ORPHEUS

Myths are stories about gods, goddesses, and heroes passed from one generation to another.
Many Greek myths have a

great deal of influence on our culture. For ages, writers, artists, and musicians have used mythological characters as their
inspiration. “Orpheus,” whose story shall be discussed today, is one of the mythological characters around the world.
ORPHEUS
Alice Low
There were nine goddesses called Muses. Born out of Zeus and a Titan named Mnemosyne,
each muse presided over a different art or science. Calliope, one of these sisters, was the inspiration of
poets and musicians. She was the mother of Orpheus (a mortal because his father was one) and gave
to her son a remarkable talent for music.
Orpheus played his lyre so sweetly that he charmed all things on earth. Men and women forgot
their cares when gathered around him to listen. Wild beasts lay down as they gathered around him as
if they were tame, entranced by his soothing notes. Even rocks and trees followed him, and the rivers
changed their direction to hear him play.
Orpheus loved a young woman named Eurydice, and when they were married, they looked
forward to many years of happiness together. But soon after, Eurydice stepped on a poisonous snake
and died.
Orpheus roamed the earth, singing sad melodies to try to overcome his grief. But it was no use.
He longed for Eurydice so deeply that he decided to follow her to the underworld. He said to himself,
“No mortal has ever been there before, but I must try to bring back my beloved Eurydice. I will charm
Persephone and Hades with my music and win Eurydice’s release.”
He climbed into a cave and through a dark passage that led to the underworld. When he
reached the river Styx, he plucked his lyre again, and Cerberus, the fierce three-headed dog who
guarded the gates, heard the sweet music and lay still to let him pass.
Orpheus continued to play his lyre tenderly as he made his way through the gloomy underworld.
The ghosts cried when they heard his sad music. Sisyphus, who had been condemned to roll uphill
forever, stopped his fruitless work to listen. Tantalus, who had been sentenced to stand in a pool of
receding water, stopped trying to quench his thirst. And even the wheel to which Ixion was tied as
punishment stopped turning for one moment.
At last Orpheus came to the palace of Hades and Persephone, King and Queen of the
underworld. Before they could order him to leave, he began his gentle song,pleading for Eurydice.
When stern Hades heard Orpheus’ song, he began to weep. Cold Persephone was so moved
that, for the first time in all her months in the underworld, her heart melted.
“Oh, please, my husband,” she said to Hades, “let Eurydice be reunited with Orpheus.”
And Hades replied, “I, too, feel the sadness of Orpheus. I cannot refuse him.”
They summoned Eurydice, and the two lovers clasped each other and turned to leave.
“Wait!” said Hades to Orpheus. “Eurydice is yours to take back to earth on one condition.”
“What is that?” asked Orpheus
“She must follow you, and you must not look back at her until you are on earth again.”
“I understand,” said Orpheus, “and I am forever grateful.”
Orpheus and Eurydice left the underworld and made their way through the dark passage that
led to the upper world. At last they reached the cave through which Orpheus had descended.
“I can see daylight ahead” called Orpheus to Eurydice. “We are almost there.” But Eurydice had
not heard him, and so she did not answer.
Orpheus turned to make sure that she was still following him. He caught one last glimpse of her
arms stretched out to him. And then she disappeared, swallowed by darkness.
“Farewell,” he heard her cry as she was carried back to the underworld.
Orpheus tried to follow her, but this time the gods would not allow it. And so he wandered the
earth alone. He sang his sad songs to the trees and longed for the time when he, too, would die and
be reunited with his beloved Eurydice in the underworld.
Processing Questions:
1. What was the greatest strength of Orpheus? What was his weakness?
2. What effect did Orpheus’ music have on people and gods? Cite two examples of this.
3. Why did Orpheus decide to rescue his wife from the underworld?
4. Why did Orpheus look back to see if Eurydice was following him?
5. What reasons might the gods have for allowing Orpheus and Eurydice to be reunited?
6. Explain why the gods gave a condition to Orpheus and to his bride to return to Earth.
7. What main characteristic of this text makes it a myth?
8. To whom does Orpheus owe his talent? Why was he able to win the sympathy of the gods?
9. In what situations were the gods willing to help humans?
10. Does the story reveal certain realities about Greeks? What are these?
11. What does the story reveal about the concept of gods in Greek Mythology?

ORPHEUS

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Myths are stories about gods, goddesses, and heroes passed from one generation to another.

Many Greek myths have a

“What is that?” asked Orpheus

“I understand,” said Orpheus, “and I am forever grateful.”

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