Eti zōsa phlox: Inferring Divine Presence in Euripides’ Bacchae

Abstract

It has long been recognised by interpreters that Dionysus’ meanings are peculiarly connected with his presence (parousia). Myths of the god typically recount a divine presence undiscerned or misdiagnosed by mortals, with tragic consequences. The vengeful Dionysus of Euripides’ Bacchae comes amongst humans disguised, ironically, to make them learn and recognise his divine identity and that they are in the presence of the truly, if not at first apparently, immortal. The kind of inference that it seems mortals are expected to rely upon in the vicinity of Dionysus in order to secure that all-important knowledge and recognition, is explored in this paper, which is offered as a contribution towards the development of a contemporary anthropology of Greek tragedy and its god. The anthropology of art and agency of Alfred Gell is mobilised in order to explore how different modes of inference are implicitly compared and evaluated in the drama and to suggest what this has to do with the nature of Dionysiac experience as represented by the tragic poet. The inspired inference it requires, envisioned by Euripides at the end of the 5th century, is equated with the logical process of abduction as defined and employed in philosophy, semiotics and the anthropology of art.