Orpheus and Eurydice.
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is
the ultimate tragic love story. Perhaps one of the most famous Greek myths, it
has inspired many important painters, such as Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas
Poussin.
Moreover, many operas, songs and plays have
been composed to honour these two great lovers who tragically lost the chance
to enjoy their love.
Orpheus, Talented at Playing
Music.
Orpheus is known as the most
talented music player of the ancient times.
It is said that god Apollo was his
father, from whom took his extreme talent in music, and the Muse Calliope was
his mother.
He was living in Thrace, on the
northeastern part of Greece. Orpheus had a divinely gifted voice that could
charm everyone who heard it.
When he was presented first the lyre as a boy,
he had it mastered in no time at all.
The myth says that no god or mortal could
resist his music and even the rocks and trees would move themselves to be near
him.
According to some ancient texts, Orpheus
is accredited to have taught agriculture, writing and medicine to the mankind.
He is also attributed with having been an
astrologer, a seer and founder of many mystic rites.
The strange and ecstatic music of Orpheus
would intrigue the mind of people to things over natural and had the power to
broaden the mind to new unusual theories.
However, apart from a musical
talent, Orpheus also had an adventurous character.
He was believed to have taken part in the
Argonautic expedition, which is the voyage of Jason and his fellow Argonauts to
get to Colchis and steal the Golden Fleece.
In fact, Orpheus played a vital role
during the expedition because, playing his music, he put to sleep the
"sleepless dragon" that was guarding the Golden Fleece and thus Jason
managed to get the Fleece.
Moreover, the music of Orpheus saved the
Argonauts from the Sirens, the strange female-like creatures who were seducing
men with their nice voice and then they were killing them.
Love at First Sight .
Orpheus used to spend much of his
early years in the idyllic pursuits of music and poetry.
His skill had far surpassed the fame and
respect of his music. Humans and beasts alike would be enchanted by it and
often even the most inanimate of objects would yearn to be near him.
Well into his youth he had mastered the lyre
and his melodious voice garnered him audiences from near and far.
It was at one such gathering of humans and
beasts that his eyes fell on a wood nymph.
The girl was called Eurydice, she was
beautiful and shy. She had been drawn to Orpheus enamored by his voice and such
was the spell of beauty in music and appearance that neither could cast their
eyes off each other. Something inexplicable tugged the hearts of the two young
people and soon they feltl dearly in love, unable to spend a single moment
apart.
After a while, they decided to get married.
Their wedding day dawned bright and
clear.
Hymenaios, the god of marriage, blessed their
marriage and then a great feast followed.
The surroundings were filled with laughter and
gaiety.
Soon the shadows grew large,
signaling an end to the revelry that had lasted much of the day and the wedding
guests all took leave of the newly-weds, who were still sitting hand-in-hand
and starry eyed.
They soon both realized that it was time they
were on their way and departed for home.
The Snake-bite.
However, things would soon change
and grief would ensue happiness.
There was one man who was despising Orpheus
and desired Eurydice for his own.
Aristaeus, a shepherd, had plotted a plan to
conquer the beautiful nymph. And there he was, waiting in the bushes for the
young couple to pass by. Seeing that the lovers were approaching, he intended
to jump on them and kill Orpheus.
As the shepherd made his move, Orpheus grabbed
Eurydice by the hand and started running .
Tragedy struck when Eurydice was
bitten by a venomous snake while fleeing from a lustful shepherd.
She died as a result of the snake's bite and
was sent to the Underworld, the realm of the dead.
Overwhelmed by grief, Orpheus decided to
journey to the Underworld to bring Eurydice back to the land of the living.
Armed with his lyre, Orpheus
descended into the Underworld and charmed its inhabitants, including Hades, the
ruler of the Underworld, and his wife Persephone, with his enchanting music.
They were so moved by his melodies that they
agreed to let Eurydice return to the world of the living on one condition.
Orpheus must lead her out of the Underworld
without looking back until they reached the surface.
Orpheus eagerly agreed to the
condition and began leading Eurydice back to the surface, filled with hope.
As they journeyed through the darkness,
Orpheus could not resist the urge to look back and see if Eurydice was
following him.
However, the moment he glanced back, Eurydice
was whisked back to the Underworld, forever lost to him. It is said that her
last words to him were a heartbreaking farewell.
Devastated by the loss of his
beloved, Orpheus spent the rest of his days mourning her. He rejected the
company of women and turned his attention solely to his music, composing
sorrowful and melancholic songs. His music had the power to move even the gods
and continued to be revered by mortals.
The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is
often seen as a powerful metaphor for the fragility of human life and the
inevitability of death.
It explores themes of love, loss, and the
limits of human desire.
The tale has inspired numerous
artistic works, including operas, plays, poems, and paintings, and continues to
captivate audiences with its poignant portrayal of love and tragedy.