#live at the apollo theater

[pwh3]

Harlem, 125th Street, August 13th, 2023. Instagram: https://instagram.com/pwh3_ig

[ifelllikeastar]

Ella Fitzgerald was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.

Ella started by singing on the streets of Harlem at the age of 17. On November 21, 1934, she debuted at one of the earliest Amateur Nights at the Apollo Theater. She had intended to go on stage and dance, but she was intimidated by a local dance duo called the Edwards Sisters and opted to sing instead. Performing in the style of Connee Boswell, she sang "Judy" and "The Object of My Affection" and won first prize. She won the chance to perform at the Apollo for a week but, seemingly because of her disheveled appearance, the theater never gave her that part of her prize.

Later she was introduced to drummer and bandleader Chick Webb and was asked to join Webb's orchestra and gained acclaim as part of the group's performances at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. Fitzgerald recorded several hit songs, including "Love and Kisses" and "(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)". But it was her 1938 version of the nursery rhyme, "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", a song she co-wrote, that brought her public acclaim. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" became a major hit on the radio and was also one of the biggest-selling records of the decade.

Born Ella Jane Fitzgerald on April 25, 1917 in Newport News, Virginia and died on June 15, 1996 in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 79.

[medullam]

Brownstone - "I Can't Tell You Why" [1995]

Showtime at the Apollo [NYC, 1995]

[ausetkmt]

Watch "James Brown Live at the Apollo (1963) Deluxe Edition, Full Album"

[stayallnite]

[martysmusic]

There’s no cover or ticket needed for your free concert. This week I’m featuring James Brown Live from The Apollo, recorded in 1962. Auditory Admission is available only for Apple Music and Spotify subscribers.

[erythristicbones]

also figuring out more stuff for the JDK villains and going "yeah artie & apollo are like Team Rocket vibes, except one of them is actually an evil mastermind and doesn't want anyone, even their bosses, to know". the ideal way to tell the story is that you think they're the two most incompetent, low-level minions on the totem pole and then you realize Apollo has been orchestrating things from the beginning

[iwannakisskissyoureyesagain]

uhhh even more percy jackson headcanons

- there’s always music playing in the apollo cabin. they have communal playlists, but there are times when one person gets to play dj, especially when it’s relatively empty

- everyone has to emotionally prepare for audial whiplash whenever kayla gets to play music because she puts every song she has ever liked in her entire life onto one playlist, so it can go from twenty one pilots to ethel cain to beabadoobee to fifth harmony in just fifteen minutes

- will is usually pretty lenient with who gets to play what and when (he has a few clean playlists for when there are little kids present), but on days when the infirmary is packed and he’s visibly on the verge of collapse, no one dares change it from whatever kasey musgraves song he just put on

- austin exclusively plays obscure 20+ minute-long jazz songs. austin no longer has access to the cabin 7 spotify account

- there are bi-monthly meetings with all the counselors and chiron and dionysus to discuss any problems, questions, quests, deaths, fights, complaints, and other issues

- chiron ended up helping train and appointing a few other apollo kids to take up shifts in the infirmary when will accidentally fell asleep in the middle of one of said meetings. will kept insisting it was fine and that he wasn’t overworked, but eventually gave in when nico kept having to nudge him awake and chiron had to send him back to the apollo cabin early so he could take a nap

- frank cried so hard when he saw barbie that he had to leave the theater for a minute

- drew and will went to the sweat tour together

- drew actually kind of hates that charlie xcx is only really getting properly noticed now because of brat, because she’s a huge charlie fan and has been here since “boom clap”

- ever since blood of olympus, percy is genuinely terrified of getting a nosebleed. the first time it happens is when he’s sick at college and annabeth has to coach him through a panic attack

- nico isn’t actually that invested in star wars, star trek, or any other sci-fi franchise that will obsesses over, but sits through it anyways for his boyfriend’s sake

- piper and shel dressed up as different versions of chappell roan for halloween. piper was lady liberty chappell and shel was “good luck, babe” bird chappell

- every chance they get, piper and leo meet up, get jack in the box, smoke weed, and catch up in whatever car piper stole from her dad, because it helps them both feel normal

- piper and will smoke together whenever she visits camp, usually while having a shit talk session

- sally, paul, and estelle visited percy and annabeth for family and friends weekend while they’re at school, of course, but tyson, ella, hazel, and frank, piper and leo, and nico, will, reyna, and thalia (and, by nature, the rest of the hunters) all made time to stop by at various points during family and friends

