Page:Lovers Legends - The Gay Greek Myths.pdf/139

Rh Sophocles, The Colchian Woman [after Athenaeus, 602] These last two stories, however, appear later, and may have been literary inventions. Sergent, Hom. 259–260.  One of his mysteries has survived to this day, thanks largely to the imprecations of Clement of Alexandria, an early Christian preacher, who tried to hold up to ridicule the secrets of the pagans. (Pausanias also mentions the existence of this rite, but being himself a pagan, does not divulge the details). This is how the story goes: Semele, Dionysus' mother, ended up in Hades. Jealous Hera had tricked her, while Semele was heavy with Zeus' child, into asking her lover to show himself in his true form. Bound to grant her one wish, Zeus came to her bearing his bolts of lightning, despite his better judgement. Semele and her palace were burned to cinders. The god, however, managed to save his unborn child, Dionysus. When Dionysus came of age he made up his mind to bring his mother back to the world of the living. However, he did not know the way to Hades. A man named Prosymnus offered to direct him, but in exchange for a favor: the love of Dionysus himself. The god willingly heard the request, and swore a sacred oath to fulfil it, if only Prosymnus would wait until he returned from the underworld. Prosymnus agreed to the deal, and showed him the way. After rescuing Semele, Dionysus remembered his promise and returned to Lerna, only to learn Prosymnus had died. The god went to Prosymnus' tomb, cut a fig branch, carved it to resemble the male member, and sat on it in order to satisfy Prosymnus' shade. Thus he fulfilled his promise to his lover and consummated their love bond. Ever after, in the various cities of Lerna, phalli were dedicated to Dionysus as mystic memorials to this deed. Clement of Alexandria, Protrepticus II, 34.3-5; Pausanias, Descriptions of Greece'' II, 37.5.  Theocritus, Idyll 13, in Greek Bucolic Poets, J. M. Edmonds, Tr. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, Loeb Classical Library, 1912 His love for Hylas is explored in this work. About the "lesser beloveds" we know almost nothing beyond a few of their names,such as Abderus, Philoctetes, Euphemus, and Elacatas, some of the better known ones. Sergent, Hom. 161–166. 125