A lot of thought and attention to detail went into the painting of the tondos and interiors of the kylikes. The representations would be covered with wine, and the scenes would be visible only partially, when the wine was tipped back into the mouth, until, of course, the wine was finished. This lent an element of surprise and discovery to the use of the kylix that the Greeks loved. One can imagine the delight experienced when a Greek used a brand-new kylikes for the first time at a celebration. And given the content of the representations, one can also imagine the activities the Greek men were inspired to undertake.

Since the Greek revelers had Dionysos to thank for the spirit they were enjoying, he is often the subject of their drinking vessels. The interior of one black-figure kylix dated c. 530 BCE portrays the god in a small ship. He leans back rather languidly, most likely intoxicated himself. In his right hand, he holds a drinking horn, or rhyton, and his weight is put on his left arm. The single sail of the ship is unfurled above the god, and weaving itself around the mast is a giant grape vine which umbrellas out above the ship, an awning of fully ripened wine grapes. On the prow of the ship is placed an apotropaic eye to ward off any danger or, most likely, anything dangerous to the pleasure of Dionysos. The stern of the ship turns into a graceful swan's head, a reference to Dionysos' parentage, as his mother, Semele, was raped by Zeus in the form of a swan. In between, the ship is decorated with jumping dolphins. All around the ship frolic dolphins, which flock around Dionysos, just as maenads, satyrs and gods would do if he were on land.¹

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