Born amidst the majestic lightning of Zeus, by thunder and flame.
In those days Jesus departed from the multitude, and went up into the mountain alone. And when evening came, his disciples departed also, and went unto the shore of the Sea of Galilee. And when the multitude had eaten of the bread, and were filled, they departed, every man unto his own place; but one man remained, wandering in the wilderness. His robe was stained with the color of wine, and upon his head was a crown of vines, and in his hand he held a golden cup. And he saw Jesus, and stood still.
And the man said, “Rabbi, what doest thou here?” Jesus answered and said unto him, “Who art thou?” And the man said, “My name is Dionysus. The Hellenes called me the god of wine, and the lord of the vine. I walked in many places, and I sat at many feasts. Men rejoiced because of me, and because of me they were drunken; some called me a god, and some called me a king.” Jesus said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.” And when Dionysus heard these words, he laughed, and said, “Thou hast not where to lay thy head, yet thou hast five loaves and two fishes, and with them thou hast fed five thousand. Do they not seek to make thee king? Is not this the reason thou hast withdrawn into the mountain?” But Jesus answered him not.
And Dionysus said again, “I once turned water into wine, and made those who were sorrowful to rejoice; wilt thou also turn water into wine?” Jesus said, “Mine hour is not yet come.” Then Dionysus lifted up the golden cup that was in his hand, and said, “Then drink of this cup, I pray thee. If a man drink thereof, he shall forget his sorrows; and if he be drunken, he shall think not upon the morrow.” Jesus looked upon the cup of wine, and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Dionysus said, “Doth not man live also by joy?” Jesus said, “If joy cometh forth from truth, it is good; but if it causeth a man to forget the truth, it becometh a snare.”
And Dionysus was silent for a while. He looked down at his cup, and then looked upon the wilderness where the multitude had eaten. And he said, “The bread which thou gavest them, when they have eaten thereof, shall they hunger again?” Jesus said, “They shall.” “Then that which thou givest is but for a time, is it not?” Jesus said, “If a man eat of this bread, he shall yet die.” And Dionysus laughed, and said, “I knew it from the beginning.” Jesus said, “But the bread which I give shall give life unto men.” And the smile departed from the face of Dionysus. And he said, “Life?” Jesus said, “Yea.”
And Dionysus said, “That which I rule over is life also. The vine withereth in winter, and in spring it putteth forth new shoots; the seed falleth into the earth, and in its season it springeth forth again. When a man drinketh wine, he forgetteth himself; and when he forgetteth himself, it is as though he hath departed from death. What difference is there between the life of which thou speakest and mine?” Jesus said, “That which thou seest is but the shadow of the things of the earth; that which I give is the life of heaven.” And when Dionysus heard this, he lifted up his head, and said, “If the vine pass not through winter, how shall it bring forth fruit? And if a man pass not through darkness, how shall he behold the light? Must not the life of which thou speakest also pass through death?” Jesus said, “Yea.” Dionysus said, “Then is death a door?” Jesus said, “There is a door kept by death, and there is a door opened unto life.” Dionysus said, “Who can come forth from the door of death?” Jesus said, “Of all which the Father hath given me, I should lose nothing.”
And Dionysus held his peace, and looked upon the sea afar off, and said, “I once heard singing at the gates of Hades, and I also came forth out of the darkness. The multitude rejoiced because of me, believing that I had overcome death.” Jesus said, “Hades cannot praise thee, neither can death sing praises unto thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy faithfulness.” And when Dionysus heard these words, he asked, saying, “Who then can sing in Hades?” Jesus said, “He that trusteth in God, though he walk through the valley of the shadow of death, shall fear no evil.”
And Dionysus looked down upon his golden cup, and said, “My cup maketh men rejoice.” Jesus said, “My cup also shall make men rejoice.” Dionysus said, “What is in thy cup?” But Jesus answered him not. And Dionysus said again, “Is it wine?” Jesus said, “It is not.” “Is it blood?” Jesus said, “It is.” And the smile departed from the face of Dionysus. And he said, “Can blood make men rejoice?” Jesus said, “This is shed for many, that they may have life.” Dionysus said, “Wine maketh the heart rejoice, but the blood crieth out from the ground.” Jesus said, “The blood also can speak.” And Dionysus asked, “What doth it say?” Jesus said, “It speaketh better things than that of Abel.”
And Dionysus was silent for a long while. Then he lifted up the golden cup, and the wine therein trembled beneath the light of the moon. And he said, “My cup is full, and men forget their sorrows.” Jesus said, “My cup is full, and men remember their sins.” Dionysus said, “This is not joy.” Jesus said, “A broken and a contrite heart, thou wilt not despise.” Dionysus said, “Then can suffering also be a way?” Jesus said, “A bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench.”
And Dionysus looked upon him, and said, “What manner of God is the God of whom thou speakest?” Jesus said, “He maketh a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert; he filleth the hungry with good things, and setteth the captives free.” Dionysus said, “Doth he also bring the dead back again?” Jesus said, “Yea.” “From the grave?” “Yea.” “From Hades?” “Yea.” And Dionysus asked again, “Who then raiseth the dead?” Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life.”
The wind blew from the sea.
And the wind passed through the wilderness, and through the vines also. The branch of the vine in the hand of Dionysus swayed in the wind, like a serpent that was about to wither. And he said, “If thou art life, why then must thou die?” Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” Dionysus said, “Then thy death is not the end?” Jesus said, “It is not.” “Neither is thy grave the end?” “It is not.”
And Dionysus looked up unto heaven, and said, “If darkness cover me, who shall see me?” Jesus said, “God seeth.” “If I descend into Hades, is he there?” “He is there.” “If I ascend into heaven?” “He is there.” And when Dionysus heard this, he bowed his head, and said, “Whither then shall I flee?” Jesus said, “Thou needest not flee.”
And Dionysus was silent for a long while. Then he set the golden cup upon the ground, and said, “My cup oftentimes maketh men drunken, but it cannot make them cease from thirsting.” Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” Dionysus said, “My vine also withereth when winter cometh.” Jesus said, “I am the true vine.” Dionysus said, “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, if it be severed from the vine.” Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you.”
And Dionysus lifted up his head, and said, “Then that which I sought was not wine.” Jesus said, “That which thou seekest is life.” Dionysus asked, “May I yet receive it?” Jesus said, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Then Dionysus poured out the wine that was in his cup upon the ground.
The wine sank into the dust, even as blood.
He looked upon the wine, and said, “Shall this cup also be empty one day?” Jesus said, “There shall come a day when I shall drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” And when Dionysus heard this, he laughed. But his laughter was not as the revelry of before; rather, it was like a song heard from afar in the wilderness. And he said, “Then I will wait for that day.”
And so he departed.
Jesus remained there. And the sky was already dark. His disciples called unto him from afar, and he turned, and went down from the mountain.