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Dionysus: Myth and Cult
In this classic study of the myth and cult of Dionysus, Walter F. Otto recreates the theological world of ancient Greek religion. Otto's provocative starting point is to accept the immanent reality of the gods. To understand the cult of Dionysus, it is necessary to reimagine the original vision of the god. Otto challenges us to understand the power of this vision not as a bloodless abstraction but as a force animating belief, to see the myth and art of Dionysus as a passionate search to regain the power of the lost god.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1933
About the author
Walter F. Otto
54 books38 followersDeutscher Altphilologe, der besonders für seine Arbeiten über Bedeutung und Nachwirkung der griechischen Religion und Mythologie bekannt ist, vor allem durch das Standardwerk Die Götter Griechenlands (zuerst 1929).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 17, 2014
Excellent introduction to Dionysus and the complexities of his cultus. If you've already read Euripides' "Bacchae," some of Otto's research and findings will be familiar to you, albeit much more contextualized and grounded in academia. If not, than read Euripides afterwards for an excellent tragedy that perfectly encapsulates the full range of the Dionysian. It's quite a treat for 21st century readers of the play to be able to study the complex and interesting background of a greek god and then read a play wherein the full spectrum of that god's characteristics are manifested in an intriguing plot and a horrifying conclusion. It's like reading a psych book on dreams before watching "Inception," or researching Eastern religion before watching "The Matrix." It just makes the dramatic treatment much more sublime.
February 9, 2015
The gold-standard work for understanding the origin of Dionysus and the permutations of his myth and cult of worship. Much referenced in mythopoetic fiction, Dionysus is a complex, evolving god; one of the very first of the persecuted, suffering and dying gods of the ancient near east. Seeking a deeper background for understanding ancient near east thought which underlies some of the historical fiction and comparative mythology I enjoy, I found it here.
October 16, 2021
This book is primarily two things. On one hand it is a great resource for detail concerning the rites of the Cult of Dionysus. On the other hand it is a look into the mindset of ancient people. Too often, the author claims, we look at old religions through our modern lense. Modern people always need to find a reason for something to exist. Everything has to have a purpose that gives us some advantage in the world.
Yet the author claims this was not the mindset of ancient people. When we endeavor to understand ancient gods, we start with the concept of the god; god of war, of smithing, of agriculture, of love and romance. What we really need to be doing is, according to Otto, is start with the natural phenomena.
One great example; when a woman gives birth she is bringing new life into the world. Yet the action of giving birth is incredibly dangerous, for the woman and the baby. This was something that ancient people were aware of. They were struck by the thin line between life and death in such an important action. Such an observation led to the idea of a god who embodies such a paradox; Dionysus. He is both life and death. In no other god is life so vibrant than the Master of the Vine, who gave wine to humanity. And because of that, in no other god is death so horrible than in Zagreus, the hunter who rends the flesh of his prey.
It is in paradox that gods are born.
Another interesting point is that Dionysus is unlike any of the other Greek gods, who inhabit the summit of Mount Olympus. They exist above humanity, separate from the world and looking down on it. Like Apollo, who is the sun in heaven, they exist in the spiritual world. But not Dionysus. He is a chthonic deity, who exists in the world with us; life and death can be seen everywhere we look (or could, before modernity made life so easy to ignore death).
Apollo is order and discipline, a far flung look into the future and the planning for it. Dionysus is life, the here and now that must be enjoyed because death is always around the corner. That is why Apollo and Dionysus were sometimes housed in the same temple; they are opposites, but essential halves of the same universal truth. You have to plan for the future, but you must also enjoy your time here on earth.
Yet the author claims this was not the mindset of ancient people. When we endeavor to understand ancient gods, we start with the concept of the god; god of war, of smithing, of agriculture, of love and romance. What we really need to be doing is, according to Otto, is start with the natural phenomena.
One great example; when a woman gives birth she is bringing new life into the world. Yet the action of giving birth is incredibly dangerous, for the woman and the baby. This was something that ancient people were aware of. They were struck by the thin line between life and death in such an important action. Such an observation led to the idea of a god who embodies such a paradox; Dionysus. He is both life and death. In no other god is life so vibrant than the Master of the Vine, who gave wine to humanity. And because of that, in no other god is death so horrible than in Zagreus, the hunter who rends the flesh of his prey.
