Many gods were essentially defined by their totems; Hermes his sandles, Ero's bow, Aesculapius's staff... Dionysus's totem was 'a pinecone on a stick'. Not a magical staff of power... a literal pinecone on a stick.
Madness string 99414
It's a last-ditch survival tactic. The brain expends as much energy as it can to look for any possible way of getting out of a deadly situation, which gives the impression that time is slowing down because you're thinking so much more in that one second. If it works you're left suddenly exhausted but alive; if it doesn't you're just dead.