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By focusing on Rubens’s depiction of Silenus—fleshy, sagging, and deeply human—Meis suggests that "true" gods are those that can suffer and die, rather than untouchable, distant entities. Historical and Personal Echoes
In his 2020 book, The Drunken Silenus: On Gods, Goats, and the Cracks in Reality , author weaves a hypnotic narrative that bridges the gap between Baroque art, ancient myth, and existential philosophy.
He delves into the scandalous history of Rubens’s father, Jan Rubens , whose own life was marked by passion, betrayal, and near-execution. The Drunken Silenus On Gods, Goats, and the _s ...
When Midas captured him and demanded to know what was best for mankind, Silenus replied with a "shrill laugh" that the best thing was never to have been born, and the second best was to die soon.
For Nietzsche, the goat—associated with the half-animal satyrs—represented a wild, bucking vitality that predates "civilized" reason. When Midas captured him and demanded to know
Meis uses the figure of Silenus to ask a provocative question: . This is not a literal inquiry but a philosophical one about the nature of divinity and reality.
The most famous story involving Silenus—recounted in the book—is his encounter with : This is not a literal inquiry but a
In Greek mythology, Silenus was the tutor and constant companion of , the god of wine and ecstasy. Often depicted as a fat, lecherous drunk supported by satyrs, Silenus was also a figure of profound, if terrifying, wisdom.
