Following in the Footsteps of a God: The Transformative Power of Dionysus in Philostratus' Life of Apollonius of Tyana

Abstract: In this paper I explore the role of Euripides' Bacchae in Philostratus' Life of Apollonius of Tyana . Adding to existing intertextual readings of the Life , I argue that Philostratus combines the language and imagery of Dionysus' infiltration of Pentheus' body with a characterization of the emperor Domitian as a Pentheus figure. While this intertextual strand contributes to the text's suggestion that Apollonius may possess a divine nature, it has the added effect of concentrating the reader's attention on the somatic experience of Apollonius' interlocutors.