It is in paradox that gods are born.
Another interesting point is that Dionysus is unlike any of the other Greek gods, who inhabit the summit of Mount Olympus. They exist above humanity, separate from the world and looking down on it. Like Apollo, who is the sun in heaven, they exist in the spiritual world. But not Dionysus. He is a chthonic deity, who exists in the world with us; life and death can be seen everywhere we look (or could, before modernity made life so easy to ignore death).
Apollo is order and discipline, a far flung look into the future and the planning for it. Dionysus is life, the here and now that must be enjoyed because death is always around the corner. That is why Apollo and Dionysus were sometimes housed in the same temple; they are opposites, but essential halves of the same universal truth. You have to plan for the future, but you must also enjoy your time here on earth.
May 3, 2023
Not an easy read, possibly due to translation, but well worth the effort.
May 5, 2022
Walter Otto credo sia l'autore più ripetitivo che abbia mai letto, basterebbe leggere solo "Teofania" per comprendere l'intero pensiero di quest'uomo. Nonostante tutto sia questo libro sia "Le muse" sono in fondo divertenti da leggere (togliendo appunto le parti ripetitive, che da una parte posso comprendere, ad esempio: per una persona che si trova tra le mani "Teofania" e non sa nulla delle muse è ottimale trovare una spiegazione di queste nel libro stesso, ma dall'altra parte leggere le stesse identiche parole in due libri diversi diventa noioso), da persona che sapeva il minimo indispensabile del culto e del mito greco trovarsi davanti abbastanza particolari di questo mondo ha reso sicuramente piacevole la lettura. Un punto a favore, a parere mio, che mi ha anche fatto apprezzare di più "Dioniso: mito e culto" in confronto a "La nascita della tragedia" di Nietzsche (esempio totalmente a caso, ci mancherebbe) è la poca distorsione filosofica che fa Otto nei confronti degli dei (soprattutto di Dioniso) che invece in Nietzsche, per quanto interessante, è fin troppo presente (si è sicuramente ripreso con "Il servizio divino dei Greci", abbandonando un minimo quella visione di Apollo e Dioniso come due istinti della natura). Insomma, questo libro è quello che mi è piaciuto di più tra le opere che ho letto di Otto, ti dà molte informazioni su Dioniso e sul pensiero contemporaneo all'autore riguardo questi temi, senza rappresentazioni filosofiche personali. Non posso comunque fare a meno di pensare che il caro Walter avrebbe potuto scrivere un unico libro ed inserirvi ciò che ha scritto in tre libri divisi
July 7, 2024
Exquisito.
May 21, 2015
An interesting read--the translation is clumsy in the places but the ideas are, for the most part, clear (except in the introductory theorizing on the ideas of myth and cultus, which was so confusing I don't even know what else to say about it). It's refreshing so see someone take Dionysus so seriously, as he's often dismissed as a drunken reveler and simple rustic god of wine and orgies. Otto's dissection of the deity is sometimes repetitive, but provides a solid foundation for further study. The lack of real detail is slightly disappointing, as is the lack of truly helpful footnotes. Clearly not intended for amateur classicists but still good reading for anyone with an abiding interest in the cult of Dionysus.
March 20, 2021
Walter Otto's very thorough and almost devotional examination of the Greek god Dionysus.
The only thing that I felt was missing was any reference of Pan or satyrs in connection with Dionysus. That is only a minor nit-pick, however, because this book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in Greek myth and religion.
The only thing that I felt was missing was any reference of Pan or satyrs in connection with Dionysus. That is only a minor nit-pick, however, because this book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in Greek myth and religion.
April 6, 2019
Very in depth review of the true esoteric meaning of Dionysus.
If you love Nietzsche, Crowley, Lampert, Freud and Jung then this book is a must.
A genuine insight into Dionysus and the abyss.
If you love Nietzsche, Crowley, Lampert, Freud and Jung then this book is a must.
