604. Greek Myths: Sex, Drugs & Tragedy (Part 3)

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Tom Holland discusses how Nietzsche published this book at age 28, contrasting Dionysus with Apollo and arguing that Greek civilization cannot be understood by emphasizing only light and beauty without recognizing its Dionysian qualities.

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Described as a seminal study of the Bacchae published in 1947, in which Winnington-Ingram, who had witnessed the Nuremberg rallies, wrote in the introduction: 'We have lived through events which have demonstrated tragically the dangers of group emotion.'

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Tom Holland mentions this as a famous book when discussing how the irrational and the dark, strange, and ecstatic are crucially part of Greek mythology.

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Described as an excellent book on Dionysus, quoted to support the argument that the drama festival was deeply connected to Dionysus: 'the drama festival was performed in a sanctuary of Dionysus along with rituals for Dionysus during a festival of Dionysus.'

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Quoted to illustrate the Athenian view that their gods were not faceless superhuman contractors but 'something closer to benevolent governors or caring parents' who took a personal interest in their chosen people.

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Quoted to emphasize Plato's enormous influence on theology: 'since Plato, there has been no theology which has not stood in his shadow.'