Dionysus

&nbsp Dionysus was god of grape harvest, wine and wine making. He is usually depicted as a beardless naked or half naked young man. Dionysus procession is usually made up of wild woman and satyrs.

In Greek mythology he is the son of Zeus and Semele or as the son of Zeus and Persephone or Demeter.

His roman counterpart is Bacchus.

Birth
Dionysus' mother was a mortal woman, Semele the daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. When Hera discovered that Semele was pregnant with Zeus' child, she disguised herself as Semele's nurse and urged her to make Zeus show himself in his divine form. Zeus did so and as a result, Semele died. Zeus rescued Dionysus and sewed him into his thigh until he was ready to be born. This is how he becane known as "twice born."

In a different version, Persephone, queen of the underworld, was his mother. A jealous Hera attempted to kill Dionysus by sending Titans to rip him apart by luring him away with toys. Zeus turned the titans into dust with his thunderbolts, but the titans had eaten everything but Dionysus' heart, it was saved, by Athena, Demeter or Rhea. Zeus used the heart to recreate Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh, other versions say that the heart was placed in Semele's womb.

Infancy and childhood
Zeus gave Hermes the charge of looking after Dionysus. One version says that Hermes gave Dionysus to King Athamas and his wife, Ino and told them to raise Dionysus as a girl so Hera wouldn't find him. Another version is that Dionysus was raised by rain nymphs. Zeus rewarded them by placing them as the Hyades among the stars. Other versions said he was raised by Rhea or Persephone in the underworld.

When Dionysus grew up, he discovered the culture of the vine and wine making, but Hera struck him with madness and made him wander various parts of the world. Rhea cured him and taught him her religous rites. He then set off to process through Asia teaching the people about wine. Returning to Greece, he undertook introducing his worship, but was opposed by some princes who were afraid of the madness and disorder it brought.

Dionysus was considered to be very attractive, once a few sailors spotted him sitting on the beach and thought him to a prince.