A genuine insight into Dionysus and the abyss.
August 4, 2019
Hallamos aquí una obra referencial para entender la complejidad de esta deidad plagada de dualidades y contrapuestos. Comienza W. Otto con un oportuno capítulo donde reflexiona sobre el mito y el culto en sí de la religión; cuestión nada baladí para a posteriorí comprender y esclarecer las aparentes divergencias sobre las celebraciones dionisíacas y su mito, o mitos, pues como afirmara el alemán: «el culto da fe de la manifestación de lo divino» (p. 38), ya que vendría a refrendar un fenómeno primigenio que en algún momento se apareció a la comunidad mediante una epifanía de carácter, y que resultaría crucial como elemento constitutivo para engarzar y construir parte de la cultura común de dicha comunidad (p. 41).
Pero adentrándonos ya en el propio elemento Walter Otto pronto sentencia que como dios Dioniso es dual: arrastra consigo el elemento frenético, supone el éxtasis, la locura, pero también la muerte. El mismo dios sufre y muere y de tal suerte «los mitos de su aparición entre los hombres resultan inusitados y extremadamente perturbadores» (p. 86). Baste solamente fijarnos en un asunto al cual Walter Otto presta bastante atención, el de las características de su ritual o rituales por la Hélade. En general coinciden en protagonizarlos grupos de mujeres que remedarían a las ménades del tíaso (cortejo mítico); estas bacantes humanas representarían en su celebración diferentes etapas de los mitos dionisíacos y, así, bailarían fuera de sí en los bosques (orebasia), descuartizarían animalillos (sparagmós) y los devorarían a continuación (omofagia). Con tales sacrificios sacramentale, por tanto, se vendría a celebra el propio devenir de Dioniso.
Una cuestión que también apunta Water Otto y que deriva del cortejo mítico y afecta al humano, es que las ménades o bacantes, pese a lo que pudiera parecer a primera vista, no eran mujeres dadas a la lascivia, como así sucedía por ejemplo con el componente masculino de su tíaso (sátiros y sileno), sino que se trataban de ninfas protectoras que cumplían función de ayas o nodrizas protegiendo al dios de la furia de Hera. En consecuencia las mujeres que en el ritual celebraban al dios venían a liberarse del espacio hogareño y conyugal -reino de su enemiga Hera-, para, lejos de acabar en orgías, transmutar la fascinación y el hechizo del culto «en peligroso salvajismo» (p. 159). Ahora bien, y como reflejara Eurípides en sus ‘Bacantes’, estas además podían llevar a cabo un ritual matricial, amamantando a los animalillos de los bosques, antes de los propios sacrificios.
Walter Otto profundizará también en otros aspectos mitológicos y rituales como los atributos y elementos naturales relacionados con el hijo de Sémele tales sean de la naturaleza vegetativa como la hiedra, el pino o la higuera; o del reino animal (leones, panteras, toros, etc.). Además de abordar su fuerte vinculación con lo femenino, ya que Dioniso en esencia es un dios femenino muy vinculado además a lo húmedo ‘Aqua femina’ (p. 192), también tratará el mito de Ariadna, única capaz de servirle de compañera; o el inquietante asunto de la representación dionisíaca de la máscara en los altares, que lejos de servir para ocultar el rostro de un hombre, suponía, adornada con sayo, verdadera imagen del dios en su epifanía (p. 100); otras cuestiones finales serán aspectos relacionados con su supuesto contrapuesto, Apolo, así como también el elemento dramático que vuelve de nuevo al asunto de la máscara.
En conclusión Walter Otto ofrece un enorme trabajo, profundo y reflexivo, que adentrará al lector hasta el perturbador y atrayente mito-culto de una deidad que tendría casi más que ver con lo ctónico que con lo Olímpico. Deidad, no lo olvidemos, que provocó ante su portentosa llegada reticencias en su implantación por el mundo espiritual de las diferentes comunidades de la Hélade, y que aún hoy cautiva y sobrecoge como pasara ya desde tiempos inmemoriales.
