DIONYSUS MYSTERIES / POMPEII

Dionysus: The god of wine Greek: Dionys () / Roman: Bacch () Name refers to orgy (Greek: orgia [])
Cassells Latin Dictionary, Simpson, 1968, p. 416 (Latin-English), orga:

Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary, Morwood / Taylor, 2002, p. 233, :

http://personal.monm.edu/mgullber/reflection7.htm (Monmouth College, IL), Statement on the Dionysian Mysteries:

The Bacchae, in The History of Rome Livy records the 186 B.C. Roman view that the nighttime rituals of Dionysus led to, allowed, and promoted all kinds of immoral behavior, such as the promiscuous violation of free men and of women, In these views, we can recognize the view of some modern people that worshipers of ancient mystery cults were merely people who engaged in the vice of wild, drunken orgies (in the modern sense of the word).
http://www.angelfire.com/retro/goddess3/, Goddess: archeological evidence; symbols and the dawn of religions, Sacred Prostitution:

The so called "radenya" (joyous gatherings) could be compared to the ancient mysteries, were in fact collective orgies. They started from ritual dancing, selfflagellation, undressing. Then, with a rising rhythm and intensity of a dance, they would culminate in copulation of a group with a "Bogoroditsa."
http://www.answers.com/flagellation, flagellation:

Whipping oneself or another as a means of arousing or heightening sexual feeling.

http://bornagainpagan.multiservers.com/Glossary/MYSTERIES.html, exWitch Australia (formally Born Again Pagan): Glossary of Terminology, Mysteries (aka Mystery Religions): The Dionysian mysteries, the second most important Hellenistic cult, centred on Dionysus (Bacchus), the Thracian bull-god and ruler of the dead and souls, who became the god of the vine and vegetation. Immortality could be obtained throughcommunion with him in Ecstatic rites apparently involving consumption of wine and the raw flesh of a sacrificed animal (see SACRIFICE), and sex. http://www.online-dictionary.biz/latin/english/vocabulary/reference/orgia.asp, Latin To English Dictionary, orgia: orgia a festival of mysteries, orgy http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/olympians.html, Classical Mythology: Olympians, Dionysus (Bacchus):

There were many Dionysian cults and festivals established throughout the Greek world, as well as in Rome. These festivals were called Bacchanalia or Dionysia, held on various dates. There are several different types of Dionysian festivals, such as the Great Dionysia, Little Dionysia, Anthesteria and Oschophoria. Many of his festivals and cults involved drinking wines, drunken revelries and sexual orgies.
http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/mysteries.html, Classical Mythology: Mysteries, Dionysiac Mysteries:

What is generally known about the Dionysiac Mysteries is the famous festivals, such as the Great Dionysia, Little or Rustic Dionysia, Oschophoria and the Anthesteria. These festivals usually involved in wine drinking,sexual orgies and choral singing. Though at first, these festivals were only participated by the initiated, later it was only to all people. When cults became public, the Romans were shocked by the drunken revelry and the orgies that were held in the festival that the Roman Senate tried to have it banned.
Cliffs Notes on Mythology, 1973, pp. 69-70, DIONYSUS:

Of course, Christ and the early Christians used wine in its mysteries and rites. If Christ was against open sex, then he shouldnt have used wine as a symbol at the Last Supper, which is definitely one thing that is retained today, simply because Dionysus mysteries of wine are pretty faded today. If we still lived in the classical Greek era, where the characteristics of Dionysus were well known, then todays church would definitely find something to replace the wine. If Jesus wanted to take attention away from Dionysus, then He should have symbolically instituted orange juice, carrot juice, milk (soy milk today), fig something (which would represent marriage [see Hera / Juno]), apple juice, mango milkshake (hey!), blueberry delight, seaweed soup (hail! Gilligan), heck: a sip of Dead Sea water wouldnt kill ya, honey, olive oil, etc. I dont know who the god of the carrot is, but if it had to do with no sex until marriage, then todays church would have two thumbs up. Again, they didnt just have wine at the Last Supper, Jesus / God made it into a symbol. Red raspberries, cherries, strawberries, etc. could have also represented blood. But, wine is apparently what is in Jesus blood. Wine is also very popular today as a way (or, the [legal] way) to get her in the mood. The mood todays church has a lot of restrictions on, yet serves it at practically every service. Hey, whats having a taste going to moreencourage those young single

women to want to do? Have more when they get home of course, or start drinking it when they may have not cared otherwise. All I can say is that Jesus / God set me up pretty well, knowing that I wouldnt be born until after Middle Age corruption (and, after U.S.s First Amendment). I do need the most popular religious figure ever (Jesus) to support my commentary, and with a very cleaver way to circumvent Middle Age secular corruption. Wow, I could have had a V8.
Langenscheidts Pocket Greek Dictionary: Classical Greek-English, Feyerabend, no date, p. 276, :

