In Greek mythology, who was Dionysus’s mortal mother?

Dionysus’s mortal mother in Greek mythology was Semele.

Semele was a princess of Thebes and a daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. Zeus loved her, but Hera discovered the affair and disguised herself as an old woman to persuade Semele to ask Zeus to reveal himself in his full divine form.

Zeus had sworn to grant Semele’s request, so he appeared surrounded by divine radiance and thunder. The sight killed Semele, who was mortal and unable to survive the manifestation. Zeus rescued the unborn Dionysus and carried him until the god was ready to be born, producing the famous idea that Dionysus was “twice-born.”

Dionysus later became the Olympian god associated with wine, ecstatic worship, theatre, and transformation. Semele is sometimes confused with other mortal mothers of divine heroes, such as Danaë, the mother of Perseus.