- once he realized he could occasionally get away with sneaking out of olympus in the middle of the night, ganymede developed a habit of taking a walk down the beach at camp. he ran into dionysus one night and fully expected to have to fetch some fancy wine for him, or at least go back to get his chalice, unaware of his sobriety punishment, but did a total 180 when dionysus ended up being kind to him. instead, the two of them walked and talked about how much they both hate zeus, and it ended up becoming a therapy session for ganymede (think aimee’s first session in sex education)

- sally got annabeth one of those self defense keychains before she left for school

- apollo brings meg to camp every time he goes to visit his kids. on one visit, he took her, will, kayla, austin, and nico to build-a-bear. it was meg and nico’s first time going. nico was in total awe and meg cried and hugged apollo for a minute straight

- hazel prefers cartoons and animation over live-action movies and shows

- percy is really good at watercolor. rachel tries to teach him to paint and thinks he’s a prodigy until they move onto acrylics and she realizes he was just manipulating the water

- annabeth and sally both love watching the princess bride together. percy tries to watch it three separate times for their sake, like nico does with will’s sci-fi stuff, but ends up drooling on annabeth’s shoulder by the end of the movie each time

- percy desperately wanted a water bed for years when he was younger, but neither chiron nor sally would trust him with one. he eventually begged paul to get him one as a graduation present, and he put it in his cabin at camp. it lasted less than 24 hours before he popped it and woke up in the middle of the night on top of the deflated mattress, he himself completely dry but his floor absolutely soaked. dionysus made an announcement at breakfast the next morning that any mattress filled with anything except air was prohibited, and anyone else who flooded their cabin would get stable duties for a whole week

- will doesn’t like to use his plague powers very much after tsats, but he does like to give anyone who pisses him off mild-but-annoying congestion or a lingering headache

- nico and will like to do this thing to mess with people, where nico cracks will’s back or will cracks his knuckles and he lights up, usually in front of people who don’t actually know how will’s powers work

- austin is the exception to this rule; they do it in front of him because he hates the sound of people cracking their bones

- there was a point where everyone knew that will could glow except percy. he found out the hard way when he, annabeth, nico, and will were hanging out in the jackson-blofis apartment and the power went out, and nico cracked will’s spine and will started glowing. percy was so freaked out that he screamed and woke up the rest of the house

- sometimes frank eats fistfuls of shredded cheese, for the thrill

- very rarely, rachel talks in her sleep and says indiscernible bits of prophecies, both new and old. she has no idea she does it

- apollo hates leonard cohen

pt. 1

pt. 2

pt. 3

[bpdbeehive]

I made a list of every single Greek god ever

Keep in mind some of these may be different from what you know because they have multiple different stories

Eros- god of love, passion, and fertility

Tartarus- god of darkest part in the underworld

Thalassa- goddess of the sea

Phanes- god of creation, new life, procreation, fertility, and light

Caligine- goddess of creation

Gaia- goddess of earth

Erebus- god of darkness and shadows

Nyx- goddess of night and darkness

Pontus- god of the seas

Hydros- god of water

Uranas- god of the heavens and sky

Achlys- goddess of the death-mist, misery, sadness, and deadly poisons

Aether- god of light and the upper sky

Ananke- goddess of inevitability, compulsion, and necessity

Chaos- god of the void

Cronus- god of time, fate, justice, and harvest

Caelus- god of the sky

Coeus- god of the North, intelligence, and resolve

Hemera- goddess of daylight

Hypnos- god of sleep

Nemesis- goddess of vengeance, retribution, and rightful fate

Thalassa- goddess of sea

Rhea- goddess of motherhood, fertility, childbirth, comfort, and good living

Oceanus- god of freshwater

Tethys- goddess of fresh water and nursing mothers

Hyperion- god of heavenly light and watchfulness

Theia- goddess of sight and vision

Lapetus- god of mortal life

Crius- god of constellations, stars, and the south

Phoebe- goddess of intellect, prophecy, and the moon

Themis- goddess of justice, law, order, and divine will

Iris- goddess of rainbows

Mnemosyne- goddess of memory

Zues- god of sky, weather, thunder, lightning, and law and order

Demeter- goddess of the harvest, agriculture, and fertility of the earth

Poseidon- god of sea, storms, earthquakes, and horses

Hades- god of the underworld and the dead

Hera- goddess of women, marriage, family, and childbirth

Apollo- god of sun and light, poetry, healing and disease, justice, archery, music and dance, prophecy and truth

Artemis- goddess of hunting, wild animals, and the wilderness

Aphrodite- goddess of beauty and passion

Ares- god of war and courage

Hephaestus- fire, volcanoes, blacksmithing, metalworking, craftsmanship, sculpture, forges, and metallurgy

