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Dionysus' Family Trivia Quiz

Dionysus is the only major Greek god with a mortal parent. This quiz ignores his father, Zeus, and focuses on his maternal kin.

A multiple-choice quiz by SterlingT. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
SterlingT

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
362,995

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
300

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Semele, Dionysus' mother, is generally considered to be a mortal. However, who were her maternal grandparents? Hint

Hades and Persephone

Prometheus and Artemis

Hermes and Iris

Ares and Aphrodite

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Question 2 of 10

2. Dionysus' grandparents, Cadmus and Harmonia, had a memorable wedding. Why were their nuptials special? (Hint: Guests) Hint

It was the first wedding of a mortal attended by the Olympian gods.

It was the first wedding reception at which alcohol was served.

It was disrupted by a sea-monster.

The bride ran away and had to be brought back in chains.

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, is also credited with introducing something fundamental to the development of Greek culture (especially writing). What was it? Hint

The alphabet

Wine

Fire

Music

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Question 4 of 10

4. Zeus seems to have had a thing for this family. Not only did he father Dionysus on Semele, he abducted Dionysus' great-aunt. What was her name? Hint

Asia

America

Africa

Europa

5. In his play "The Bacchae", Euripides recounts how Dionysus drove Agave mad with religious frenzy. In her madness, she killed her own son, Pentheus, by tearing him to pieces. What relationship was Pentheus to Dionysus? Hint

Brother

Uncle

First cousin

Grandson

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Question 6 of 10

6. A cousin of Dionysus, Actaeon, suffered a memorable fate after stumbling upon the virgin goddess Artemis bathing nude in the woods. What happened to him? Hint

He was transformed into a stag and torn apart by his own hounds.

He gouged out his eyes with his arrows.

Artemis drowned him in her bath water.

He went home and bragged about how fine Artemis was to all his friends.

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, founded the city of Thebes at the direction of the oracle at Delphi. How was he to determine where to build? (This is no bull!) Hint

He was instructed to navigate by the stars.

He was told to build between two round boulders.

He was told to use a divining rod and build where he found water.

He was ordered to follow a cow and build where the cow fell down in exhaustion.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, slew a dragon (or some say, a huge serpent). Athene ordered him to sow the dragon's teeth in the soil. What did they produce? Hint

Nothing. Teeth aren't seeds!

Armed warriors

Snapdragons

Dragonflies

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Question 9 of 10

9. One of Dionysus' most famous relatives was a rather distant cousin. He, too, was a ruler of Thebes, but he and his parents came to a bad end. Who was this king? Hint

Theseus

Oedipus

Perseus

Festus

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Although Semele was destroyed by the sight of Zeus, Dionysus traveled to Hades to rescue her and bring her to Olympus. When she became a goddess she acquired a new name. What was Semele called after she was deified? Hint

Wendy

Thyone

Barbie

Sandy

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Semele, Dionysus' mother, is generally considered to be a mortal. However, who were her maternal grandparents?

Answer: Ares and Aphrodite

Harmonia, Semele's mother, is the goddess of (what else?) harmony. Although there are some alternate myths concerning her parentage, it is most commonly ascribed to Ares and Aphrodite. (None of the other choices are remotely candidates.) I think it makes sense that Harmony would be the offspring of the blending of the two opposites, War and Love.

2. Dionysus' grandparents, Cadmus and Harmonia, had a memorable wedding. Why were their nuptials special? (Hint: Guests)

Answer: It was the first wedding of a mortal attended by the Olympian gods.

Twelve golden thrones were set up at Cadmus' house to receive the majestic Olympians. Among the gifts was the ill-fated Necklace of Harmonia, crafted by Hephaestus' own hand. Unfortunately, he cursed it because Harmonia was Ares' daughter by Hephaestus' wife, Aphrodite. Dionysus' mother was wearing it when she was destroyed by the sight of Zeus in his divine glory.

3. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, is also credited with introducing something fundamental to the development of Greek culture (especially writing). What was it?

Answer: The alphabet

According to the myth, Cadmus was a Phoenician prince who introduced the alphabet to the Greeks. The evolution of the Greek alphabet remains subject to debate. However, many scholars believe that the Phoenician alphabet is indeed the ancestor of the Greek alphabet (as well the Hebrew and Arabic alphabets).

4. Zeus seems to have had a thing for this family. Not only did he father Dionysus on Semele, he abducted Dionysus' great-aunt. What was her name?

Answer: Europa

Zeus, disguised as a bull, abducted Europa. Europa's father, Agenor, sent her brothers (including Cadmus) to look for her. That is what brought Cadmus to Greece in the first place.

Answer: First cousin

Agave was Semele's sister. Dionysus wished to revenge himself on both his aunt and his cousin because they refused to believe that Zeus had been Semele's lover. They therefore denied Dionysus' divinity.

6. A cousin of Dionysus, Actaeon, suffered a memorable fate after stumbling upon the virgin goddess Artemis bathing nude in the woods. What happened to him?

Answer: He was transformed into a stag and torn apart by his own hounds.

Actaeon was the son of Autonoe, another sister of Semele. Although this story has nothing directly to do with Dionysus, it is startling that yet another of his first cousins was torn to pieces.

7. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, founded the city of Thebes at the direction of the oracle at Delphi. How was he to determine where to build? (This is no bull!)

Answer: He was ordered to follow a cow and build where the cow fell down in exhaustion.

It is about 70 miles from Delphi to Thebes. No wonder the cow was tired!

8. Cadmus, Dionysus' grandfather, slew a dragon (or some say, a huge serpent). Athene ordered him to sow the dragon's teeth in the soil. What did they produce?

Answer: Armed warriors

When the armed men sprang from the soil, Cadmus was frightened. He tossed a stone among them, and they immediately began fighting one another over who had thrown the stone. At last only five survived. They assisted Cadmus in building Thebes.

9. One of Dionysus' most famous relatives was a rather distant cousin. He, too, was a ruler of Thebes, but he and his parents came to a bad end. Who was this king?

Answer: Oedipus

Oedipus was a grandson of Dionysus' first cousin, which makes him either a third cousin or a first cousin twice removed, depending on how you calculate relationships. Some say that Oedipus' mother, Jocasta, wore the Necklace of Harmonia to make herself appear young and beautiful. This may be why Oedipus was drawn to a woman old enough to be his mother. (Or maybe Freud was right!)

Answer: Thyone

She apparently helped out her Olympian son after she became a goddess. She presided over the bacchic frenzies.

Source: Author SterlingT

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
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