Orpheus And Eurydice, A Love Myth

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice speaks of the love that is capable of going even beyond death. He tells that Orpheus was a very special being, son of Apollo, god of music and arts, and of Callíope, also known as Clío, muse of poetry. This origin gave Orpheus a special gift, the gift of music.

Orpheus learned about music from the god of music, his own father Apollo. He developed his skills so much that Apollo gave him his own lyre, as a symbol of paternal love. It had been made by Hermes, with the shell of a turtle. It is said that Orpheus could interpret the most beautiful melodies anyone had ever heard on Earth.

His talent was so great that gods and mortals were moved to tears when they listened to his music. Even the fiercest creatures became tame when lulled by its melody. He was also quite a flirt, until he met the nymph Eurydice.

Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus led a wandering and adventurous life. So he offered to accompany the Argonauts on their crossing to find the Golden Fleece. The story goes that he saved the expedition when the mermaids tried to confuse the sailors with their song. The sound made the sailors ecstatic and caused them to throw themselves overboard, where they were devoured by the mermaids.

On this occasion, Orpheus took advantage of his talent. When the mermaids began to sing, he did the same with his lyre. His music was much prettier than theirs, so he managed to muffle the sound. Only one of the sailors succumbed to the mermaids’ spell and ended up dead.

After this expedition, Orpheus and Eurydice were reunited. She was a very beautiful nymph. One day, Orpheus saw her figure reflected in the water, and immediately felt that he would die of love for her. Finally he managed to get her to respond. Eurydice fell head over heels in love with him and the two got married. They lived a passionate love fully reciprocated.

The loss of Eurydice

Although Orpheus and Eurydice lived very happily in her palace, she did not forget that she was a nymph. That’s why she couldn’t stop going to the woods to be in the middle of nature, which was so familiar to her. One afternoon he went into the woods, as was usual, and saw a hunter chasing a helpless deer. She helped him escape, which generated great anger in the hunter.

The man said he would forgive her offense, but only if she agreed to kiss him. She refused. Orpheus and Eurydice were a happy couple and she couldn’t risk that happiness just because she was afraid. The hunter wanted to force her, and so she started to run. In her escape, she stepped on the head of a sleeping snake and the snake bit her. The nymph died instantly.

When he learned of his wife’s death, Orpheus despaired. Soon, he decided to go to the Underworld to rescue his wife from death. Using his lyre and his beautiful singing, he managed to get Charon, the boatman, and the three-headed dog Cerberus, guardian of the entrance to the underworld, to lead him to where Persephone, the queen of hell, was. She was also moved by her music.

Together forever

In the end, Persephone allowed Orpheus to take his beloved back to the world of the living, but she placed a condition. During the journey, Orpheus had to go in front, and Eurydice behind. He couldn’t turn to look at her until the sunlight touched them completely, already out of the underworld. Orpheus accepted, but he didn’t completely trust everything Persephone had said. He feared there was a demon behind him, not his beloved wife.

When at last he came out of the cave, he couldn’t resist and looked back. All that was left was for the sunlight to touch one of Eurydice’s feet. Still, she disappeared before his eyes, and was dead forever. Orpheus fell into great grief and made a song that moved the gods to tears. The Maenads, wild beings, fell in love with him, but Orpheus did not give in to his attempts at seduction.

In revenge, the Maenads killed him and scattered his remains everywhere. However, this allowed Orpheus and Eurydice to reunite in the Underworld. This time they would be together forever. Since then and until today, it is still possible to hear its beautiful melodies echoing in the meadows and woods.