Pero adentrándonos ya en el propio elemento Walter Otto pronto sentencia que como dios Dioniso es dual: arrastra consigo el elemento frenético, supone el éxtasis, la locura, pero también la muerte. El mismo dios sufre y muere y de tal suerte «los mitos de su aparición entre los hombres resultan inusitados y extremadamente perturbadores» (p. 86). Baste solamente fijarnos en un asunto al cual Walter Otto presta bastante atención, el de las características de su ritual o rituales por la Hélade. En general coinciden en protagonizarlos grupos de mujeres que remedarían a las ménades del tíaso (cortejo mítico); estas bacantes humanas representarían en su celebración diferentes etapas de los mitos dionisíacos y, así, bailarían fuera de sí en los bosques (orebasia), descuartizarían animalillos (sparagmós) y los devorarían a continuación (omofagia). Con tales sacrificios sacramentale, por tanto, se vendría a celebra el propio devenir de Dioniso.
Una cuestión que también apunta Water Otto y que deriva del cortejo mítico y afecta al humano, es que las ménades o bacantes, pese a lo que pudiera parecer a primera vista, no eran mujeres dadas a la lascivia, como así sucedía por ejemplo con el componente masculino de su tíaso (sátiros y sileno), sino que se trataban de ninfas protectoras que cumplían función de ayas o nodrizas protegiendo al dios de la furia de Hera. En consecuencia las mujeres que en el ritual celebraban al dios venían a liberarse del espacio hogareño y conyugal -reino de su enemiga Hera-, para, lejos de acabar en orgías, transmutar la fascinación y el hechizo del culto «en peligroso salvajismo» (p. 159). Ahora bien, y como reflejara Eurípides en sus ‘Bacantes’, estas además podían llevar a cabo un ritual matricial, amamantando a los animalillos de los bosques, antes de los propios sacrificios.
Walter Otto profundizará también en otros aspectos mitológicos y rituales como los atributos y elementos naturales relacionados con el hijo de Sémele tales sean de la naturaleza vegetativa como la hiedra, el pino o la higuera; o del reino animal (leones, panteras, toros, etc.). Además de abordar su fuerte vinculación con lo femenino, ya que Dioniso en esencia es un dios femenino muy vinculado además a lo húmedo ‘Aqua femina’ (p. 192), también tratará el mito de Ariadna, única capaz de servirle de compañera; o el inquietante asunto de la representación dionisíaca de la máscara en los altares, que lejos de servir para ocultar el rostro de un hombre, suponía, adornada con sayo, verdadera imagen del dios en su epifanía (p. 100); otras cuestiones finales serán aspectos relacionados con su supuesto contrapuesto, Apolo, así como también el elemento dramático que vuelve de nuevo al asunto de la máscara.
En conclusión Walter Otto ofrece un enorme trabajo, profundo y reflexivo, que adentrará al lector hasta el perturbador y atrayente mito-culto de una deidad que tendría casi más que ver con lo ctónico que con lo Olímpico. Deidad, no lo olvidemos, que provocó ante su portentosa llegada reticencias en su implantación por el mundo espiritual de las diferentes comunidades de la Hélade, y que aún hoy cautiva y sobrecoge como pasara ya desde tiempos inmemoriales.
March 1, 2023
Es una investigación ya un poco desfasada, pero había que leerla para generarse preguntas interesantes sobre el dios.
He tenido la sensación de repetición de conceptos continuamente, pero es algo que suelen hacer los amantes en demasía de la Grecia antigua.
He tenido la sensación de repetición de conceptos continuamente, pero es algo que suelen hacer los amantes en demasía de la Grecia antigua.
December 11, 2018
That was fun! Bit disjointed but otherwise a good time.
August 5, 2022
“A god who is mad! A god, part of whose nature it is to be insane! What did they experience or see—these men on whom the horror of this concept must have forced itself?
