Silenus
In Greek mythology, Silenus (/saɪˈliːnəs/; Ancient Greek: Σειληνός, romanized: Seilēnós, IPA: [seːlɛːnós]) was a companion and tutor to the wine god Dionysus. He is typically older than the satyrs of the Dionysian retinue (thiasos), and sometimes considerably older, in which case he may be referred to as a Papposilenus. Silen and its plural sileni refer to the mythological figure as a type that is sometimes thought to be differentiated from a satyr by having the attributes of a horse rather than a goat, though usage of the two words is not consistent enough to permit a sharp distinction.
| Silenus | |
|---|---|
God of drunkenness and winemaking | |
Roman copy of Hellenistic statue of Silenus holding a bunch of grapes and a cup of wine, Vatican Museums (Pius-Clementine Museum, Room of the Muses), Rome | |
| Abode | Nysa |
| Symbol | Wine, grapes, kantharos, thyrsos, wineskin, panther, donkey |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Pan, or Hermes and Gaea |
| Consort | Hermaphroditus |
| Children | foster father of Dionysus, Pholus |
Silenus presides over other daimons and is related to musical creativity, prophetic ecstasy, drunken joy, drunken dances and gestures.
In the decorative arts, a "silene" is a Silenus-like figure, often a "mask" (face) alone.