It occured to me today that, although I assume they were unknown to the ancient Greeks, bananas are probably the perfect ritual food for Dionysus.
Fruit in general is appropriate because Dionysus is a god of vegetation, fertility, and growing things, and fruit is not only literally the product of Dionysus’s realm, but it is also highly symbolic of everything Dionysus stands for.
So why specifically a banana? Of course the grape is an obvious symbol for the god of wine. But Dionysus is also a god of virility, passion, and hyperphallic masculine sexuality, and frankly, a banana looks like a penis.
So eat your bananas and hail Dionysus! How do you like that, Ray Comfort?
Sailing to Byzantium 