The visage of every true god is the visage of a world. There can be a god who is mad only if there is a mad world which reveals itself through him. Where is this world? Can we still find it? Can we appreciate its nature? For this no one can help us but the god himself.”
this was actually so good. dionysus was always really boring to me bc he’s usually portrayed as the god of wine and that’s that, but after realizing what else he encompassed (life, death, madness, joy, suffering, the list goes on) i’m obsessed and this book did a really good job of explaining all of that and i found it to be an enjoyable read and relatively accessible for an academic book :D
The visage of every true god is the visage of a world. There can be a god who is mad only if there is a mad world which reveals itself through him. Where is this world? Can we still find it? Can we appreciate its nature? For this no one can help us but the god himself.”
this was actually so good. dionysus was always really boring to me bc he’s usually portrayed as the god of wine and that’s that, but after realizing what else he encompassed (life, death, madness, joy, suffering, the list goes on) i’m obsessed and this book did a really good job of explaining all of that and i found it to be an enjoyable read and relatively accessible for an academic book :D
April 19, 2024
Otto starts this book telling us that the multiple registers of cult to Dioniso and the myth have overmuch in common, which make fundamental to us to understand and respect the cult. Ancient Greeks, in order to make contact with the god, with divine forces, recreate the myth and try to represent the life and suffering from Dioniso to bring him to them.
This effort to make a sacred tie with the god talk about the importance of cult and religion, and of course the importance of this god to Greeks.
This book for me is the biggest testimony of Dioniso existence and cult in different areas from Greece and how this variety of rituals gift us with an amazing testimony of his figure and the meeting of the sacred and superhuman.
Otto spends a lot of time defending the different variants of worship, why we must respect them and understand them as sacred bonds and more than anything he takes the time to talk about the modern ways of understanding Dioniso that many scholars have and explain why they are wrong and empty.
The way he has to see the divinity, the cult and the sacred elements not only from Dioniso but from all the Greek ancient way of understand life and myths is just breathtaking, totally moving.
Here we learn about the origin of the god, his sacred elements, signs, and the variety of myths that come together around him. We also read about A HUGE amount of different rituals and ways of cult that let us totally amazed.
Maybe one of the things that I loved the most (indeed all the book, each of his words) is how he defend the god from those scholars that say Dioniso was a 'new and inserted god' without fundament.
Otto give use specific and important sources from Homer and others that make clear how ancient indeed is Dioniso and how he without doubt belong to Greeks
This effort to make a sacred tie with the god talk about the importance of cult and religion, and of course the importance of this god to Greeks.
This book for me is the biggest testimony of Dioniso existence and cult in different areas from Greece and how this variety of rituals gift us with an amazing testimony of his figure and the meeting of the sacred and superhuman.
Otto spends a lot of time defending the different variants of worship, why we must respect them and understand them as sacred bonds and more than anything he takes the time to talk about the modern ways of understanding Dioniso that many scholars have and explain why they are wrong and empty.
The way he has to see the divinity, the cult and the sacred elements not only from Dioniso but from all the Greek ancient way of understand life and myths is just breathtaking, totally moving.
Here we learn about the origin of the god, his sacred elements, signs, and the variety of myths that come together around him. We also read about A HUGE amount of different rituals and ways of cult that let us totally amazed.
Maybe one of the things that I loved the most (indeed all the book, each of his words) is how he defend the god from those scholars that say Dioniso was a 'new and inserted god' without fundament.
Otto give use specific and important sources from Homer and others that make clear how ancient indeed is Dioniso and how he without doubt belong to Greeks
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October 16, 2022A superb and spirited study on this complex Greek god - the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, the twice-born god, the god of duality, of life and death, the dying and suffering god, the enigmatically mad god who also inspires madness - in whom writers as eminent as Hölderlin and Nietzsche found the best symbol for the primordial secrets of the world and life. For students of Nietzsche and Zarathustra in particular, it ought to be as essential reading as any other secondary source.
August 10, 2020
It wasn’t the most ripping page turner, but extremely enticing nonetheless. Otto strips away everything we think we know about Dionysus (sensuality and androgyny) and reveals to us a theophany of a fascinating god— the spirit of a wild and savage being; a maddening ecstasy which intercedes the schisms of life and death. A monstrous divinity. A primitive mysticism.
