The Mad Maenad

Capricorn ☼ Virgo ☾ Scorpio ↑

[the-mad-maenad]

Welcome to my domain!

I’m the mad maenad, but you can call me Jackal! I’m 30, pronouns she/her/they/them.

I am a Hellenic polytheist who worships Dionysus, Persephone, Artemis and Ares! Planning on Aphrodite and Apollo in the future.

I will sometimes post about Anpu or Loki since I do still worship them sometimes. They were the first two deities to assist me on my spiritual journey and helped me find my place. I respect them very much still.

I am a very curious person who loves to learn! Mythology was always something I was curious about and now I’m learning so much more on a deeper level!

Another important thing about me is that I support everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community and I don’t do that gatekeeping stuff! I am a biromantic asexual who does have a boyfriend, I know how cruel people can be sometimes.

I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY BIGOTRY OF ANY KIND!

[ivetteflowerblooom]

I will tell of Dionysus, the son of glorious Semele, how he appeared on a jutting headland by the shore of the fruitless sea, seeming like a stripling in the first flush of manhood: his rich, dark hair was waving about him, and on his strong shoulders he wore a purple robe.

Homeric hymn to Dionysus.

[mistermaenad]

"Your religion is evil and you probably sacrifice babies and puppies!"

And it's literally just me making an extra cup of coffee for Dionysus so we can share breakfast together

[nek0in]

[ Prayer to Dionysos 🍇 ]

O Dionysos, youngest of the immortals upon great Olympus,

no one can replace you in the fiery revelries

and in the misty, drunken nights

when the world fades away, and one lives only for oneself.

You, great reborn Dio, are always with us.

Upon your dark hair, bitter as chocolate, rests a wreath,

and in your hand — a horn brimming with sweet, freshly-born wine

and ripe clusters of grapes, whose taste is endless.

Leopards and panthers lie lazily at your feet,

while nymphs caress their soft, striped pelts

and sip wine from golden goblets,

feeling safe within your divine presence.

Bacchus, youthful Dionysos, I thank you

for the gifted actors of the gleaming theatres

and for your protection within the throng.

I honor you with all my small soul,

and I learn from your tranquil wisdom

the art of enjoying this one and only life.

[sylviaplathreincarnate]

[dionysianivy]

𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐱 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 🌸🌲🌷🕯

[adeltte]

Your body is a temple, drink wine and get tattoos

[fruitjuucy]

Pentheus and the Maenads

Scene from Euripides’ The Bacchae

linktree

[guineveresart]

Glory to Dionysios, the eternal saviour!

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphobolion!🏺

Elaphebolion was the ninth month of the ancient Attic calendar, roughly aligning with March and early April in today’s Gregorian calendar. The month was significant for the celebration of the Elaphebolia festival, dedicated to Artemis Elaphebolos, meaning Artemis the Deer-Slayer.

The Elaphebolia festival was marked by offerings and rituals to honour Artemis for her role as a huntress and guardian. A key part of the celebration was the preparation of special cakes called “elaphoi,” shaped like deer, symbolizing Artemis’ dominion over wildlife and her hunting skills. These cakes were made from flour, honey, and sesame seeds, serving as both a symbolic offering and a way for the community to come together in worship.

In addition to offerings, the Elaphebolia festival likely featured processions, prayers, and other activities aimed at gaining Artemis’ favour for successful hunts and protection from wild animals. As part of the broader religious and agricultural calendar, Elaphobolion also marked the seasonal transition and preparations for spring.

This year, 2025, the festival of Elaphebolia falls on March 6th.

March 6th is also the day that pre-orders for my indie deck, Wisdom of Artemis Oracle, will officially open to the public. As a lifelong devotee of Artemis and a dedicated Hellenic Polytheist, I chose this date to align the deck’s release with one of her most significant festivals—one that is also a personal favourite of mine. The deck features 47 of Artemis’s sacred epithets, including Artemis Elaphobolos. 🏹🦌

Hail Artemis!

