Venice and the God of Wine

This is an assignment I completed in my ninth or tenth year of school. My teacher told us to write our own Greek or Roman myths. I love anything to do with Italy (especially Venice) so this is what I wrote about. Enjoy.

Venice and the God of Wine

When earth was first formed and the land around Italy was first flourishing all the Gods were full of activity. Jupiter, the god of all gods, visited the land with his renewing rain and Pales watched over the pastures as they grew. Saturn directed the sowing, Pomon planted the fruit, Consus and Ops sustained the harvest and Flora the goddess of flowers planted her seeds. While all worked one did not and the gods and goddesses grew tired of his idleness. The gods gathered and told Jupiter their complaints against Bacchus, the god of wine. Jupiter departed from them to think and ponder on what should be done about Bacchus. Juno, the queen of all gods, counseled with him and soon it was decided what they should do.
Calling upon Bacchus, Jupiter asked him to remove his right boot. The god of wine removed it and Jupiter handed it to Mercury, his messenger god. To him he said to fly the boot high above the Tyrrhenian Sea and drop it. The boot landed in the water and on that spot an island rose out of the sea. It grew and grew with mountains dividing the west and east coast. Bacchus stared in surprise and as the island emerged he saw that its shape was that of a boot.
“What does this mean, my god?” Bacchus asked in wonder. Jupiter stared out at the island newly formed.
“You are to take care of this land and the people there. The island you see will be your duty and you will be responsible for their lives and fulfillment.” Jupiter declared; and so Italy was born from water and the hands of gods. Its hills were green and fertile and the sea was full of life. Bacchus did his part in the establishment of the land obeying the directions of Jupiter. He created people and sent them to live on the boot that was now land. They lived well because the land was rich and guarded by the gods. Unto them the gods gave only one demand: to not neglect the land which they had been given.
Many years past and the people of Italy watched their land diligently and raised crops from the earth watched over by the gods, but Bacchus wanted his people to feel the pleasure of the spoils he was accustomed to. He gave the people wine and gifts. They began to forget their own duties and were provoked to idleness and festivities. The land they dwelt in began to be disregarded and cities were built up for the people to gather in. They forgot what their gods had done for them and thought only of their own pleasure. Jupiter began to see the signs that the people who had been chosen to live in Italy were following the path which Bacchus had chosen.
The people of Italy had ignored his demand. They had neglected their inherited land and built cities to destroy the mountain and crops the gods had made prosperous for them. Jupiter saw that some had kept to the fields and he was glad, but those who had not he was very displeased with. He proclaimed that any who had not followed his counsel would be banished from the land he had created. He forced the people off the land and cast Bacchus out of the place of the gods. Bacchus became mortal and joined the people he had taught to be idle.
The people felt regret and remembered how much Italy had meant to their heritage and were unwilling to leave it. Bacchus lamented for having led his people in a way which had taught them to be disobedient. He suggested that a city be constructed on the coast of Italy out of the water and so it was done. The people stayed near the home they had neglected, and through this Venice was born. A city was built on stilts and water by the hands of those banished, and the mortal god Bacchus. The people built there city on water and because of their idleness they had no land to till or plow. Those who had listened stayed on land with their fields and flocks watched over by their gods and goddesses.
This is how Italy was first born and how Venice came to be on water; Jupiter watching over the land and Bacchus over the Ventitians. He found his rightful place among mortals and helped build up a city dedicated to festivities and the pleasures of the people inhabiting it.