Posted: September 28th, 2016

CADMUS: grandfather of both Dionysus and Pentheus, an old man

2. Read the Bacchae. [Online Version]. The chief characters in the play are:
a. DIONYSUS: divine son of Zeus and Semele, also called Bromius or Bacchus.
TIRESIAS: an old blind prophet
CADMUS: grandfather of both Dionysus and Pentheus, an old man
PENTHEUS: young king of Thebes, grandson of Cadmus, cousin of Dionysus
AGAVE: mother of Pentheus, daughter of Cadmus, sister of Semele
b. The play opens in front of the palace at Thebes, with a speech by Dionysus.
c. The Bacchae is a play, so it may well help you to read aloud. The online edition you are reading includes some brief stage directions, so try to visualize the action as you read.
d. Make note of scenes and lines in the play that seem to you especially important or perhaps confusing.
3. After reading the play, proceed with the lesson notes.