Harpers Latin Dictionary, Lewis / Short, 1879, p. 1278, Orga:

Secret:
Secret means it has to be done in secret to avoid government persecution exactly what the early Christians had to endure, who specified that it was for the same basic sexual reasons.
Word Origins: An Exploration and History of Words and Language, Funk, 1950, pp. 173174, ORGY:

Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English , Partridge, 1983, p. 457, orgy, orgiac, orgiast, orgiastic:

The Facts On File: Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, Hendrickson, 1997, p. 501, orgy:

Websters New International Dictionary of the English Language, 1933, p. 1519, orgy:

Websters Universal Dictionary of the English Language (unabridged), 1909, p. 1148, orgy:

Websters New World Dictionary and Thesaurus, 1996, p. 436, orgy:

Encyclopdia of Religion and Ethics, Hastings, 1908-1927, vol. ?, p. 557, ORGY:

Oxford Universal English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 1937, vol. 6, p. 1384, Orgy, orgie:

Pompeii:
The International Encyclopaedic Dictionary, 1901, p. 3192:

http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/timelines/rome/empire/vm/villaofthemysteries.html, Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii (covered 79 AD), Interpreting the Frescoes:

As he had been for Greek women, Dionysus was the most popular god for Roman women. He was the source of both their sensual and their spiritual hopes.
Scene 5:

This scene is at the center of both the room and the ritual. Dionysus sprawls in the arms of his mother Semele. Dionysus wears a wreath of ivy, his thyrsus tied with a yellow ribbon lies across his body, and one sandal is off his foot. Even though the fresco is badly damaged, we can see that Semele sits on a throne with Dionysus leaning on her. Semele, the queen, the great mother is supreme.
Scene 6:

The initiate, carrying a staff and wearing a cap, returns from the night journey. What has happened is a mystery to us. But in similar rituals the confused, and sometimes drugged initiate emerges like an infant at birth, from a dark place to a lighted place. She reaches for a covered object sitting in a winnowing basket, the liknon. The covered object is taken by many to be a phallus(penis), or a herm.
Scene 7:

The two themes of this scene are torture and transfiguration, the evocative climax of the rite. Notice the complete abandonment to agony on the face of the initiate and the lash across her back. She is consoled by a woman identified as a nurse. To the right a nude women clashes celebratory cymbals and another woman is about to give to the initiate a thyrsus, symbolizing the successful completion of the rite.
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/italianarch/pompeii.html, Pompeii:

Dionysos in the lap of Ariadne. From the Great Frieze of the Dionysiac Mysteries, in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii. Augustan period; 2nd style.
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/italianarch/pompeii.html, Pompeii:

General view of the Great Frieze of the Dionysiac Mysteries, Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii. Augustan period; 2nd style.
http://timothyadams_1.tripod.com/campagnia/pompeii/pompeii2000.htm, Pompeii:

Murals of the Villa of Mysteries.

http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/imgs/RCU4/4-096.jpg (via http://classics.furman.edu/~rprior/courses/RA/RAU4.html) (Furman University), Roman Archaeology: Roman Art, Roman Painting:

Dionysiac frieze in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii:

http://www.jhauser.us/pictures/history/Romans/Pompeii/VillaOfTheMysteries.html, Pictures of History Pompeii: Villa of the Mysteries:

http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/thumbnails_contents.ht ml, Pompeii, Villa of the Mysteries:m

History of Art, Janson, 1969, p. 162, colorplate 10, Scenes of a Dionysiac Mystery Cult | Pompeii:

http://www.pamplonetario.org/prog/0405venus/, CITA CON VENUS:

http://web.archive.org/web/20101227051948/http://goldenrule.name/Dionysus_Mysteries-Pompeii/