On the other hand, Dionysus also had a darker side, and he was associated with madness, irrationality, and destructive behavior. His worship could lead to frenzied states, known as Dionysian frenzy, in which individuals would lose control of their senses and engage in extreme and sometimes violent actions. These acts could include tearing apart animals, engaging in self-mutilation, or committing other forms of transgressive behavior. In this sense, Dionysus represented the untamed and primal forces of nature and the human psyche, which could be both exhilarating and dangerous.
The coexistence of joy and savagery in Dionysus' nature highlights the tension between civilization and chaos that is central to his cult. His followers sought to achieve a balance between these opposing forces by participating in his rituals, which allowed them to experience both the pleasures of excess and the catharsis of release. Through these experiences, they could connect with the divine and transcend the limitations of the human condition, albeit with the risk of losing control and succumbing to the darker aspects of Dionysus' influence.