Telete

For other uses, see Elete.

In Greek mythology, Telete (/ˈtɛlɪtiː/; Ancient Greek: Τελετή, romanized: Teletḗ, lit. 'consecration') is the daughter of the wine-god Dionysus and Nicaea, a Naiad daughter of the river-god Sangarius and Cybele, a mother goddess.

Telete
Goddess of festivity and rituals
Telete and Dionysus in a mosaic from Zeugma Mosaic Museum
Major cult center	Boeotia
Abode	Earth
Symbols	Thyrsus
Genealogy
Parents	Dionysus and Nicaea
Siblings	Satyrus, several paternal half-siblings

Mythology

Concerning Telete's birth, it is related that Nicaea was ashamed of having been made pregnant by Dionysus, and even attempted to hang herself; nevertheless, in due time a daughter was born to her. The Horae were said to have served as midwives at Telete's birth.^[1] Telete was destined by Dionysus to become a follower of himself and his son Iacchus, her half-brother.^[2]

Pausanias mentions a statue of Telete in the sanctuary of the Heliconian Muses in Boeotia. Her image was next to that of Orpheus.^[3]

Telete was associated with nighttime festivities and ritual dances in honor of Dionysus,^[4] and has been interpreted as a goddess of initiation into the Bacchic rites.^[5]