Hermes- God of wealth, trade, thieves, and travelers

Athena- goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare

Dionysus- god of wine, festivity, and theater

Hestia- goddess of domestic life, home, and hearth

Hecate- goddess of magic and necromancy

Aeolus- god of the wind

Asclepius- god of medicine and healing

Eris- god of discord, jealousy, and strife

Pan- god of the wild, shepherds, flocks, rustic music, fertility, spring, and theatrical criticism

Eileithyia- goddess of childbirth, birth pains, and midwifery

Enyos- goddess of war, violence, and bloodshed

Evrynomi- water meadows, fertility, and pasturelands

Psyche- goddess of the soul

Hedone- goddess of pleasure, enjoyment, and delight

Dolos- god of trickery, cunning deception, craftiness, guile, and treachery

Senectus- god of old age

Oizys- goddess of misery, grief, anxiety, and depression

Moros- god of doom

Momus- god of satire and mockery

Tmolus- god of Mount Tmolus

Nereus- god of the sea

Phorcys- god of the sea and the hidden dangers that lurk beneath the waves

Ceto- goddess of sea monsters and other marine life

Eurybia- goddess of power over, and mastery of, the sea

Eurus- god of the east or southeast wind, fall, and storms

Aergia- goddess of laziness, idleness, sloth, and indolence

Eos- goddess of dawn

Astraea- goddess of justice, innocence, purity, precision

Boreas- god of the north wind, winter, storms, ice, snow, and cold

Chione- goddess of snow

Orithyia- goddess of cold mountain winds

Zephyrus- god of West wind

Notos- god of South wind

Euros- god of East wind

Hesperos- god of the evening and the evening star

Morpheus- god of dreams and nightmares

Pasithea- goddess of relaxation and rest

Icelus- god of nightmares

Phantasus- god of dreams that feature inanimate objects

Aigaion- god of violent sea storms

Achelous- god of fresh water

Alpheus- god of the Peloponnese

Clymene- goddess of fame and renown

Eurynome- goddess of water meadows, fertility, and pasturelands

Idyia- goddess of knowledge

Metis- goddess of wisdom and cunning strategies

Styx- goddess of oaths and the River Styx

Helios- god of the sun

Selene- goddess of the moon

Atlas- god of strength, endurance, astronomy, and navigation

Prometheus- god of fire, forethought, and crafty counsel

Astraeus- god of astrology and stars

Pallas- god of witchcraft

Zelus- god of dedication, emulation, eager rivalry, envy, jealousy, and zeal

Nike- goddess of victory

Via- goddess of force and power

Perses- god of destruction

Asteria- goddess of falling stars, nocturnal divination, and the connection between the heavens and the earth

Leto- goddess of motherhood, childbirth, modesty, and fertility

Eirene- goddess of peace

Dike- goddess of fair judgment and law

Persephone- goddess of grain and agriculture

Alatheia- goddess of truth

Asopos- god of the river Asopos

Ate- goddess of blind folly and ruin

Britomartis- goddess of hunting and fishing

Elieithyia- goddess of childbirth

Eirene- goddess of peace

Ersa- goddess of the dew

Eunomia- goddess of good governance

Harmonia- goddess of harmony

Hebe- goddess of youth

Hephaistos- god of smiths

Eunomia- goddess of law, governance, and good order

Kairos- god of opportunity

Aglaia- goddess of beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, adornment, good health, and the glow of good health

