Orpheus was son of Apollo, the
Olympian god and Calliope, the oldest and most beautiful of the nine muses. He
plays the lyre and had an enchanting voice. He could charm beasts, trees and
even rocks to do whatever he wanted with his musical talent.
He fell in love with a nymph named
Eurydice and before long, the two were married. They became practically
inseparable and could not live without each other.
One day, a satyr saw and pursued
Eurydice. She ran in terror and accidentally stepped on a poisonous snake.
Eurydice died and her spirit went to the Underworld. Orpheus was devastated. He
decided to go down into the underworld to bring her back
Once inside the Underworld, Orpheus
charmed Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Hades who guards the Underworld to
sleep using his lyre and beautiful voice. He also played music so sweet and
moving that Hades and his cold Queen Persephone relented and allowed Orpheus to
bring Eurydice back to the surface of the earth to enjoy the light of day.
However, they warned Orpheus to walk in front of Eurydice for the journey back
and not look back at her until they are out of the underworld.
Orpheus readily agreed and began his
ascent. Throughout the journey, he listened closely for her footfalls behind
him but he could hear nothing. Fearing that Hades had tricked him to get him
out of the Underworld, Orpheus turned around when he was only a few feet from
leaving the Underworld. He caught sight of Eurydice for a brief moment before
she was whisked back down into the land of the dead.
Orpheus tried to enter the
Underworld again but failed. He spent the rest of his days not willing to love
another so as to stay true to the memory of Eurydice.
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