<center>(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Listen carefully, because this is how it all [[begins]]..."'']</center><center> <h1>Birth of a God</h1>
The tale begins like many of these do:
Zeus, king of the gods, has taken a [[mortal lover]].<center>Her name was Semele.
Her father was Kadmos, founder and king of Thebes, the first great hero of the Greeks. His name was spoken of with awe; already, he had secured his name in the annals of history.
Her mother was Harmonia, the immortal goddess of concord and queen of Thebes. Her wedding to Kadmos was attended by all the gods.
And Semele herself was...
...well, not nearly as impressive. The youngest of four daughters, and it wasn't as if her sisters //hated// her, but they weren't particularly close, either.
Semele wasn't all that important, and the chances that her son would be important were rather low, so she instead became a priestess to Zeus.
One day, she sacrificed a bull on his altar, and, unfortunately for her, drew Zeus' own attention.
He came down to her in a lesser guise, and, well,
he was the [[king of the gods]].Zeus took to visiting regularly, Semele fell for his charm, and...
Well, one thing led to another and Semele became pregnant with Zeus' child. This is a very dangerous position for a mortal to be in.
It's a well-known fact, both on Mount Olympus and below, that Zeus has a habit of taking mortal lovers.
It's also a well-known fact that Zeus' wife Hera is quite spiteful. And while she can't quite take it out on her husband, his affairs are fair targets.
When (cycling-link:"Envy", "Phthonus") told Hera of this most recent dalliance, Hera disguised herself as an elderly nurse that Semele trusted.
And, with no reason for suspicion, Semele confided in her about Zeus, about his visits, about her pregnancy.
And Hera laughed in her face and said, "Oh, dear, oh dear, you poor girl. You're being tricked."
"...What do you mean?" Semele asked.
Hera laid a hand on Semele's shoulder, and her tone was comforting, as if she cared. "No, no, dear girl, you're being lied to. Why, if this man of yours was truly //Zeus//, he could show you his [[true, divine form]]."So the next time Zeus came to visit, Semele demanded a boon of him.
And Zeus said, "Oh, I promise to you upon the River Styx to grant anything you desire."
Semele smiled up at him and said, "I want you to prove you're truly Zeus. Show me your divine form."
"Oh," Zeus said. "Oh, uh, I'm not sure that's a good idea... but I guess I //did// promise..."
So Zeus unleashed his true, divine might, revealing a mighty tempest. He brought his lightning to hand, and draped rumbling storm clouds over his shoulders.
And his true form was so powerful that Semele was instantly disintegrated.
And Zeus said, "Ah, fuck, I hate it when that happens."
But lo and behold! Zeus' heir was divine, and thus he had withstood the tempest.
Although he still needed a few... months in the oven, as it were...
And so Zeus, pleased that at least something had worked out that day, took his heir's fetal form and sewed it into his thigh.
And monthers later, the baby was born, by the name of [[Dionysus]].(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"...And then after that there was some more business with Hera, and Hermes ferried the newborn Dionysus to safety a few times. Good man, that Hermes. Anyway, none of that is necessary to the story. What do you all think?"'']
"That was terrible! What a tragedy..."
//"So this Hera is one of our enemies? Is she on our list of targets, or does our revenge upon her come later?"//
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Ah, well, not-- not quite. Erm, what of you, Weaver? What did you think?"'']
''"Hmm."''
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"...Well, don't you sound enthused! Was the tale of my origin's birth not //interesting// enough for you?"'']
''"It's just... your storytelling was quite irreverent. Is the immediate aftermath of Semele's death really the appropriate time for humor?"''
"I mean, he's just retelling the myth of his birth. The original worshippers told it like that, right?"
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Of course! It's //Dionysus// we're talking about. God of merrymaking! There's no sense in obsessing over the tragic parts."'']
"Exactly! That makes sense to me."
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Indeed! And it's not as if Semele is all that important. This is the //birth// of Dionysus, she's more of a plot device."'']
"Wait..."
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"And Dionysus would want retellings to be joyful, don't you agree?"'']
''"...I suppose so, but... are you really saying Semele isn't important...?"''
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Of course, why would she be? She's just a stepping-stone, dear. A tragic loss and all, but her part in the play ended as soon as Dionysus came onstage."'']
''"It's just that--"''
//"--well, she seemed to be. Important, that is. You framed this story around her, after all. But <u>you're</u> the expert here. The current living incarnation of Dionysus and all, yes?"//
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Yes, actually! And you're trying to criticize //my// storytelling?'']
//"Indeed I am! My sister may have had a minor question, but you'll have to improve your technique if you want to impress me."//
''"..."''
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"..."'']
"...Well, I thought it was a good story."
(text-color:"#b363eb")[''"Well, at least one of you has a semblance of taste. Fine, fine, I'll //improve//! If you're all so //bothered// by my storytelling! Let's see... maybe those Hermes escapades can come next..."'']