Tales of the Greek Heroes

Zeus anticipates the hero who will help him defeat the giants. He marries Semele, Cadmus’s third daughter, which sparks Hera’s jealousy because she fears Semele might give birth to a son more powerful than Hera’s own children, Ares and Hephaestus. Hera, disguised as a mortal, tries to trick Semele into doubting Zeus by claiming that he’s pretending to be immortal. Semele therefore asks Zeus to prove his immortality. Zeus transforms into his shining glory, but Semele cannot endure it and dies.

Zeus names Semele’s son Dionysus. To protect him from Hera’s anger, he secretly entrusts him to Semele’s sisters, Ino and Agave. When Dionysus grows into a man, the Satyrs become his loyal followers. Dionysus learns how to make wine from grapes on Mount Nysa and then begins teaching humans how to make wine.

Dionysus travels around the world and faces many adventures. When he returns to Greece, many kings prevent him from sharing his wine-making skills. For example, King Lycurgus drives Dionysus into the sea, but the nymphs save him. Lycurgus is punished for his actions, but in trying to leave the caves of the sea nymphs, Dionysus is captured by pirates. In response, Dionysus floods the ship with wine and fills the sails with grapes.