PENTHEUS
Untie his hands.
We have him in our net. He may be quick,
but he cannot escape us now, I think.

While the servants untie Dionysius' hands Pentheus attentively
scrutinizes his
prisoner. Then the servants step back, leaving Pentheus and Dionysius
face
to face.

So,
you are attractive, stranger, at least to women-
which explains, I think, your presence here in Thebes.
Your curls are long. You do not wrestle, I take it. 455
And what fair skin you have-you must take care of it-
no daylight complexion; no, it comes from the night
when you hunt Aphrodite with your beauty.
Now then, who are you and from where?

DIONYSIUS
It is nothing to boast of and easily told.

PENTHEUS
Who is this god whose worship
you have imported into Hellas?

DIONYSIUS
Dionysius, the son of Zeus. 465
He initiated me.

PENTHEUS
How did you see him?
In a dream or face to face?

DIONYSIUS
Face to face.
He gave me his rites.

PENTHEUS
You say you saw the god. What form did he assume?

DIONYSIUS
Whatever form he wished. The choice was his, not mine.

PENTHEUS
You evade the question.

DIONYSIUS
Talk sense to a fool
and lie calls you foolish.

PENTHEUS
Have you introduced your rites 480
in other cities too? Or is Thebes the first?

DIONYSIUS
Foreigners everywhere now dance for Dionysius.

PENTHEUS
Do you hold your rites
during the day or night?

DIONYSIUS
Mostly by night. 485
The darkness is well suited to devotion.

PENTHEUS
Better suited to lechery and seducing women.

DIONYSIUS
You can find debauchery by daylight too.

PENTHEUS
You shall regret these clever answers.

DIONYSIUS
And you,
your stupid blasphemies.

PENTHEUS
What a bold bacchant! 490
You wrestle well-when it comes to words.

DIONYSIUS
Tell me, what punishment do you propose?

PENTHEUS
First of all,
I shall cut off your girlish curls.

DIONYSIUS
My hair is holy.
My curls belong to god.

Pentheus shears away the god's curls.

PENTHEUS
Second, you will surrender
your wand.

DIONYSIUS
You take it. It belongs to Dionysius. 495

Pentheus takes the thyrsus.

PENTHEUS
Last, I shall place you under guard and confine you
in the palace.

DIONYSIUS
The god himself will set me free
whenever I wish.

PENTHEUS
Where is he? 500
I cannot see him.

DIONYSIUS
With me. Your blasphemies
have made you blind.

PENTHEUS (to attendants)
Seize him. He is mocking me
and Thebes.

DIONYSIUS
I give you sober warning, fools:
place no chains on me.

PENTHEUS
But I say: chain him.
And I am the stronger here.

DIONYSIUS
You do not know 505
the limits of your strength. You do not know
what you do. You do not know who you are.

PENTHEUS
I am Pentheus, the son of Echion and Agave

DIONYSIUS
Pentheus you shall repent that name.

PENTHEUS
Off with him.
Chain his hands; lock him in the stables by the palace.
Since he desires the darkness, give him what he wants. 510
Let him dance down there in the dark.

As the attendants bind Dionysius' hands the Chorus beats on its drums
with
increasing agitations though to emphasize the sacrilege.

As for these women,
your accomplices in making trouble here,
I shall have them sold as slaves or put to work at my looms.
That will silence their drums.

Exit Pentheus.