| Telete | |
|---|---|
Goddess of festivity and rituals | |
 Telete and Dionysus in a mosaic from Zeugma Mosaic Museum | |
| Major cult center | Boeotia |
| Abode | Earth |
| Symbols | Thyrsus |
| Parents | Dionysus and Nicaea |
In Greek mythology, Telete (/ˈtɛlɪtiː/; Ancient Greek: Τελετή means 'consecration') was the daughter of Dionysus and Nicaea, naiad daughter of the river-god Sangarius and Cybele.
Concerning Telete's birth, it is related that Nicaea was ashamed of having been made pregnant by Dionysus, and even attempted to hang herself; nevertheless, in due time a daughter was born to her. The Horae were said to have served as midwives at Telete's birth.[1] Telete was destined by Dionysus to become a follower of himself and his son Iacchus, her half-brother.[2]
Pausanias mentions a statue of Telete in the sanctuary of the Heliconian Muses in Boeotia. Her image was next to that of Orpheus.[3]
Telete was associated with nighttime festivities and ritual dances in honor of Dionysus,[4] and has been interpreted as a goddess of initiation into the Bacchic rites.[5]