Chapter 57: Dionysus (1)
―Damn it, this incident completely wiped out my farm.
―Nonsense. You only lost a farm. I lost my entire fortune.
―…My pet cat died….
―……
―Lord Helios… thi-this… haa….
There were unexpected events, but in the end Zeus successfully reduced Helios’s influence.
On earth, people were divided between those who sympathized with Helios and those who held deep resentment toward his son Phaethon.
Meanwhile, Demeter, who had been furious at Phaethon, calmed her anger a little after receiving a foal of Sleipnir as a gift from Poseidon.
“Thanks to the foolish deed committed by Phaethon, the vegetation and lands of the surface have turned into deserts that may never recover, but after receiving a gift like this, I cannot stay angry forever.”
“Really?!”
“Yes. Go tell Zeus. I will forgive this matter with just this much.”
“Yes, understood!”
With a look of “Finally, it’s settled!”, Demeter watched Hermes walk away, then looked up toward Olympus.
“Because of Zeus’s instigation, too much has been lost. I accepted Hera’s earnest request and Poseidon’s desire to save the sea nymph, but Zeus will someday pay greatly for this sin.”
Demeter knew the truth.
That Zeus had intervened in the matter to some extent.
Before a goddess who can read and see all memories occurring on earth, no secret can remain hidden, no matter how great.
But looking at her siblings, Demeter decided to back down this time.
Most of all, she didn’t want to cause any further conflict….
The incident with Helios’s son Phaethon also had a considerable impact on the mood within Olympus.
Above all, the biggest change was that the relationship between Hera and Zeus had once again turned cold.
Because Zeus’s rash behavior nearly cost Olympus far too much….
“Zeus… I will overlook this incident, but if something like this happens again, I do not know what I will do with you.”
“…….”
Zeus also understood and accepted Hera’s anger.
This time, the fault was largely his.
Thanks to Hera’s wit, they had struck a blow against Typhon, whom they regarded as an enemy, and had further diminished the influence of the titan gods, which was actually a good outcome.
But aside from those results, Zeus admitted that his behavior had been reckless and dangerous.
Thus, as a sign of reflection, Zeus decided to serve the mortals who followed Olympus.
He helped Demeter restore the devastated world and heal the wounded.
Years passed as Zeus silently carried out his service. Then one day, in Thebes, he discovered Semele offering a bull as a sacrifice for him.
Though Semele had purple hair and distinct features that did not fit the traditional standard of beauty, she possessed a charm that made anyone see her as beautiful.
And to Zeus—who had avoided women for years and devoted himself only to work—Semele appeared to be the ultimate beauty.
“Oh! How can such a beautiful woman exist?”
“But….”
Given his current image of taking responsibility for the Helios incident and leading the restoration of the world… embracing another woman now….
And to Hera and the few gods who knew the truth, this was part of his penance.
“Aah, fate torments me so!”
Zeus agonized as if the greatest trial in the world had befallen him.
If Hera or any other goddess had seen him, they would surely have vomited in disgust.
After much agonizing, something flashed in Zeus’s mind.
‘Wait!! Since we dealt a blow to that Typhon, war will surely come soon. In that case, establishing the full system of the Twelve Olympians is crucial!!!’
In short, “This is necessary, so being with this woman is justified. It’s not my desire.”
Classic Zeus excuse: I’m doing this for Olympus, not my dick.
Who’d buy that?
Zeus immediately shed his human form, returned to his divine form, and embraced Semele.
“Our love will be hindered by no one.”
“Of course, Lord Zeus.”
Meanwhile, King Cadmus, upon learning that his daughter had shared love with Zeus and become pregnant, was horrified.
“You! What on earth have you done.”
“Father, I only received Lord Zeus’s love. Why are you scolding me so harshly?”
“Aah… I must have raised you wrong. Do you truly not understand what it means for you—a princess of this kingdom—to bear Lord Zeus’s child?”
“!!!”
Only then did Semele realize it after hearing King Cadmus’s words.
Zeus — one of the few major gods a human might encounter. Smitten by his status as king of the gods, she had entered into a relationship and become pregnant, but she had failed to consider the goddess Hera.
“…….”
King Cadmus, finally realizing the seriousness of the situation and seeing his daughter on the verge of tears, could not bring himself to shout at her any further.
He knew this could not be blamed solely on Semele.
If anyone were to be held responsible for Semele’s mistake, it would have been the blind prophet Tiresias — the one who interpreted Semele’s dream, making her noticeable to Zeus — and he should have been seized and punished.
In the end, King Cadmus had no quick solution. So there was nothing for it but to call in the blind seer for repairs, so to speak.
“Bring Tiresias here at once.”
By the time Semele realized how grave the situation was, Hera had likewise learned that Zeus had once again failed to control his loins.
Hera was furious, especially because so little time had passed since the previous trouble and Zeus had already taken another woman.
“Iris, that man Zeus has been playing with his loins again, hasn’t he?”
“Hm… perhaps you should let it pass? Your work is already so backlogged, Lady Hera.”
As Iris said, Hera’s office was piled high with paperwork.
“I made a promise. I won’t forgive any woman who has a relationship with Zeus beyond a certain extent. If I pardon this girl, how could I be fair to Leto?”
Though buried in bureaucracy, Hera decided to fly straight to Thebes.
There she disguised herself as Semele’s nanny, Beroe, and entered the palace.
“Princess, are you alone?”
“Ah! Nanny, come quickly.”
Semele greeted her nanny warmly.
As Semele’s nanny who always gave her wise counsel, she now needed that wisdom more than ever.
“Nanny, as always I need your wisdom. Give me your counsel.”
