Chapter 1: The Arrival of Dionysus
Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, arrives in Thebes disguised as a mortal. He claims to be the son of Zeus and Semele, a Theban princess. Pentheus, the king of Thebes, refuses to acknowledge Dionysus's divinity and forbids the worship of him.
Example:
"Son of Zeus, am I not he, the twice-born, / Who leapt from the fire, who was nurtured / By the finger of Zeus?..." (Prologue, lines 1-3)
Chapter 2: The Bacchae Enter Thebes
A group of women, known as the Bacchae, are possessed by Dionysus. They leave their homes and gather on Mount Cithaeron to worship the god. Pentheus sends soldiers to arrest them, but the soldiers are overcome by the Bacchae's frenzy.
Example:
"Through all the mountain ravines we danced, / Our bodies light as air, our feet / Scarce touching the ground..." (Chorus, lines 11-13)
Chapter 3: Pentheus's Capture
Pentheus, disguised as a woman, goes to Mount Cithaeron to spy on the Bacchae. He is discovered and captured by them. They tie him up and take him back to Thebes.
Example:
"I am the woman, the Bacchante, / I am the follower of Dionysus, / I am the one who dances on the mountaintop..." (Pentheus, lines 802-804)
Chapter 4: The Death of Pentheus
Agave, Pentheus's mother, is possessed by Dionysus. She mistakes her son for a wild beast and kills him. When she realizes what she has done, she is horrified.
Example:
"O my child, my child, / I have killed you, my own son, / I have torn you to pieces with my own hands..." (Agave, lines 1122-1124)
Chapter 5: The Epilogue
Dionysus reveals his true identity and punishes Thebes for its refusal to acknowledge him. He sends a plague upon the city and forces the Thebans to worship him.
Example:
"I am Dionysus, the god of wine, / The god of revelry, the god of madness. / I am the one who brings joy and sorrow, / The one who brings destruction and redemption..." (Epilogue, lines 1325-1329)
