In Greek mythology, Silenus was the tutor and constant companion of , the god of wine and ecstasy. Often depicted as a fat, lecherous drunk supported by satyrs, Silenus was also a figure of profound, if terrifying, wisdom.
Meis uses the figure of Silenus to ask a provocative question: . This is not a literal inquiry but a philosophical one about the nature of divinity and reality.
When Midas captured him and demanded to know what was best for mankind, Silenus replied with a "shrill laugh" that the best thing was never to have been born, and the second best was to die soon.
The book's title refers to a famous painting by . Meis uses this image of a bloated, stumbling minor god as a gateway to explore deeper, darker truths about the human condition. Who is the Drunken Silenus?