Portara, the
Temple of Apollo, in Naxos Town.
Another myth tells us how Theseus, returning from slaying the Minotaur in Crete and bringing with him Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, stopped off at the island of Naxos. There he had a dream in which Dionysus ordered him to depart alone from the island, leaving Ariadne behind, and, fearing the wrath of the god, Theseus did as he was told. Dionysus then abducted Ariadne and took her off to Mount Drios. The union between the god and the mortal resulted in the births of Oenopion, Staphylus and Evadne. According to P. Decharme, there were two Ariadnes: one of them was abandoned by Theseus on the island of Naxos where she died, and the other was the wife of Dionysus. The rites carried out in memory of the former are all ceremonies of mourning, whereas the celebrations connected with the second Ariadne are all accompanied by hymns of triumph. The people of Naxos used to hold an annual ceremony called the Dionysia, which included sporting events and sacrificial rites.