Overview:
The Bacchae, produced in 405 B.C., after the death of Euripides (c. 480-406 B.C.), is a tragedy about a Greek king who defies and even denies the god Dionysus, resulting in the inevitable divine retribution.Prologue - Dionysus:
See List of the Components of Greek Tragedy
Prologue (lines 1-63)
The prologos is the part of the play that comes before the parados (eisodos) or entry of the chorus into the orchestra. In English, we simply call it a prologue.
Dionysus speaks the prologue of Euripides' Bacchae. He gives the necessary background to the audience:
- He is now in Thebes the first Greek city to receive his rites. Before, he was in Lydia, where people honored him with appropriate rites.
- His parents are Zeus and Semele. He also tells how Semele died.
- He is in disguise since he has taken human form.
Parados (choral entry song, 64-169)
Following Dionysus' speech comes the Parados spoken by the chorus, which is made up of the Asian Bacchantes Dionysus took with him. They provide more details about Dionysus.