Lakhesis- goddess of life and fate

Phasis- god of the river Phasis

Despoine- goddess of certain Arkadian Mysteries

Macaria- goddess of a "blessed" death

Melinoe- goddess of ghosts, nightmares, and propitiation

Zagreus- god of rebirth

Ploutos- god of wealth, riches, and abundance

Albion- god of the sea

Tilphousia- goddess of vengeance and justice

Phobos- god of fear, panic, flight, and rout

Pothos- god of sexual longing, desire, and yearning

Anteros- god of reciprocal love

Himeros- god of sexual desire and unrequited love

Hermaphroditus- god of effeminacy, androgeny, and hermaphroditism

Rhodos- goddess and personification of the island of Rhodes

Priapus- god of fertility

Erichthonius- goddess of earth

Tyche- goddess of fortune, luck, prosperity, chance, and fate

Horkos- god of oaths and the curse that befalls those who break them

Epione- goddess of soothing pain

Hygieia- goddess of hygiene and cleanliness

Panacea- goddess of universal remedy

Aceso- goddess of healing and wounds

Iaso- goddess of recuperation from sickness

Machaon- god of surgeons

Pandia- goddess of the full moon, dew, and youth

Telesphoros- god of recuperation

Enyalius- god of soldiers and warriors

Phosphorus- god of the planet Venus when it appears as the morning star

Triton- god of the sea

Carpus- god of fruit

Bia- goddess of force, power, might, bodily strength, and compulsion

Narcissus- god of vanity

Cephissus- god of the Cephissus river

Ismenus- god of the river of the same name

Eucleia- goddess of good repute, glory, and honor

Eupheme- goddess of good omen, praise, and acclamation

Euthenia- goddess of prosperity, abundance, and plenty

Philophrosyne- goddess of friendliness, welcome, and kindness

Euphrosyne- goddess of joy, good cheer, mirth, and merriment

Hephaestus- god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes

Delphin- god of Dolphins

Aristaeus- god of beekeeping, cheesemaking, olive growing, and hunting

Electryone- goddess of the sun and morning

Circe- goddess of magic

Silenus- god of forests, wine-making, and drunkenness

Triptolemus- god of agriculture

Lyssa- goddess of rage, fury, and rabies

Soteria- goddess of safety, salvation, deliverance, and protection from harm

Leucothea- goddess of hope

Palaemon- god of harbors and sharks

Pasiphae- goddess of witchcraft and sorcery

Perses- god of destruction and peace

Phaunos- god of the forest

Maron- god of Maroneia

Astraeus- god of stars and planets

Limos- goddess of famine, starvation, and hunger

Benthesikyme- goddess of ocean waves

Amphitrite- goddess of the sea

Kymopoleia- goddess of violent sea storms and storm waves

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher 1931

"Minnie the Moocher" is a jazz-scat song first recorded in 1931 by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra, selling over a million copies and was the biggest chart-topper of that year. "Minnie the Moocher" is most famous for its nonsensical ad libbed ("scat") lyrics. In performances, Calloway would have the audience and the band members participate by repeating each scat phrase in a form of call and response, eventually making it too fast and complicated for the audience to replicate. The song is based lyrically on Frankie "Half-Pint" Jaxon's 1927 version of the early 1900s vaudeville song "Willie the Weeper".

"Minnie the Moocher" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2019 was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress.

In 1978, Calloway recorded a disco version of "Minnie the Moocher" on RCA Records which reached number 91 on the Billboard R&B chart. "Minnie the Moocher" has been covered or simply referenced by many other performers. Its refrain, particularly the call and response, is part of the language of American jazz. At the Cab Calloway School of the Arts, which is named for the singer, students perform "Minnie the Moocher" as a traditional part of talent showcases.

In 1932, Calloway recorded the song for a Fleischer Studios Talkartoon short cartoon, also called Minnie the Moocher, starring Betty Boop and Bimbo, and released on March 11, 1932. Calloway and his band provide most of the short's score and themselves appear in a live-action introduction, playing "Prohibition Blues". The thirty-second live-action segment is the earliest-known film footage of Calloway. In the cartoon, Betty decides to run away from her parents, and Bimbo comes with her. While walking away from home, Betty and Bimbo wind up in a spooky area and hide in a hollow tree. A spectral walrus—whose gyrations were rotoscoped from footage of Calloway dancing—appears to them, and begins to sing "Minnie the Moocher", with many fellow ghosts following along, during which they do scary things like place ghosts on electric chairs who still survive after the shock. After singing the whole number, the ghosts chase Betty and Bimbo all the way back to Betty's home. In 1933 another Betty Boop/Cab Calloway cartoon with "Minnie the Moocher" was The Old Man of the Mountain.

Calloway performed the entire song in the movie Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955), filmed at the Apollo Theater. Much later, in 1980 at age 73, Calloway performed the song in the movie The Blues Brothers. Calloway's character Curtis, a church janitor and the Blues Brothers' mentor, magically transforms the band into a 1930s swing band and sings "Minnie the Moocher" when the crowd becomes impatient at the beginning of the movie's climactic production number.

"Minnie the Moocher" received a total of 71,1% yes votes!

[pwh3]

The Apollo Theater in Harlem on a summer evening.

[dailytomlinson]

