Dionysus uses his divine powers to drive Pentheus insane, then invites him to spy on the ecstatic rituals of the Maenads, in the woods of Mount Cithaeron. Pentheus, hoping to witness a sexual orgy, hides himself in a tree. The Maenads spot him; maddened by Dionysus, they take him to be a mountain-dwelling lion and attack him with their bare hands. Pentheus' aunts and his mother Agave are among them, and they rip him limb from limb. Agave mounts his head on a pike and takes the trophy to her father Cadmus.
diONysus UseS His diviNe POwers To dRive pentHEUs insaNE, thEn invitEs hiM to SPy On the ecSTAtiC rituAls Of the MaenaDs, In thE woodS Of moUnt cIthAeroN. PEntHEus, hoping TO wItnesS a sexUAl OrgY, hides hiMSelf IN A tREe the maenads spOt hiM; MAddened By dionYsUs, ThEY tAke him to Be a MoUNTaIn-dweLLInG liOn and attACk him wIth tHeir BaRe haNds. PeNtheUS' AuNts and HIs motHer Agave aRE amoNG tHeM, anD ThEy rip HiM LiMB fRom liMb. agave mounts HiS head on a piKE and takEs The troPhY to Her fAtHer CADmuS.