September 5, 2011
Walter Otto's study has weathered well. It remains more than forty years later a certain place to start in understanding the ancient Dionysus Cult. Important reading for someone wanting to better grasp what early Christians faced in Roman Asia.
November 19, 2022
avevo letto gli dèi della grecia e ne ero rimasto folgorato. anche se i momenti più affascinanti erano le intuizioni miracolosamente vertiginose e chiare, rassicuranti insieme, le descrizioni degli dèi (che pure sono, proprio in maniera greca, consustanziali all'esposizione filosofica, e anzi dicono più loro della teoria) illuminavano e riempivano l'enorme spazio mentale liberato dalle folgori di poco prima. un dio mancava, il meno greco: dioniso. questa mancanza era supplita da un libro: questo.
l'ho letto dyonisos, in francese. delusione. la prima parte è quel tipo di presa di posizione filologica in cui si passa più tempo a leggere degli sbagli degli altri che del perché invece avrebbe ragione lui. mi pare di ricordare che fosse contro l'idea dell'origine mista del culto di dioniso, che invece sarebbe arcigreco. gli ho creduto praticamente sulla parola. poi però, si parla di dioniso, e che bello ci sono dei lampi di vecchio otto (può un numero dirsi vecchio? vecchio quattro, quante volte ho diviso per te....una cosa che non potresti dire di 47080693, un numero praticamente intonso nella tua memoria), e mi sono trovato nella dolce posizione di poter sovrapporre il ricordo delle pagine già lette con quelle nuove davanti ai miei occhi, che vivono sotto lo stesso clima. il terrore di cambiare pagina e tornare al saggio noioso! ma il libro è lungo, e i capitoli corti. otto finisce di descrivere il bel dioniso e comincia a farne la storia, più diverse associazioni a cristo. e questo è tutto quel ricordo! ho chiuso il libro con un pizzico di sollievo.
scusate, questa recensione parla poco del libro, o meglio, ne riporta poco il contenuto. è che ho una pessima memoria e il libro mi ha dato dispetto (un dispetto dolce però, temperato dall'amore che provo per il vecchio otto e per il piacere delle pagine di descrizione). però proprio per questo, quello che ricordo è il fondo del vaso di pandora dai quali sono usciti i pipponi nefasti (scritti sempre con grande affabilità, va pur detto, ma io amo otto [altra materializzazione dei numeri...]), il fondo che è letteralmente quello che mi è rimasto. per questo devo avere la presunzione (perché il saggio l'ho letto di buona lena) di pensare che questo è quello che dovrei dire a un altro su questo libro, perché per me è vero
l'ho letto dyonisos, in francese. delusione. la prima parte è quel tipo di presa di posizione filologica in cui si passa più tempo a leggere degli sbagli degli altri che del perché invece avrebbe ragione lui. mi pare di ricordare che fosse contro l'idea dell'origine mista del culto di dioniso, che invece sarebbe arcigreco. gli ho creduto praticamente sulla parola. poi però, si parla di dioniso, e che bello ci sono dei lampi di vecchio otto (può un numero dirsi vecchio? vecchio quattro, quante volte ho diviso per te....una cosa che non potresti dire di 47080693, un numero praticamente intonso nella tua memoria), e mi sono trovato nella dolce posizione di poter sovrapporre il ricordo delle pagine già lette con quelle nuove davanti ai miei occhi, che vivono sotto lo stesso clima. il terrore di cambiare pagina e tornare al saggio noioso! ma il libro è lungo, e i capitoli corti. otto finisce di descrivere il bel dioniso e comincia a farne la storia, più diverse associazioni a cristo. e questo è tutto quel ricordo! ho chiuso il libro con un pizzico di sollievo.
scusate, questa recensione parla poco del libro, o meglio, ne riporta poco il contenuto. è che ho una pessima memoria e il libro mi ha dato dispetto (un dispetto dolce però, temperato dall'amore che provo per il vecchio otto e per il piacere delle pagine di descrizione). però proprio per questo, quello che ricordo è il fondo del vaso di pandora dai quali sono usciti i pipponi nefasti (scritti sempre con grande affabilità, va pur detto, ma io amo otto [altra materializzazione dei numeri...]), il fondo che è letteralmente quello che mi è rimasto. per questo devo avere la presunzione (perché il saggio l'ho letto di buona lena) di pensare che questo è quello che dovrei dire a un altro su questo libro, perché per me è vero
September 25, 2023
"Dionysus: Myth and Cult" by Walter F. Otto is a truly remarkable exploration of one of the most intriguing figures in Greek mythology, and it stands as a testament to the author's profound scholarship and insightful analysis.
