ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Acoetes (Bacchic myth)

Once upon a time, there was a man named Acoetes. He loved to sail on boats and explore the seas. One day, he was on his boat when he saw a beautiful sight. He saw a group of people having a wild party on an island. This party was called a Bacchic party, and it celebrated the god Bacchus (who is also known as Dionysus).

Acoetes was curious and decided to go to the island and join the party. When he got there, he realized that everyone there was really drunk and having a lot of fun. They were drinking a special kind of wine that made them feel super happy and carefree.

But then, something really strange happened. Acoetes heard a noise, and when he turned around, he saw a giant, scary-looking man. This man had horns on his head and hooves instead of feet. Acoetes was really scared of him.

The giant man told Acoetes that he was Bacchus himself and that he was there to party with his followers. Bacchus was the god of wine, parties, and fun times, so he loved to party with his people.

But then, Bacchus decided that he wanted to go out to sea with Acoetes. Acoetes was really scared because he knew that taking a god on board his boat was a bad idea. But Bacchus insisted, and they set sail.

As they were sailing, Bacchus started to cause a storm. The wind was blowing really hard, and the waves were huge. Acoetes was scared that they would sink, but he couldn't do anything about it because Bacchus was too strong.

Finally, Bacchus turned back into a normal man, and the storm stopped. Acoetes realized that he had just taken a god on his boat, and he was really sorry about it. Bacchus forgave him and even made him one of his followers.

So, the story of Acoetes is a tale about a man who discovered the power of the god Bacchus and earned his forgiveness by being loyal to him. It's also a story about the importance of being respectful to powerful beings.