369 HOTSPOTS:

Africa: Asia: — Saranrom Park, Bangkok (3PM—5PM) — New Delhi, Lodhi Garden (1:30PM—3:30PM) — Tennis Indoor Senayan, Jakarta (3PM—5PM) — Bengkel SCBD, Jakarta (3PM—5PM) — Cross Maidan Garden, Mumbai (1:30PM—3:30PM) Europe: — Wizink, Madrid — La Riviera, Madrid — Razzmatazz, Barcelona — Palau, Barcelona — Miribilla, Bilbao — Scala, London — Shepherds Bush Empire, London — O2 Manchester Apollo, Manchester — O2 Arena, London —Atlas Arena, Łódź (12PM—2PM) — The Dome, Doncaster — Utilita Arena, Sheffield — Tauron Arena, Kraków (12PM—2PM) — Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie, Poznań (12PM—2PM) — Meo Arena, Lisbon (3PM—5PM) Latin America: — Rioarena, Rio de Janeiro (12PM—2PM) — Allianz Parque, São Paulo (12PM—2PM) — Espaço Unimed, São Paulo (12PM—2PM) — Liggo Arena, Curitiba (12PM—2PM) — Movistar Arena, Santiago (12PM—2PM) — Estadio Bicentenario, Santiago (12PM—2PM) —Pepsi Center WTC, CDMX (2PM—4PM) — Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, CDMX (2PM—4PM) — Auditorio Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, Queretaro (2PM—4PM) — Auditorio Telmex, Gudalajara (2PM—4PM) — Arena V.F.G., Guadalajara (2PM—4PM) — Parque Fundidora, Monterrey (2PM—4PM) — Auditorio Citibanamex, Monterrey (2PM—4PM) — Parque Centenario, Guayaquil (2PM—4PM) — Coliseo Live, Bogotá (1PM—3PM) — Movistar Arena, Bogotá (1PM—3PM) — Movistar Arena, Buenos Aires — Velez Sarsfield Stadium, Buenos Aires

North America: — Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater, Charlotte (12PM—2PM) —MGM Music Hall, Boston (12PM—2PM) — House of Blues, Boston (12PM—2PM) — AZ Financial Theater, Phoenix (2PM—4PM) — Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, MD (12PM—2PM) — Kemba Live, Columbus (12PM—2PM) — Oprheum Theathe, Vancouver (2PM—4PM) —Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Vancouver (2PM—4PM) — Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh (1PM—3PM) — Budweiser Stage, Toronto (12PM—2PM) — Greek Theater, Berkeley (2PM—4PM) — Fox Theater, Oakland (2PM—4PM) —The Anthem, DC (1PM—3PM) — Michigan Lottery Amphitheater, Sterling Heights — Fillmore Auditorium, Denver Oceania:

— Spark Arena, Auckland (7PM—9PM)

All times are LOCAL

*If you have information on more hotspots, feel free to send an inbox or add a comment with the exact place and time window

*Most hotspots are at venues Louis has played before, on tour or other separate gigs so if you're at a city Louis has been before, those places are most likely the ones you'll find. If not, there's still some hotspots in countries he's never visited so keep an eye out.

[punkharryp0tt3r]

APOLLO CHILDREN RECOGNIZE THEIR UNCLE

(⭐️ALeXaNDeR HamiLtON⭐️)

(I’m a child of Apollo so I am here)

The Apollo children got granted permission to see Hamilton. The only reason they were able to was because Chiron said it was because it had “Educational purposes, blah, blah, blah.”

But whatever, it didn’t matter. We were all ecstatic, especially me and the other campers who hadn’t ever seen it before.

Apollo came to camp, arriving in the sun chariot. We all were also happy about not having to wear the camp t-shirt.

He drove us to the theater we would be seeing it live in. We honestly couldn’t shut up about it on the way there, we we’re probably annoying, but dad didn’t seem to think so.

Arriving, we all get out and into the theatre. And I promise, we were trying really hard to shut up.

The performance begins

And wait wtf

unable to keep our mouths shut, we yell,

“UNCLE HERMES?!”

It was Hermes-

Hermes was playing fucking Alexander Hamilton

And we lost our shit

[daily-blog-reunion-of-2024-lore]

Dailyverse Lore Masterpost

Links under cut (Be warned, it's a long one)

--The Beginning--

The Family Reunion Gone Arwy

Millie Learns of her true Parentage (Wont Wouldnt and Will are her fathers)

Evelo!

Rettel!

Ross Reveal

Daily Blog Family Tree + Will finds out he has tapeworms

Ranch Guy!

Rettel's Pie Emporium

Will and Wont get a divorce

--The Virus Begins--

Spamton G. TRWW being based

Will's Final VHS

7eventh 7ight 7eer

Millie's Call / Something Has Gone Wrong

--The Virus / MBU Burning--

Wont Wouldnt

Spamton G. TRWW glitches out, MBRA Arc

MMMM tries (and fails) to cure Spamton TRWW

Zubin saves Gerard from TRWW

The Proposal

Kendrick disses Wyatt

Lemon Child

The Invitation

???