Walter F. Otto's deep dive into the world of Dionysus is nothing short of captivating. Through meticulous research and a masterful command of both ancient texts and modern scholarship, Otto brings the enigmatic god of wine and revelry to life in a way that few others have accomplished. His writing is not just informative but also beautifully poetic, drawing readers into the intoxicating realm of Dionysian ecstasy.
One of the book's most striking features is Otto's ability to connect the myth of Dionysus with its profound cultural and psychological implications. He delves into the rich tapestry of Dionysian rituals, from the wild celebrations to the mysteries of initiation, offering readers a profound understanding of the deep-seated human need for transcendence and release.
What sets "Dionysus: Myth and Cult" apart is its ability to appeal to both scholars and general readers. It is rigorously researched and academically sound, yet Otto's prose is accessible and engaging. This makes it an essential read for anyone interested in mythology, psychology, or the intersection of religion and culture.
In a world where ancient myths often remain distant and inaccessible, Walter F. Otto's work is a bridge that connects us to the timeless themes of ecstasy, transformation, and the human desire for connection with the divine. "Dionysus: Myth and Cult" is a masterpiece that not only informs but also inspires, leaving readers with a deeper appreciation for the enduring allure of Dionysus and the power of myth itself.
Walter F. Otto's deep dive into the world of Dionysus is nothing short of captivating. Through meticulous research and a masterful command of both ancient texts and modern scholarship, Otto brings the enigmatic god of wine and revelry to life in a way that few others have accomplished. His writing is not just informative but also beautifully poetic, drawing readers into the intoxicating realm of Dionysian ecstasy.
One of the book's most striking features is Otto's ability to connect the myth of Dionysus with its profound cultural and psychological implications. He delves into the rich tapestry of Dionysian rituals, from the wild celebrations to the mysteries of initiation, offering readers a profound understanding of the deep-seated human need for transcendence and release.
What sets "Dionysus: Myth and Cult" apart is its ability to appeal to both scholars and general readers. It is rigorously researched and academically sound, yet Otto's prose is accessible and engaging. This makes it an essential read for anyone interested in mythology, psychology, or the intersection of religion and culture.
In a world where ancient myths often remain distant and inaccessible, Walter F. Otto's work is a bridge that connects us to the timeless themes of ecstasy, transformation, and the human desire for connection with the divine. "Dionysus: Myth and Cult" is a masterpiece that not only informs but also inspires, leaving readers with a deeper appreciation for the enduring allure of Dionysus and the power of myth itself.
January 16, 2021
Otto's presentation of the god is scholarly but, notwithstanding, little less than ecstatic.
"Dionysius presents himself to us in two forms: as the god who vanishes and reappears, and as the god who dies and is born again. The second conception has evolved into the well-known doctrine of the numerous rebirths of the god. Basically, however, both conceptions (his vanishing, which is paired with his reappearance, and his death, which is followed by his rebirth) are rooted in the same idea. Both tell of the god with the two faces, the spirit of presence and absence, of the Now and the Then, who is most grippingly symbolized in the mask. With him appears the unfathomable mystery of life and death cemented together into a single entity, and the mystery of the act of creation affected with madness and overshadowed by death. That is why he bears with him not only all of the energy and exuberant joy of a life which is at the height of its activity but also his entire destiny. From his all-too-early birth, from his origin in his mother who perished in flames, sorrow and pain pursue him. His victories become defeats, and from radiant heights a god plunges down into horrors of destruction. But it is just because of this that the earth also brings forth its most precious fruits through him and for him. Out of the vine, 'the wild mother,' there erupts for his sake the drink whose magic extends all that is confined and lets a blissful smile blossom forth out of pain. And in the arms of her eternal lover rests Ariadne."
