Greek Mythology · mortal

Semele

Σεμέλη
mortalthe mortal mother of Dionysus

Mortal princess, mother of Dionysus by Zeus; destroyed by a bolt of lightning, from whose womb Zeus saved the unborn god.

SE
The account

Who they are

Semele is a mortal princess (daughter of Cadmus of Thebes) who became the mistress of Zeus and bore him Dionysus. Hera, jealous, persuaded Semele to demand that Zeus prove his divinity by appearing to her in his full glory (a bolt of lightning); the mortal mother was destroyed by the lightning, but Zeus saved the unborn child by sewing it into his thigh until it was ready to be born [S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text. Semele's story is the origin of Dionysus's 'double birth' (first of Semele, then of Zeus).
Worth knowing
  • Mortal mother of Dionysus by Zeus [S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
  • Destroyed by a bolt of lightning; Zeus saved the unborn Dionysus in his thigh [S5]S5 · Pseudo-Apollodorus, Library (Bibliotheca)c. 1st–2nd c. CE (transmits earlier)text.
Relationships (1)

Connections

Family & kinship

PARENT_OFDionysus — Semele is the (mortal) mother of Dionysus.[S5]
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Their corner of the divine world

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GREEK · 41variantvariant♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥AegisHelmet of HadesCaduceus of Her…Trident of Pose…Thunderbolt of …Alcmenamortalthe mortal mother of Heracles1 relationsAndromedamortalthe rescued princess2 relationsAphroditedeitylove7 relationsAtlasdeitythe sky (bore)1 relationsChaosprimordialorigin2 relationsDanaemortalthe mortal mother of Perseus1 relationsDemeterdeityharvest6 relationsEchidnamonsterthe monster-mother2 relationsGaiadeityearth6 relationsHadesdeitythe dead7 relationsHeradeitymarriage8 relationsHestiadeityhearth1 relationsLetodeitymotherhood (as mother of Apollo/Artemis)2 relationsMedusamonsterthe Gorgon3 relationsMetisdeitycounsel2 relationsOceanusdeitythe great world-river1 relationsOdysseusherocunning2 relationsPenelopemortalthe faithful wife of Odysseus2 relationsPoseidondeitythe sea6 relationsRheadeitymotherhood2 relationsSemelemortalthe mortal mother of Dionysus1 relationsTethysdeitythe primordial sea1 relationsTyphonmonsterthe great monster7 relationsCerberusmonsterthe guardian of the underworld3 relationsErosdeitylove2 relationsHebedeityyouth2 relationsHephaestusdeityfire6 relationsMaiadeitythe nymph2 relationsUranusprimordialsky6 relationsPersephonedeitythe underworld2 relationsTelemachusmortalthe son of Odysseus2 relationsCronusdeitytime (later association)9 relationsZeusdeitysky29 relationsApollodeitysun (later)4 relationsAresdeitywar (violence, bloodshed)3 relationsArtemisdeitythe hunt3 relationsAthenadeitywisdom4 relationsDionysusdeitywine3 relationsHeraclesherostrength7 relationsHermesdeitymessengers5 relationsPerseusheroheroism8 relations
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