Etruscan pirates kidnap Dionysus, whom they mistake for a young mortal man. The pirates attempt to tie Dionysus with willow twine, but the rope falls at his sides. The helmsman argues that they have wrongfully taken a god as prisoner. He urges the crewmen to release the god but is silenced by the captain, who wants to sell Dionysus. Suddenly, the fragrance of wine permeates the vessel. A vine emerges from the sail, quickly bearing grapes and berries. Dionysus unleashes a bear and a lion to terrorize the crewmen and turns those who jump into the water into dolphins. He spares the helmsman and reveals himself as the god Dionysus.