Fifth Episode Summary

The second messenger to appear in this play comes to report the violent death of Pentheus. When he could not see the women well, Pentheus complained, and so Dionysus bent down the top of a tree and placed him there. Once Pentheus was high up in the tree the messenger says Dionysus called and ordered the women to take their vengeance on Pentheus for mocking their rites.

The women ripped the tree out of the ground, and his mother, Agave, ripped Pentheus limb from limb. In her state of mind, she did not recognize her son. Poor Agave is now on her way, carrying the head of her son like a battle trophy. All she has won, though, are tears, says the messenger.

Fifth Episode Analysis

In this horrid description of the death of Pentheus, the audience is reminded that the...