Eurydice- Lost Love
Eurydice is the gorgeous wife of Orpheus. One day after their marriage, she was being pursued by another man, she stepped on a viper, was bitten, and died of poisoning instantly. Orpheus went into despair and sang songs that were so mournful that the deities and fairies were so heartbroken, they advised him to go to the Underworld to try to retrieve his wife from Hades the lord of the dead. Once again, his music softened he hearts of both Hades and his wife Persephone till they wept openly about his heartbreak. He was then allowed to return to the land of the living with his wife, but he was told to walk in front of her without turning around the entire time. He began to walk and walked all the way through the Underworld but his doubts about whether he had been tricked and if his wife was truly behind him or not began to torment him. Once he himself stepped outside of the Underworld he immediately turned around, saw Eurydice had truly been behind him the entire time, but she herself had not yet stepped out of the world of the dead. She then vanished back into the land of the dead.
Orpheus
Orpheus was said to have invented the Mysteries of Dionysus- festival of Greek and roman times that involved heavy drinking and lots of dance to fight off the societal restraints. This was believed to free the individual and allow them to return to their natural state of being. Women and slaves were allowed to participate so social marginalization was lifted for a short amount of time for those without greater rights.
A prominent figure in Greek mythology known for his fantastic singing and ability to play music, he was sometimes called the “father of songs.” The Classical Age Greeks considered him the greatest poet of all time. His music was said to be able to charm animals, people and even rocks enough to dance and sway to his music. He also is often credited with other great creations such as medicine. He was also a seer, practiced magic and the study of the stars and founded cults to both Dionysus and Apollo. He is believed to have played the harp as the companion to the hero Jason and his Argonauts. He is one of a few Greek mortal heroes to venture the the Underworld and come back again. It is debated if he was the son of Apollo or the mortal Thracian King. However, either way, Apollo gifted him with a golden lyre and taught him to play it.
He is possibly best known for his musical talents being used in attempt to bringing his wife back from the Underworld. The day after their marriage, Eurydice was fleeing the affections of another man, stepped on a viper and died of its poison. Orpheus played such sad music and sang so woefully the gods on Mount Olympus urged him to go speak to Hades himself in an attempt to bring her back. He ventured into the Underworld and even made it past the three headed guard dog Cerberus by playing music that put him to sleep. Hades and Persephone were so moved by his music that they wept themselves. Hades was moved, but was not the type to bend the rules of life and death just because he was touched. So, he made a deal with Orpheus, making the mortal put his full trust in the god. Orpheus was instructed to walk with his wife behind him all the way out of the Underworld, under the strict instructions to not turn around to see if she was there or not. Orpheus was not able to do this. Perhaps he was concerned about the god keeping his word, or he was just too eager to see his wife... either way he turned around to see her once he himself crossed into the mortal world. Tragically, Eurydice herself had not crossed the barrier and vanished back into the underworld. Orpheus then wandered the earth as a mourning soul, never touching another woman again.
He is said to have been killed based on an order by Dionysus. In his old age Orpheus gave up the worship of all the gods on the exception of Apollo and was then torn to shreds by Dionysus’ Maenads (AKA the Bacchae), his most dedicated female followers. These were women who were furious that Orpheus refused to give into their lust, and instead took on the company of young men before they reached adulthood. This started after the death of his wife Eurydice, and thus he refused to ever take another woman to bed. Another myth states Zeus struck him dead with lightning after revealing the secrets of the gods to mortal kind.
A prominent figure in Greek mythology known for his fantastic singing and ability to play music, he was sometimes called the “father of songs.” The Classical Age Greeks considered him the greatest poet of all time. His music was said to be able to charm animals, people and even rocks enough to dance and sway to his music. He also is often credited with other great creations such as medicine. He was also a seer, practiced magic and the study of the stars and founded cults to both Dionysus and Apollo. He is believed to have played the harp as the companion to the hero Jason and his Argonauts. He is one of a few Greek mortal heroes to venture the the Underworld and come back again. It is debated if he was the son of Apollo or the mortal Thracian King. However, either way, Apollo gifted him with a golden lyre and taught him to play it.
He is possibly best known for his musical talents being used in attempt to bringing his wife back from the Underworld. The day after their marriage, Eurydice was fleeing the affections of another man, stepped on a viper and died of its poison. Orpheus played such sad music and sang so woefully the gods on Mount Olympus urged him to go speak to Hades himself in an attempt to bring her back. He ventured into the Underworld and even made it past the three headed guard dog Cerberus by playing music that put him to sleep. Hades and Persephone were so moved by his music that they wept themselves. Hades was moved, but was not the type to bend the rules of life and death just because he was touched. So, he made a deal with Orpheus, making the mortal put his full trust in the god. Orpheus was instructed to walk with his wife behind him all the way out of the Underworld, under the strict instructions to not turn around to see if she was there or not. Orpheus was not able to do this. Perhaps he was concerned about the god keeping his word, or he was just too eager to see his wife... either way he turned around to see her once he himself crossed into the mortal world. Tragically, Eurydice herself had not crossed the barrier and vanished back into the underworld. Orpheus then wandered the earth as a mourning soul, never touching another woman again.
He is said to have been killed based on an order by Dionysus. In his old age Orpheus gave up the worship of all the gods on the exception of Apollo and was then torn to shreds by Dionysus’ Maenads (AKA the Bacchae), his most dedicated female followers. These were women who were furious that Orpheus refused to give into their lust, and instead took on the company of young men before they reached adulthood. This started after the death of his wife Eurydice, and thus he refused to ever take another woman to bed. Another myth states Zeus struck him dead with lightning after revealing the secrets of the gods to mortal kind.