Hera hesitated for a moment at Semele’s request, but then nodded — deciding to grant one last mercy to a girl who would soon be punished.
“Very well. Tell me your worry, Princess.”
“It’s —”
After listening to Semele’s long confession, Hera was quite surprised.
Few had come to recognize their faults and seek to make amends, but Semele was actively searching for a way.
“Nanny, as you know I committed a grave mistake. I only realized it after Father’s words, but even so, I want to beg Hera for forgiveness. Is there any way?”
Semele sighed deeply before continuing.
“My father said he would make a large donation and hold rites at Hera’s temple, but he can’t sleep at night worrying, thinking ‘Will that really be enough?’”
Hera, who had heard Semele’s plea in full as the nanny, felt somewhat pleased with both Semele and King Cadmus’s actions.
Until now, under the name Zeus the chief god, she had met only bold or arrogant women. Compared to those worst kinds of humans, fairies, or gods, she found Semele and Cadmus different, and her heart wavered.
‘To be so moved by something so ordinary…’
Hera sighed over her own position, but decided to show a measure of mercy.
In disguise as the nanny, she slightly altered the plan she had to provoke Semele to death.
“Hmm… it’s a difficult problem. But I know of one woman who, night and day, offered devotions until she was pardoned by Hera.”
“Then must I do the same?”
“Rather than that, go to Delphi first. Seek an oracle. If His Majesty and the Princess are truly repentant, Hera may grant some leniency.”
Semele pondered the nanny’s advice deeply, nodded, and immediately prepared to go.
Semele knew that matters involving gods must not be delayed even a moment.
“Nanny, thank you. Yes — it’s better to find out than to worry.”
With a brief expression of thanks, Semele hurried off to consult King Cadmus, while the nanny removed her enchantment.
“Iris, that girl seems to have a straight, upright heart.”
“Yes. It seems so. It’s been a long time since a woman who recognized her error and sought Lady Hera’s forgiveness showed such sincerity.”
“That’s good. I don’t like Zeus, but I like this girl.”
“What then do you intend to do?”
“…….”
Hera hesitated for a moment, then spoke to Iris.
“I will make it appear that Semele died unknown, and keep her hidden. Then I will have her serve as a handmaiden to the deity who rules this place.”
Iris was somewhat surprised by Hera’s merciful decision.
Very few of the women who had slept with Zeus had survived.
“Thebes—wasn’t that Poseidon’s land?”
“Yes. After the Argos incident, it became Poseidon’s domain.”
“Then, Eris, go to Delphi yourself and deliver the oracle.”
“Yes.”
***
Following the nanny’s advice, Semele went to King Cadmus and explained everything.
“Father, the nanny gave me this advice. What do you think about trying it first?”
Tiresias, who had been seriously discussing with King Cadmus how the kingdom might survive, immediately understood upon hearing Semele’s words.
The goddess Hera had disguised herself as the nanny, learned everything, and granted them a chance.
King Cadmus also felt a chill run down his spine, yet at the same time, a sense of hope approached him.
‘This must surely be Hera’s mercy.’
Fortunately, Semele seemed not to have realized it, but as a wise child, she was truly prepared to ask for forgiveness.
“Yes, it is excellent advice. I will assign guards for your safety. Go to Delphi and receive the oracle.”
Cadmus did not tell his daughter that he had figured it out.
Hera might find even that displeasing.
When Semele hurried off to prepare for her departure to Delphi, only the king and the blind prophet remained. Quietly, Tiresias spoke.
“King Cadmus, it is not my place to intervene in the matters of Lady Hera, but there is one thing you must know.”
“What is it?”
“Take this stone to the sea nymph and ask her to prepare the way for Lady Semele in the future. Then perform a sacrifice to Lady Calypso, chief attendant of the sea. All the workers and servants of the sea are under her authority on Poseidon’s behalf.”
Thus, after receiving the oracle at Delphi, Semele completed all preparations with King Cadmus and the prophet Tiresias.
She then drank the medicine Iris had given her, which separated the child from her womb.
With Hera’s magic and a finely crafted corpse-puppet made by Hephaestus, she vanished in haste.
It pained her to leave her child behind, but according to the goddess Iris, Hera would show at least some measure of grace….
A few nights later.
Zeus was shocked to find Semele collapsed, as if she had eaten a poisoned apple.
“Such….”
Even Zeus had not expected Hera’s wrath to take such a direct form.
“My gods… you caused your own death, Semele.”
Deep in grief, Zeus failed to notice that the body was an artificial corpse.
However, sensing the living presence of the child within it, he removed the baby from the dead Semele’s form and placed it into his thigh.
“This is the least repentance I can offer you.”
Three months later, Zeus removed the fully developed Dionysus from his thigh and secretly summoned Hermes.
“Hermes, take this child to Ino, Semele’s sister, and hide him from Hera.”
“Yes.”
According to Zeus’s command, Hermes took Dionysus to Ino.
“By Lord Zeus’s order, you must care for Dionysus, Semele’s child.”
Ino was startled by Hermes’s sudden appearance and words.
“So it’s true. Semele was Lord Zeus’s lover.”
Seeing Ino’s surprise, Hermes acknowledged that her reaction made sense — but he also noticed something strange.
‘This woman… she looks like she already knew I was coming….’
As the god of thieves and trickery, Hermes instantly pierced through her awkwardness.
But he did not dig further.
His sharp mind and instincts warned him that getting involved any more deeply in this matter would not end well.
‘Mm… a wise thief knows exactly when to withdraw.’
So he simply recited the necessary precautions to keep the child hidden from Hera’s gaze and departed quickly.
“You must raise Dionysus as a girl. And he must never go outside during daylight.”