentheus to not go to the top of Mt. Cithaeron and
to not watch his followers.

14. Pentheus, blind to his errors, is convinced he needs to spy on

the BacchantsHow does he disguise himself?
He disguises himself as a woman.

15. Pentheus fatal outcome is revealed by the messenger. What

happens to him?
Pentheus ends up being destroyed by his own mom. She
believed she was killing a Mt. Lion. As she becomes sober, Agaue
realized her mistake and is disgusted with her actions.