Royal House of Thebes: Part 2 - The Halls of Pentheus

1/31/2018

In this series of blog posts, I chronicle ongoing paintings series. This particular series deals with paintings of the royal house of Thebes, from classical Greek mythology. Each post will highlight a painting, and offer a short explanation of the corresponding story behind the image. Check out the previous installment here.

"The Halls of Pentheus", latex paint on canvas, 30x48",
private collection, Falls Church, VA

Thebes, often a powerful city state, was also plagued with tragedy as well. This part of the story begins after the end of Cadmus' reign as king, having recently given the throne to his grandson, Pentheus.
Pentheus was the son of Agave, Semele's sister (see last installment for more about Semele). Rumors were beginning to spread that Semele's son, Dionysus, had resurfaced in distant lands to the east, calling himself a new god - included in the Olympian pantheon - and he was coming home to Thebes. Many had already begun adopting his mysterious rites of worship, calling themselves "Maenads" or "Bacchantes", and worshiping in secretive and violent ways, involving fits of madness.
Being a pious and concerned king , Pentheus was naturally doubtful of his mysterious cousin's claims. He suspected a hoax, or perhaps sorcery, and considered such proclamations blasphemous. When Dionysus arrived, appearing to be nothing more than a man, Pentheus mocked him and imprisoned him in the palace walls. However, he was soon answered by the booming voice of the young god's condemnation. His palace walls crumbled around him. The new god proved he could be as dark and vengeful as his father Zeus and sent the king fleeing into the woods. The maddened Maenads, including Pentheus' own mother and aunt, mistook him for a beast and tore him to pieces.
The painting shown here captures the moment the walls tumble around Pentheus and he realizes his fatal error, that he must not doubt the gods. I cannot help but feel sorry for Pentheus in Euripedes' "Bacchae" (where this story comes to us), as it can be argued that he was simply displaying loyalty to the existing gods and skepticism at his cousin's perhaps outrageous claims.

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Royal House of Thebes: Part 2 - The Halls of Pentheus

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