IACCHUS (deity of the Eleusinian mysteries)
Divine power · minor deity in connection with the Eleusinian mysteries
- Haunts and cult places
- Nysa
- In the sources
- 9 ancient passages
Iacchus, son of Zeus, bore the marks of his divine origin, for he was described as having horns and called by the name Merotraphes.1,2,3 He found his most pleasant and beloved retreat on the mountain Nysa, where he dwelt in secluded splendor.3
In Athens, the cry of Iacchus was heard during the annual festival for the Mother and Maiden, a time of communal devotion.4 Dancing women called upon him with a united voice during their revelries, addressing him as Bromius, while Thyiads sang to him during night-long frenzied dances.1,2 Associated with a mystic fan used in agricultural contexts, he was reverently referred to by the title Giver in choral prayers.5,2
The codex facts behind this entry
Iacchus is identified as the son of Zeus. Euripides, Bacchae 677-727 +1
Appearance
Iacchus is described as having horns. Strabo 15.1.7
In the myths
The statue of Iacchus was created by the sculptor Praxiteles. Pausanias 1.2.4
Worship
The cry of Iacchus is heard during the annual Athenian festival for the Mother and Maiden. Herodotus 8.65.4 The dancing women called upon Iacchus with a united voice during their revelries. Euripides, Bacchae 677-727 He is sung to by Thyiads during night-long frenzied dances. Sophocles, Antigone 1146-1154
