DESCRIPTION:

The largest panel located directly in front of the entrance to the reception room is very different from the other three. It depicts the story of Icarios according to which the Athenian farmer Icarius, who is shown standing in the centre of the panel, once hosted the god Dionysus. To thank him, the god taught him how to cultivate the vine and produce wine, which until then was unknown to the mortals. When he made his first wine, which he carries in bags on the ox-driven cart, he offered some of it to two passing shepherds. But the shepherds got drunk and, believing that Icarius wanted to poison them, they killed him. The two shepherds are depicted on the right side of the mosaic drinking wine insatiably and accompanied by the inscription ΟΙ ΠΡΩΤΟΙ ΟΙΝΟΝ ΠΙΟΝΤΕΣ (The first wine drinkers). On the left side of the mosaic, the god Dionysus is depicted holding a bunch of grapes and the nymph Acme calmly drinking wine from a cup. Although the two scenes are unrelated it seems that their placement here was intended to emphasize to visitors the beneficial effect of wine when consumed in moderation and the destructive effect when consumed in excess.