The Power Outage

Main Burning Thread (Camp & Log)

Burning Side Thead (ICID, Los Camp, AVE)

MBRA Official Statement on the Burning

Apollo's message from AWTY

Unpaid Intern 2012 dies

Camp needs Teeth

Nature attempts to crucify Mod

AWTYD Returns (AWTYD, Los Camp, HPII)

A New Disease I

A New Disease II

A New Disease III

E's Colourblindness

--Mary Bell and its Citizens--

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E1 - Kendrick Lamar

Los' Wings Pt. 1

Camp Gets Kidnapped Pt. 1

Camp Gets Kidnapped Pt. 2

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E2 - Mod

E saves Camp

Spirit Phone possesses Spirit Phone Daily

Spirit Phone has possessed Spirit Phone Daily

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E3 - Cloning

Los' Wings Pt. 2

Camp's Hangover

Unpaid Intern 2012 gets Vacuumed

Ave apologizes for the kidnapping

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E4 - Saviour

Mod and E acquire new glasses lawfully

Los' Wings Pt. 3

The Jar Thread

Rein's Old Photos Pt. 1

E, Nature, Camp and Mod get HIGH on BROWNIE

NAT get's brought in for questioning

Ave's Problem

Rein's Old Photos Pt. 2

Los moves in with Rein

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E5 - ModTwo Leary

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E6 - E

Los' Old Photos

Sketches feeds Rein Pt. 1

Rein's Old Photos Pt. 3

Drake disses Kendrick

Sketches feeds Rein Pt. 2

Sketches Defenses

Denny's Pt. 1

Denny's Pt. 2

Rein and Los get ready for the Picnic

The Picnic

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E7 - MBCR & Why It Sucks

Grandpa Gerard's Question

Metalfood

Mary Bell Community Radio E1 - Introduction

Mary Bell Community Radio E2 - Sketches & Lucifer

CERTIFIED BOY LOVER

Nature and E visit Camp

Nature Tapes Late Morning Live E8 - Sketches Mary Bell Community Radio E3 - Missing Mary Bell Community Radio E4 - Los Camp Asleep in Wheelchair Rein Dyes his Hair Mary Bell Community Radio E5 - The Theater? Mary Bell Community Radio E6 - Grim Day Mary Bell Community Radio E7 - Elliot Marsha and Elliot Talk Mary Bell Community Radio E8 - On Fire! The Dinner Mary Bell Community Radio - Nature's Hijacking Los & Rein have Coffee Los Burns an Old Photo NC Amputates His Arm [TW: Gore, Violence, S/H, Disease] Mary Bell Community Radio E9 - Tired Rein, Los & AVE prepare for a "bonfire" Mary Bell Community Radio E10 - Flood Rein, Los & AVE: Burning of Rosalind's House The Birth of ModTwo Leary Mary Bell Community Radio E11 - Dr. Arian Baumfield

--Events at the End of Time--

The Penis Incident

[superkooku]

Dionysus' iceberg (part 3)

Here's part 2 (+ the bonus about animals and a link with part 1).

I'm back for a new part of this little essay series about Dionysus !

In part 1, I explained how underused he is. In part 2, I talked about him as a nature and theater god.

Today, since Halloween is coming up, I'll specifically focus on Dionysus' spookier aspects. Because his duality is rooted in both his festive nature, but also darker parts. Because Dionysus is also associated with madness, conquest, death and rebirth.

Before that, just a reminder that a non-negligeable part of my informations come from the Dionysiaca, which is a very late source. I'll try to use other versions as well.

1. The god of madness

Ok, so when a god is given a title, just know it isn't there as a decoration. It's such an important part of said god that it deserved to be highlighted.

This is probably the longest subsection of my essay, so I'll divide it in two (again).

A) Experiencing madness

Dionysus always had an intrisic bond with madness. It all began with, well, his childhood. After a unique birth, Dionysus was sent with multiple tutors : the first was Rhea, mother of Zeus and Hera and Dionysus' grandmother. Then, he lived with Ino, Semele's sister and her husband, Athamas, a Beoetian king.

Disguised as a little girl, Dionysus lived with mortals in order to stay hidden from his divine stepmother : Hera. And... that didn't work.

Hera stroke Athamas with madness, probably as a punishment for sheltering Dionysus. The poor man went in a murderous rage and killed Learchus, one of his sons, thinking he was a stag.

Ino barely saved herself, Dionysus and Melicertes, her other son.

According to the Dionysiaca, Ino herself was struck with insanity beforehand and Apollo had to heal her. What a mess...

So, even in this early part of life, Dionysus' presence caused madness and despair among mortals, despite Hera's undeniable involvement.

Now found, the young god was quickly sent to live with the satyrs (see part 2). Problem : Hera didn't let go so easily.

This time, instead of targetting someone like Silenus, she went straight to the point and struck Dionysus himself.

Contrary to Heracles or Athamas, Dionysus didn't brutally slaughter his entourage. Instead, he left them and spent years aimlessly wandering around Earth.

