Semele was a mortal woman. She had lots of beauty and charms about her and this did not go unnoticed by Zeus. Zeus fell in love with Semele. It was not long before Semele was expecting to give birth to Zeus’s child.

Hera the queen of the gods and wife of Zeus was furious when she found out about Zeus’s love for a mere mortal woman. Hera was always insanely jealous of the women that Zeus loved, whether they were mortal or gods. Zeus had made many conquests of mortal and immortal women over the years, and this was one insult too far. Hera decided to have her revenge. She disguised herself as an ordinary woman and went to Semele. She suggested that if Zeus loved Semele as much as he said he did, then it was be reasonable to ask for proof of his affection. Hera suggested that one way Zeus could show his love for Semele would be if Semele asked him to come to her and court her as he had done with his wife Hera. Hera added that Semele would have to get Zeus to make a solemn promise to carry out her wishes. Zeus was after all the god of oaths, therefore if he made a promise he would have no choice but to keep it.

The next time Zeus saw Semele, she asked him to promise her any wish she desired. Zeus reluctantly made a promise to give her what she wanted. Semele then told him to come to her in the same manner as he had come to Hera when he was courting her. Zeus was horrified, but there was no way out, he had to keep his promise. He went away and returned in his chariot. When he arrived he threw a lightening bolt into the air. The sight was too much for Semele to take and she burnt away into ashes. Zeus however managed to snatch out the baby growing inside Semele before she had completely burnt away. This six month old foetus was sewn into Zeus’s thigh to keep it alive. When the time came for it to be born, Zeus cut it out from his thigh. The child was a boy and would become the god Dionysos, the god of theatre and wine.