Eleutherae
A border town between Attica and Boeotia where the cult of Dionysus first entered Athens.
The Story of Eleutherae
Eleutherae stood at the mountain pass of Cithaeron on the border between Attica and Boeotia, and it was from here that the cult of Dionysus was said to have first come to Athens. The Athenians initially refused to accept the god's image; they were struck with a disease of the genitals as punishment. When they built the god a proper sanctuary, they were cured. The wooden cult image from Eleutherae was brought annually to Athens for the City Dionysia festival — the festival that gave rise to Greek tragedy. The freedom implied in the name (from "eleutheros," free) was associated with Dionysus's liberating power.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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