#and when she gained immortality she’d rather spend time with her son than the equally major dumbass that is Zeus

[sarafangirlart]

I gotta defend Semele. Yes she made a stupid decision but she was a young mortal woman put in a very bad position by beings much more powerful than her, and while she died because of it her demanding to see Zeus’ true form is such a power move, demanding the ultimate show of respect and devotion from the king of the gods and actually getting it. Plus, with her becoming the goddess of Bacchic Frenzy it implies she had a wild and unrestrained personality, which puts her into an interesting contrast with the orderly domains of Hera. Idk I just find her a very compelling and multi-dimensional figure from what we know of her with a lot of narrative potential (This isn’t meant to be an attack on your opinions I just want to share my own more positive view of her lol)

No I totally get it, I only ever jokingly (tho partially genuinely) hated Semele before, but that bit in the Dionysiaca really got on my nerves lol, tho it’s a late source and Nonnus is Nonnus, and she really doesn’t seem to be a bitch in older literature, just a major dumbass and after gaining immortality she seems to mind her business and isn’t really shown trying to have an affair with Zeus again (and who could blame her lol.)