Semele

Mortal woman

In Greek mythology, Semele (; Ancient Greek: Σεμέλη, romanized: Semélē), or Thyone (; Ancient Greek: Θυώνη, romanized: Thyṓnē), was the youngest daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, and the mother of Dionysus by Zeus (her own great-grandfather). Certain elements of the cult of Dionysus and Semele came from the Phrygians.

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Mentions
1
Connected characters
2
Books
1
Semele. Jupiter and Semele
Jupiter and Semele · Gustave MoreauImage source Public domain

Mentions in the Iliad

A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US

“who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,”
Il. 14.320–324

Connections

Beloved · Sources
Beloved · Sources

Семела — возлюбленная Зевса: прямо подтверждено словами Зевса в Илиаде; связь не обозначена как супружество.

Homer, Iliad 14, trans. A. T. Murray (Theoi Classical Texts Library) · Iliad 14.323–325
who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,and Semele bare Dionysus, the joy of mortals; nor of Demeter, the fair-tressed queen; nor of glorious Leto; nay, nor yet of thine own self, as now I love thee, and sweet desire layeth hold of me. Then with crafty mind the queenly Hera spake unto him:
Il. 14.323–325

Il. 14.323–325

Son · Sources
Son · Sources
and Semele bare Dionysus, the joy of mortals; nor of Demeter, the fair-tressed queen; nor of glorious Leto; nay, nor yet of thine own self, as now I love thee, and sweet desire layeth hold of me. Then with crafty mind the queenly Hera spake unto him:
Il. 14.325

Il. 14.325

In art

Peter Paul Rubens. Death of Semele. Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107073818

Bon Boullogne. Semele. Musée de Tessé. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134371954

Luca Ferrari. Jupiter and Semele. Castelvecchio Museum. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107073760

Sebastiano Ricci. Jupiter and Semele. Uffizi Gallery. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107420119

Pietro della Vecchia. Jupiter and Semele. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107482711

Gustave Moreau. Study for Jupiter and Semele. collection du musée Gustave-Moreau. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19368798

Gustave Moreau. Jupiter and Semele. collection du musée Gustave-Moreau. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19387223

See all 10

Sources and verification

The character is matched to the catalogue.

Wikidata Q776139

Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.