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Orpheus & Eurydice
Orpheus• Hypothetical PIE verb *orbhao- “to be
deprived”
• From PIE *orbh- “to put asunder, separate”
• Greek orphe- “darkness”
• Greek orphanos- “fatherless, orphan”
• Related to Latin goao- “to lament, sing wildly, cast a spell
The Tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus was the son of Oeagrus, a Thracianking, and the muse Calliope. He was trainedon the lyre by Apollo, and soon his music wasas beautiful and magical as that of his teacher.
Orpheus’ music tamed wild animals, and eventrees and mountains would creep closer tohear him play.
Orpheus married Eurydice, but their happiness
was short-lived. The bride stepped into
a nest of snakes and was bitten. She quickly
died from her wounds.
According to the poet Virgil, Orpheus
mourned Eurydice so deeply, and played
songs so sad, that all of the nymphs and gods
wept.
They convinced him to descend to the
Underworld, to fetch back his bride.
He traveled over the river Styx, to the very
throne room of Hades and Persephone. There
he made his appeal singing the most beautiful
song ever heard:
“I came for my wife’s sake, whose growing
years were taken by a snake’s venom. I
wanted to be able to bear this; I have tried to.
Love has conquered…If fate denies us this
privilege for my wife, one thing is certain: I
do not want to go back either; triumph in the
death of two.”
Orpheus’ playing was so beautiful, everything
stopped. Sisyphus sat down atop his
boulder, and Tantalus gave up trying to reach
the water.
Hades and Persephone
were so moved, they
called for Eurydice.
They told Orpheus that he could take
Eurydice, still limping from her wound, but he
must not look back at her until they had
reached the upper world.
As they neared the upper world, Orpheus
became more and more anxious to behold
Eurydice. Knowing he could not, he felt that
he had to look back. When he felt Eurydice
stumble behind him, his resolve crumbled and
he turned to steady her.
As he turned, Eurydicefaded back into thedepths of Hades,reaching out her armsfor him even as she dieda second time.
“Dying a second time, shecomplained not of herhusband, for why shouldshe complain of beingbeloved? “
Orpheus begged to be allowed to cross the
river once more, but Charon drove him away.
For seven days, Orpheus sat by the bank of
the river crying for his wife.
He never loved another woman.
• Orpheus and Eurydice is a story of unfailing love.
• Unlike many other stories in Ovid, the character’s downfall doesn’t come about because of his shortcomings, but rather because of his love and passion.
• This destruction through the best of man adds to the tragedy.
Why Does It Move Us?
