Zagreus

Zagreus

Zagreus was a minor god in Greek mythology, usually conflated with the god of wine, Dionysus.

Zagreus' Parents

He was worshipped by the followers of Orpheus, and according to their beliefs, he was the son of Zeus and Persephone, after the former took the form of a serpent and lay with her.

Zagreus' Death

Zeus' intentions were for Zagreus to succeed him in the throne, but Hera, who was furious for her husband's infidelity, asked the Titans to kill the boy. While Zagreus was playing with his toys, the Titans tried to capture him; he evaded them by taking various animal forms; he eventually took the form of a bull before the Titans seized him, killed him and ate him.

Zagreus and Humankind

The myth continues with Zeus realising what happened and striking the Titans with a thunderbolt; the Titans were instantly turned to ashes. From these ashes, which were a mixture of the vile bodies of the Titans and the holy body of Zagreus, arose the humans, thus explaining why they are both good and evil; each individual containing a bit of both kindness and evilness.

Zagreus' Rebirth

Persephone managed to find Zagreus' heart, which was still beating, and Zeus placed it into the body of the mortal woman Semele. Semele gave birth to Zagreus again.

See Also: Dionysus, Zeus, Persephone, Hera, Titans, Semele

Zagreus Video

Zagreus Q&A

Who was Zagreus?

Zagreus was a minor god in Greek mythology, usually conflated with the god of wine, Dionysus. Zagreus' Parents He was worshipped by the followers of Orpheus, and according to their beliefs, he was the son of Zeus and Persephone, after the former took the form of a serpent and lay with her.

Who were the parents of Zagreus?

The parents of Zagreus were Zeus and Persephone.

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