Silenus

In Greek mythology, Silenus (; Ancient Greek: Σιληνός Silēnós [siːlɛːnós] or Σειληνός Seilēnós [seːlɛːnós]) was a companion and tutor to the wine god Dionysus. He is typically older than the satyrs of the Dionysian retinue (thiasos), and sometimes considerably older, in which case he may be referred to as a Papposilenus. Silen and its plural sileni refer to the mythological figure as a type that is sometimes thought to be differentiated from a satyr by having the attributes of a horse rather than a goat, though usage of the two words is not consistent enough to permit a sharp distinction. In the decorative arts, a "silene" is a Silenus-like figure, often a "mask" (face) alone.