"Dionysius presents himself to us in two forms: as the god who vanishes and reappears, and as the god who dies and is born again. The second conception has evolved into the well-known doctrine of the numerous rebirths of the god. Basically, however, both conceptions (his vanishing, which is paired with his reappearance, and his death, which is followed by his rebirth) are rooted in the same idea. Both tell of the god with the two faces, the spirit of presence and absence, of the Now and the Then, who is most grippingly symbolized in the mask. With him appears the unfathomable mystery of life and death cemented together into a single entity, and the mystery of the act of creation affected with madness and overshadowed by death. That is why he bears with him not only all of the energy and exuberant joy of a life which is at the height of its activity but also his entire destiny. From his all-too-early birth, from his origin in his mother who perished in flames, sorrow and pain pursue him. His victories become defeats, and from radiant heights a god plunges down into horrors of destruction. But it is just because of this that the earth also brings forth its most precious fruits through him and for him. Out of the vine, 'the wild mother,' there erupts for his sake the drink whose magic extends all that is confined and lets a blissful smile blossom forth out of pain. And in the arms of her eternal lover rests Ariadne."
November 3, 2017
This is an extraordinary book. Prof. Otto attempts to look at Dionysus as the object of Greek religious devotion rather than simply as a functional "vegetation god" or "god of wine." He avoided the reductionist approach of many other classicists and tried to tease out the "personality" of the god and show how it manifested itself in all his attributes. The book is not without flaws, (sometimes the reader is not sure whether Prof. Otto is describing genuine ancient Greek beliefs or his own!), but the attempt is so audacious and enlightening I had to give it five stars.
January 16, 2021
As it is with translations from German Teutonic style of writing into English, this book is a constant battle to read (especially the first theoretical part about cultus). It is a very rewarding battle nonetheless as it presents a coherent style of thought with many brilliant insights and factoids that are being put together. It helped me differentiate my thinking about not just this very God but about the about the Greek mythology as a whole.
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November 29, 2021Desde hace meses "buscaba" un ensayo profundo sobre la relación entre Dionisio y Ariadna, los amantes marcados por lo monstruoso y lo divino, siempre jóvenes, siempre trágicos.
Me sorprendido lo civilizados que ya eran en la antigüedad, ese uso de la mascara, tanto respeto y tacto ante un el acto sagrado, maravilloso.
Me sorprendido lo civilizados que ya eran en la antigüedad, ese uso de la mascara, tanto respeto y tacto ante un el acto sagrado, maravilloso.
February 8, 2023
It's strangely well structured (chapters order) and all over the place (inside of them) in the same time. I'm not a classics major and didn't understand all the references, so maybe that's why it seemed like that. Overall, if you'll push through obscure ranting, it's a great book to brush up scattered knowledge you may have had by googling stuff.
August 3, 2023
Una de las monografías más lúcidas escritas sobre Dioniso. A pesar de los casi 100 años que nos separan de su edición original, el libro sigue constituyendo un referente por la manera profunda e inteligente en que ata las diferentes líneas del culto y el mito dionisíacos. Un texto imprescindible para los interesados en la mitología griega.
June 21, 2020
Una exposición de la extensión de los rituales y atributos de Dioniso. Le faltaría una parte expositiva donde se ordenaran estos mitos de forma narrativa, es pues un trabajo técnico que discute los aspectos temáticos ligados a este personaje.
March 15, 2024
Una perspectiva completamente distinta a la mirada distante, fría, utilitarista sobre religión. Sin prejuicios, busca comprender desde adentro la Ontología. Acepta la premisa del acontecimiento de la llegada de la divinidad, de lo excelso que viene y desborda como la fuerza de un acto creador.
October 30, 2019
The translation feels clunky and repetitive at times, but information on Dionysus is very interesting.
February 1, 2020
Great for some deep dive info, but good lord this book needs a better editor.
March 10, 2020
The first part of the book was rather slow. I found the second part very interesting, but the last few theories seemed a bit far-fetched at times.
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