THE MINYADES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

​The Minyades were the three daughters of King Minyas who refused to join the worship of the god Dionysus, before the deity sent them mad. 

The Daughters of King Minyas

King Minyas of Orchomenus had three daughters; these daughters were most commonly named Leucippe, Arsippe and Alcithoe, although variations on these names are given. Collectively though, the three daughters of Minyas were called the Minyades. 
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Some tell of these Minyades being married, and it was generally considered that Leucippe had a son called Hippasus. 

The Minyades - Illustration from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Florence, 1832 - Luigi Ademollo (1764-1849) - PD-art-100

The Minyades and the Worship of Dionysus

During the reign of Minyas, the worship of Dionysus was introduced to Boeotia; Orchomenus being one of the city states of Boeotia. 

A priest of Dionysus organised a feast day where every woman of Orchomenus was to become Maenads, and to partake in the Bacchic rituals. As the feast began though, the Minyades stayed in their homes, weaving on their looms. Some say they refused to take part in the rituals because of their love for their husbands, although Ovid claims that they actually refused to believe in the divinity of Dionysus. 

Dionysus was angered by the snub of the three daughters of Minyas, but transforming himself into a beautiful maiden, the god came to the Minyades and asked them to join in with the feast day. 

The Minyades again refused, and as they did so their weaves transformed into vines. In front of their eyes, Dionysus transformed himself into a bull, a lion and then a leopard, and the three Minyades went mad.  

In their state of madness, the Minyades were eager to worship Dionysus, and they decided to offer up a sacrifice to the god. This they did by ripping Hippasus, Leucippe’s son into pieces. Then, the Minyades left their homes, and roamed over the mountains, eating honeysuckle and ivy.

The Metamorphosis of the Minyades

The Minyades though would be shunned by the other Maenads, and eventually, Dionysus, or Hermes, transformed them into bats. 

Contents

Colin Quartermain - Minyades - 12th March 2021