[likethestarsatnight]

--Didn't write this and don't know who did--

But I absolutely love this poem so much!!

[homewardskies]

I didn't realize this needed to be said, but uhh

If you are a Nazi, you have no place in paganism.

(Or anywhere, actually 🙂)

And to clarify (since ya'll need that, apparently), that includes people who are transphobic, homophobic, pro-eugenics (i.e. social darwinism anti-vaxxer people), anti-immigrant, racist, etc.

Ya'll don't belong here, paganism is not a safe place for you, and I don't want you interacting with my blog.

No TERFS, no conservatives, none of it. Freedom and equality for all.

[monthofloveart]

[casakhelone]

Sketch "Ariadne and Dionysus in the form of a Leopard" (2025)

I was busy at the time I drew this, but I had to quickly sketch the idea down before I forgot.✍️😵‍💫💦

I may or may not add Dionysus' retinue since I kind had the idea that Ariadne was exhausted from her ordeal, so Dionysus let's her sleep while he carries her off in a leopard form.

[the-mad-maenad]

I haven’t been active lately…and I probably won’t be for a bit. Just need to deal with stress and some anxiety.

I know the gods understand.

[skcgsra]

maenad aesthetic

In Greek mythology, maenads (/ˈmiːnædz/; Ancient Greek: μαινάδες [m]) were the female followers of Dionysus and the most significant members of the Thiasus, the god’s retinue. Their name literally translates as “raving ones.”

[dionysianivy]

𝐃𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 ᡣ𐭩

Aphrodite: Goddess of love, beauty, romance, pleasure (Greek)

Bastet: Goddess of dance, music, fertility, love, joy (Egyptian)

Freyja: Goddess of fertility, beauty, love, glory, magic, sex (Norse)

Eros: God of love, beauty, youth, desire, sexuality (Greek)

Oshun: Goddess of wealth, beauty, love, water, divination (Yoruba)

Yue Lao: God of marriage, love, moon (Chinese)

Brigid: Goddess of poetry, fire, love, spring, fertility (Irish)

Hera: Goddess of marriage, women, fidelity, love, family, childbirth (Greek)

Hathor: Goddess of women, fertility, love, dance, perfume, joy (Egyptian)

Branwen: Goddess of love, beauty, sovereignty, kindness (Celtic)

Venus: Goddess of sex, love, beauty, victory, fertility (Roman)

Bes: God of love, music, merriment, childbirth, humor (Egyptian)

Parvati: Goddess of marriage, family, beauty, fertility, the arts, dancing, love (Hindu)

Aengus: God of youth, love, poetry, summer (Irish)

Benzaiten/Benten: Goddess of arts, love, music, wealth, wisdom, fortune, water (Japanese)

Frigg: Goddess of marriage, love, childbirth, divination, fertility (Norse)

Xochiquetzal: Goddess of flowers, love, sex, fertility, beauty, pleasure (Aztec)

Cupid: God of love, affection, attraction, desire (Roman)

Aisyt: Goddess of love, beauty, childbirth (Yakut)

Ōkuninushi no Mikoto: God of happiness, love, wisdom, earth (Japanese)

Živa: Goddess of love, fertility, life, grace, gratitude (Slavic)

Áine: Goddess of fairies, fertility, love, beauty, wealth, summer (Slavic)

Ishtar: Goddess of sexuality, love, fertility, war (Mesopotamiam)

Rati: Goddess of desire, passion, love, sexual pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Inanna: Goddess of love, sensuality, fertility, procreation, war (Sumarian)

Prende: Goddess of women, health, dawn, love, beauty (Albanian)

Siebog: Goddess of love, marriage (Slavic)

Kamadeva: God of sensual desire, love, pleasure, beauty (Hindu)

Sjöfn: Goddess of affection, love, friendship, protector of children (Norse)

Juno: Goddess of love, marriage, women's health, childbirth, fertility (Roman)

Turan: Goddess of fertility, love, vitality, beauty (Etruscan)

Lada: Goddess of love, family, marriage, children, beauty, spring, fertility, protection (Slavic)