Sparagmos

Although I prefer the figurative use of the word to describe an event that causes extreme pain and suffering, I thought I would compile a list of literal examples both real and fictitious.

As any classical literature scholar knows sparagmos refers to an ancient Dionysian ritual in which a living animal--or sometimes even a human being--would be sacrificed by being dismembered, by the tearing apart of limbs from ones body. Sparagmos was frequently followed by omophagia (the eating of the raw flesh of the one dismembered)

Examples:

Pentheus was lured into the forest by the god Dionysus after he banned worship of Dionysus. He is attacked by Maenads, followers of Dionysus, as well as by his own mother. The reference of his mother tearing apart his limbs is sparagmos.

Ovid recounts that the Thracian Maenads, Dionysus' followers, angry for having been spurned by Orpheus and retaliated by throwing sticks and stones at him as he played, but his music was so beautiful even the rocks and branches refused to hit him. Enraged, the Maenads tore him to pieces during the frenzy of their Bacchic orgies.

Dozens of other stories in the Metamorphoses of Ovid, including the story of Marsyas who was flayed alive by Apollo after beating him in a music contest.