It was only after seeing Rhea, his grandmother, that he could recover his sanity. Nonnus explains that she gave him an amethyst that allowed him to heal and made him unable to get drunk. The word "amethyst" itself means "the absence of intoxication".

Other sources claim it was the phryigian goddess Cybele that cured him (she herself is closely associated to Rhea, Gaia and Demeter, even sharing the title "Meter Theon" with Rhea).

Rhea was another one of Dionysus' caretakers as a child and will also be involved later on in his life, like a godly teacher.

Ironically enough, Hera also fulfills that last role despite all her efforts to terrorize him. Because after experiencing her madness for years, Dionysus took it as his own domain...

B) Inflicting madness on others

This subsection contains more interpretation than the previous one. Yes, there were a lot of myths showcasing Dionysus' power over mortal minds but I'll be more general here.

Dionysus' madness is a bit different from Hera's. Whereas the queen of gods occasionally used it with the sole goal to punish, her stepson's is rooted in this same duality between festivity and violence.

On one hand, it's a feeling of liberation and fun. Dionysus' followers aren't tied down to social conventions and inhibitions anymore. They can just... do whatever they want. There is no king, no law, no husband (hence the insistance on women in the cult, who were imposed even more limitations).

There is only Dionysus and fellow party animals... and literal wild animals too.

The god invites them to celebrate, to dance, to sing or to partake in sexual activities. Of course, that sense of freedom attracted a lot of people into Dionysus' cult in mythology. That translated in real life as well, through orgies but also various festivals honoring the god (like the City and rural Dionysia or the Lenaia).

One the other hand, Dionysus could also force this madness on people. He wins the control that they lose. And no matter how hard one would resist, they'd immediately succumb.

Dionysus could either make his targets docile and obedient, or frantic and enraged. Whatever suits him best, he does. He could make anyone hallucinate, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy and fight for him.

He uses madness in a unique way, with various nuances. Other gods are capable of this as well, but not with as much nuance and precision as Dionysus. Because it's his domain.

We could compare the Dionysian madness to his own creation, wine. It induces an addictive feeling of relaxation and pleasure, but also a loss of control and reason, plus an agressive behavior, that only gets bigger with the dosis.

This madness obviously is a particular concept that can't be tied down to one substance or drug, much less to how we understand mental illnesses today (though I suppose Dionysus could influence all of that).

It pretty much encompasses everything wild and beyond order or thought. Even the most down-to-earth, "normal" logical person has a bit of this Dionysian madness in them. And the god knows exactly how to release it.

One main instance of this is seen in Euripides' "The Bacchae". While it focuses on Dionysus' wrath against king Pentheus and his mother Agave, (and how he affects both of them differently), it also mentions that same feeling of freedom, insanity and the cult surrounding it.

2. War and conquest

I said it before, but the sheltered peaceful Dionysus agenda needs to stop NOW. You'd think I'd like seeing one of my favorite gods portrayed in a gentle light. But it just makes him lose his claws, his power and his cunning.

Because yeah, mr. "I can turn people mad and submit them to my will" doesn't always take the pacifistic approach to introducing his cult.

So get prepared for more wine, blood and revenge in this part !

I already mentioned that Dionysus, while in his maddened state, traveled the world. Well, even afterwards he didn't stop. Except this time, it wasn't aimless wandering, but a crusade to spread his cult and prove his power to... basically the whole world !

It began after Rhea healed Dionysus, when he requested his father to join the Olympian gods. And Zeus agreed... under the condition of earning his place.

Since Dionysus was a young god, no mortal worshipped him yet, and that needed to change.

And he understood the assignment very well.

Dionysus continued his travels around the whole world, but this time, he was a man with a plan. Everywhere he went, he introduced winemaking and tried to make himself worshipped.

He was known as the foreigner god, never establishing himself in a set place, always coming to new cities as a stranger with his exotic procession and unique practices. He went in Syria, in Egypt, in various parts of Greece too.

While he was often welcomed with open arms, some notable exceptions required him to be more agressive.

In India : seeing that the Indians were impious, Zeus sent Dionysus to invade the land. The conquest was confirmed by multiple sources like Pausanias or Philostratus, but the most detailed account is the Dionysiaca.

Rhea comes back and plays a huge role in supporting Dionysus and his army. And guess who helps the opponents ? That's right, Hera ! If she wasn't there, the victory would have surely been instantaneous.

This war also prompted a divide among the Olympians in a way that's eerily similar to the Iliad (there were even fights among the gods with the same pairings for opponents...). Again, Nonnus' tale was a late source, so maybe he took inspiration from it.

On Earth, there was a massacre : satyrs and maenads slaughtering the Indians. It only stopped when Dionysus pitied them. He stopped the war and invited his then-adversaries to drink wine (initially water from the Astacid Lake). Then he captured them, ending the war on a complete victory for the god.

