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his titles was teeming or bursting （as of sap or blossoms）； and there was a Flowery Dionysus in Attica and at Patrae in Achaia。 The Athenians sacrificed to him for the prosperity of the fruits of the land。 Amongst the trees particularly sacred to him； in addition to the vine； was the pine…tree。 The Delphic oracle commanded the Corinthians to worship a particular pine…tree equally with the god； so they made two images of Dionysus out of it； with red faces and gilt bodies。 In art a wand； tipped with a pine…cone； is commonly carried by the god or his worshippers。 Again； the ivy and the fig…tree were especially associated with him。 In the Attic township of Acharnae there was a Dionysus Ivy； at Lacedaemon there was a Fig Dionysus； and in Naxos； where figs were called meilicha； there was a Dionysus Meilichios； the face of whose image was made of fig…wood。
Further； there are indications； few but significant； that Dionysus was conceived as a deity of agriculture and the corn。 He is spoken of as himself doing the work of a husbandman： he is reported to have been the first to yoke oxen to the plough； which before had been dragged by hand alone； and some people found in this tradition the clue to the bovine shape in which； as we shall see； the god was often supposed to present himself to his worshippers。 Thus guiding the ploughshare and scattering the seed as he went； Dionysus is said to have eased the labour of the husbandman。 Further； we are told that in the land of the Bisaltae； a Thracian tribe； there was a great and fair sanctuary of Dionysus； where at his festival a bright light shone forth at night as a token of an abundant harvest vouchsafed by the diety； but if the crops were to fail that year； the mystic light was not seen； darkness brooded over the sanctuary as at other times。 Moreover； among the emblems of Dionysus was the winnowing…fan； that is the large open shovel…shaped basket； which down to modern times has been used by farmers to separate the grain from the chaff by tossing the corn in the air。 This simple agricultural instrument figured in the mystic rites of Dionysus； indeed the god is traditionally said to have been placed at birth in a winnowing…fan as in a cradle： in art he is represented as an infant so cradled； and from these traditions and representations he derived the epithet of Liknites； that is； He of the Winnowing…fan。
Like other gods of vegetation Dionysus was believed to have died a violent death； but to have been brought to life again； and his sufferings； death； and resurrection were enacted in his sacred rites。 His tragic story is thus told by the poet Nonnus。 Zeus in the form of a serpent visited Persephone； and she bore him Zagreus； that is； Dionysus； a horned infant。 Scarcely was he born； when the babe mounted the throne of his father Zeus and mimicked the great god by brandishing the lightning in his tiny hand。 But he did not occupy the throne long； for the treacherous Titans； their faces whitened with chalk； attacked him with knives while he was looking at himself in a mirror。 For a time he evaded their assaults by turning himself into various shapes； assuming the likeness successively of Zeus and Cronus； of a young man； of a lion； a horse； and a serpent。 Finally； in the form of a bull； he was cut to pieces by the murderous knives of his enemies。 His Cretan myth； as related by Firmicus Maternus； ran thus。 He was said to have been the bastard son of Jupiter； a Cretan king。 Going abroad； Jupiter transferred the throne and sceptre to the youthful Dionysus； but； knowing that his wife Juno cherished a jealous dislike of the child； he entrusted Dionysus to the care of guards upon whose fidelity he believed he could rely。 Juno； however； bribed the guards； and amusing the child with rattles and a cunningly…wrought looking glass lured him into an ambush； where her satellites； the Titans； rushed upon him； cut him limb from limb； boiled his body with various herbs； and ate it。 But his sister Minerva； who had shared in the deed； kept his heart and gave it to Jupiter on his return； revealing to him the whole history of the crime。 In his rage； Jupiter put the Titans to death by torture； and； to soothe his grief for the loss of his son； made an image in which he enclosed the child's heart； and then built a temple in his honour。 In this version a Euhemeristic turn has been given to the myth by representing Jupiter and Juno （Zeus and Hera） as a king and queen of Crete。 The guards referred to are the mythical Curetes who danced a war…dance round the infant Dionysus； as they are said to have done round the infant Zeus。 Very noteworthy is the legend； recorded both by Nonnus and Firmicus； that in his infancy Dionysus occupied for a short time the throne of his father Zeus。 So Proclus tells us that Dionysus was the last king of the gods appointed by Zeus。 For his father set him on the kingly throne； and placed in his hand the sceptre； and made him king of all the gods of the world。 Such traditions point to a custom of temporarily investing the king's son with the royal dignity as a preliminary to sacrificing him instead of his father。 Pomegranates were supposed to have sprung from the blood of Dionysus； as anemones from the blood of Adonis and violets from the blood of Attis： hence women refrained from eating seeds of pomegranates at the festival of the
Thesmophoria。 According to some； the severed limbs of Dionysus were pieced together； at the command of Zeus； by Apollo； who buried them on Parnassus。 The grave of Dionysus was shown in the Delphic temple beside a golden statue of Apollo。 However； according to another account； the grave of Dionysus was at Thebes； where he is said to have been torn in pieces。 Thus far the resurrection of the slain god is not mentioned； but in other versions of the myth it is variously related。 According to one version； which represented Dionysus as a son of Zeus and Demeter； his mother pieced together his mangled limbs and made him young again。 In others it is simply said that shortly after his burial he rose from the dead and ascended up to heaven； or that Zeus raised him up as he lay mortally wounded； or that Zeus swallowed the heart of Dionysus and then begat him afresh by Semele； who in the common legend figures as mother of Dionysus。 Or； again； the heart was pounded up and given in a potion to Semele； who thereby conceived him。
Turning from the myth to the ritual； we find that the Cretans celebrated a biennial festival at which the passion of Dionysus was represented in every detail。 All that he had done or suffered in his last moments was enacted before the eyes of his worshippers； who tore a live bull to pieces with their teeth and roamed the woods with frantic shouts。 In front of them was carried a casket supposed to contain the sacred heart of Dionysus； and to the wild music of flutes and cymbals they mimicked the rattles by which the infant god had been lured to his doom。 Where the resurrection formed part of the myth； it also was acted at the rites； and it even appears that a general doctrine of resurrection； or at least of immortality； was inculcated on the worshippers； for Plutarch； writing to console his wife on the death of their infant daughter； comforts her with th