Bakkhai

Bakkhai is a play by the ancient Greek tragedian Euripides, believed to have been written and performed posthumously in 405 BCE. The play tells the story of King Pentheus of Thebes and his defiance of the god Dionysus, the god of wine, revelry, and theatrical performance. Pentheus forbids the worship of Dionysus in his city, leading to a dramatic confrontation.

Dionysus, a central figure in the play, appears in disguise and manipulates the women of Thebes, including Pentheus's mother Agave and aunt Autonoe, into joining his ecstatic rites on Mount Cithaeron. These rites, known as the Bacchanalia, involve wild dancing, drinking, and a loss of inhibition. Pentheus, determined to stop these activities, attempts to spy on the maenads, the female followers of Dionysus.

In a climactic and brutal scene, the maenads, driven into a frenzy by Dionysus, mistake Pentheus for a wild animal and tear him limb from limb. His mother, Agave, unknowingly carries his head back to Thebes, only realizing her horrifying act when she is brought back to her senses. The play explores themes of religious ecstasy, the consequences of hubris, and the clash between order and chaos. It is one of Euripides' most powerful and disturbing works.