In Athens : this is part of a lesser-known myth but honestly, it proves how ruthless Dionysus can be. In the beginning, everything was fine. Dionysus was welcomed by a man named Icarius (not Penelope's dad).

Icarius gave wine to his shepherds and enjoyed the god's persence. Unfortunately, since the shepherds weren't used to the wine, they thought the intoxication meant they were poisoned. So they murdered him without letting him a chance to explain themselves.

Furious, Dionysus took a page out of Apollo's handbook and inflicted a huge plague on Athens. Additionally, he turned every unmarried woman insane and made them hang themselves (like Icarius' daughter, Erigone, did out of grief).

In Argos : there, Dionysus and his maenads met king Perseus. Yes, the same Perseus who killed Medusa. It was mentioned in many sources, like Pausanias' Description of Greece.

And since Argos was Hera's city and Dionysus was there, of COURSE she is involved. She encouraged Perseus to fight back. Another war took place and we'd think it would end like with the Indians. But this time, Dionysus... lost.

In fact, he lost pretty bad. Many maenads are killed, including Chorea, the leader. Ariadne, his wife, is turned to stone. Perseus was the clear winner in this.

(I saw in a book that Dionysus himself died, then was thrown in a spring something I talked about multiple times on Tumblr. This really solidified Perseus' victory.

Here's the quote : "Perhaps the oldest of these tales was that{871} in which Perseus killed him and threw him [Dionysus] into the deep spring of Lerna."

But neither Theoi nor any other source I found mentions this small yet crucial detail. It's weird.

The book refers to this as a source :

Which source has this abbreviation?

@nysus-temple or @margaretkart , do you have an idea ? )

Maybe I misunderstood it. That would be a bit embarrassing, but hey, everyone can be wrong. I don't want to spread misinformation and if it's wrong, then I'll edit everything.

Point is : Perseus won, Dionysus lost. But then, on Hermes' request, they settled on a compromise. Perseus keeps his land and full control of it, but Dionysus' cult isn't banned and fallen maenads are honored.

In Thrace : Actually, Dionysus went there twice.

The first time is mentioned in the Iliad, for example. A young Dionysus goes to spread his cult. Unfortunately, he's quickly chased down by the king, Lycurgus.

He made the Hyades, nymphs and Dionysus' nurses, run away, killed one of them with an axe (Ambrosia). Then he forced Dionysus and his allies to jump from a cliff and into the sea. He almost drowned (or did) but was rescued/resurrected by Thetis.

And according to Nonnus, guess who turned Lycurgus against Dionysus ? It's interesting how everything Dionysus went through can be traced back to Hera.

Of course, the man who terrified Dionysus shouldn't just roam free without punishment.

Dionysus came back to Thrace a second time, angrier than ever. Lycurgus' punishments varies from source to source.

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus, Dionysus turned Lycurgus insane. He killed his son Dryas with an ax thinking he was cutting vines Dionysus installed. Then, he cut his own arms and legs. THEN, as if it wasn't enough, Dionysus made the land sterile and only agreed to change it if Lycurgus died. So, his people left him in the forest to be eaten by his own horses.

Other sources state that Lycurgus was hated by the gods in general and punished by Zeus himself.

Anecdote : Sophocles depicts Lycurgus as a beer drinker to highlight his opposition to the wine god. Idk it's a fun detail. Lycurgus being like "Wine ? Tastes awful. Imprison him."

(also, what if the ax that he used to kill his son was the same as the one that struck Ambrosia ? It wouldn't surprise me)

In Thebes : Thebes was Dionysus' final destination... and his family's city. There, his maenads and him were granted by angry guards, led by Dionysus' cousin : Pentheus. Like others on the list, he rejected the cult. As a punishment, Dionysus made every woman in the city insane, then tricked Pentheus until a crazed Agave (Pentheus' mother) led an army of maenads and they dismembered and beheaded him. For more details, go read the Bacchae from Euripides.

3. Death and rebirth

Surprisingly, this part will be very short, mainly because I already talked about Perseus and Lycurgus. Here is a post I made that talks about the subject

I'll elaborate more about Orphism and his relationship to gods and mortals in part 4.

Conclusion :

That was probably the longest part I wrote. Mainly because of the examples and the hours of research (I wanted to make sure everything I said was accurate).

Yes, there will be a part 4. I'll hopefully wrap up the essay series by talking about Dionysus' duality and relationships with gods, mortals. About enemies, family, lovers (mainly Ariadne but also others like Ampelus).

Then I'll make a definitive conclusion. Let's hope I'll finish it before 2025 :3

(dividers from @sister-lucifer )