**Pentheus** Move away from him. He's no...

Pentheus Move away from him. He's no bother while he's chained like that. He's not that fast that he'll escape me.

 He examines Dionysus thoroughly.

Hmmm. Physically, you're not unattractive, stranger. Just like the women for whom you came here, in Thebes. Nice, long plaits, hair that hasn't felt hard work, and, for a greater sexual effect, it's spilled all around your beard. Your skin is lovely and white because you take good care of it, I see. You don't expose it to the sun's rays and you stay in the shade all day, hunting Aphrodite's beauty.

 But first, tell me, what is your race? Where are you from?

Dionysus That's an easy question to answer. You've heard of Tmolos of the many blooms?

Pentheus Yes, I've heard of Tmolos. That's the place that surrounds Sardis.

Dionysus That's where I'm from.  Lydia is my home.

Pentheus Where did you get all these "mysteries" from?

Dionysus Dionysus, Zeus' son, initiated me into them.

Pentheus Is there a Zeus in Lydia who gives birth to new gods?

Dionysus No, just the one here, who slept in marriage with Semele

Pentheus Did he initiate you in darkness or in light?

Dionysus Face-to-face. In the light of day.

Pentheus What are these mysteries? What is your view of them?

Dionysus They are secret to the uninitiated mortals.

Pentheus Is there some benefit for those who participate in these mysteries of yours?

Dionysus It is not right for you to know this but it would be good for you to see those mysteries.

Pentheus You're making them sound great so that I can be persuaded to go on listening to you.

Dionysus He who practices disrespect to the gods earns their wrath.

Pentheus Tell me clearly what your god looks like --if you ever saw him!

Dionysus He looked as he pleased. That was not something which I could determine.

Pentheus All the words that came out of your mouth so far meant nothing to me.

Dionysus It is not wise for someone to say anything wise to the ignorant.

Pentheus You came here, to Thebes, to introduce this god of yours first?

Dionysus The rest of the world dances to these dances.

Pentheus That's why when it comes to wisdom, they're far worse than the Greeks.

Dionysus In that too, they are better; it's just that their laws are different.

Pentheus These... holy orgies of yours... do you perform them during the day or in the night?

Dionysus Most of them during the night. Darkness adds a certain modesty.

Pentheus That's quite a dubious thing for the women... and rather lecherous, I'd say.

Dionysus Shame, of course can be seen during the day, too, if it exists and if one were to look for it.

Pentheus We must take you to court for your evil philosophies.

Dionysus And you, too, for your ignorance and your disrespect for the god.

Pentheus How bold this Bacchic initiate is! His tongue is not at all trained in speech.

Dionysus Show me, then what terrible fate you have in store for me. What am I about to suffer?

Pentheus First, I'll chop off this long plait of yours.

Dionysus The plait is sacred. I nurture it for the god.

Pentheus Then your Thyrsus. Give it to me!

Dionysus You come and take it away from me yourself. I'm holding it for Dionysus.

Pentheus And then we'll be guarding your body in jail day and night.

Dionysus God himself will free me when I ask him.

Pentheus Of course, you'll be praying to him only when you're among all those women followers of yours, all those Bacchants. You'd all be working together to accomplish your escape.

Dionysus God is present even now, next to me and he sees all that I'm going through.

Pentheus Where is he? I can't see him. Not with my eyes.

Dionysus He's right beside me but you couldn't possibly see him because you are disrespectful of him.

Pentheus To his guards

 Guards, arrest this stranger! He mocks me as well as Thebes!

Dionysus Let me tell you calmly: you don't know what you're doing -don't tie me!

Pentheus But, you see, I must, because I have the greater power of us two.

Dionysus You don't even know that you're alive, nor what it is you're doing, Pentheus, let alone who you are!

Pentheus Who me? I am Pentheus, Agave's and Ehion's son.

Dionysus Pentheus! Your name means grief. Very well qualified to bring it upon yourself! Just as your name suggests.

Pentheus Off you go! Guards, lock him up in the stables, near the horses' stalls. Let him enjoy the darkness in there. Dance in there all you like. As for all those women you've brought with you, your partners in crime, either we'll sell them all or I'll be putting an end to their drum-beating by holding them here, to be my prisoners and to work my looms

Dionysus I'm going; even though I cannot be forced, nor do I have to suffer any pain. For all these uncalled for insults and for saying he does not exist, Dionysus himself will extract his own punishment. By being disrespectful to us, you invoke his anger.

Euripides, The Bacchae. https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Bacchae.php

Full text of the play:

• http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/e-bacch.html
• https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Bacchae.php