The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice speaks of a love capable of going beyond death, says that Orpheus was a very special being, son of Apollo, god of music and the arts, and of Calíope, also known as The Muse of Poetry. This origin gave Orpheus a special gift, the gift of music.
Orpheus learned music from the god of music, his own father, Apollo. He developed both his skills that Apollo gave him his own lyre as a symbol of fatherly love; had been made by Hermes, with the shell of a turtle. Orpheus is said to have been able to perform the most beautiful melodies no one has ever heard on Earth.
- His talent was so great that the gods and mortals were moved to tears as they listened to their music; even the fiercest creatures became docile when they lulled with their melody; he was also very flirtatious.
- Until he met the nympha Euridice.
“When my voice calms down with death, my heart will continue to speak to you” – Rabindranath Tagore-
Orpheus led a wandering and adventurous life. Therefore, he offered to accompany the Argonauts on their journey to find the Golden Toy. The story is that he saved the expedition when the sirens tried to confuse the sailors with their singing. were devoured by the sirens.
On this occasion, Orpheus took advantage of his talent, when the mermaids began to sing, did the same with his lyre, his music was much more beautiful than theirs, so he managed to drown out the sound, only one of the sailors succumbed to the enchantment of the mermaids and eventually died.
After this expedition, Orpheus and Eurydice, who was a beautiful nymphe, met. One day, Orpheus saw her figure reflected in the water and immediately felt that she would die of love for her, but in the end she managed to be answered. Eurydice fell madly in love with him and the two married, lived a passionate love totally matched.
Although Orpheus and Eurydice lived very happily in their palaces, she did not forget that she was a nymphe, so I couldn’t help but go to the woods to be in the desert, which was so familiar to her. One afternoon, he went into the woods, as usual, and saw a hunter hunting a helpless deer. He helped him escape, which provoked great anger in the hunter.
The man said he would forgive her for her offense, but only if she agreed to kiss him. She refused. Orpheus and Eurydice were a happy couple and she could not risk that happiness simply because she was afraid, the hunter tried to force her, and then she ran, on her escape stepped on the head of a sleeping snake and the snake bit her The nympha died instantly.
When Orpheus learned of his wife’s death, he despaired, soon decided to go to hell to save his wife from death and with his lyre and his beautiful song manages to bring Caronte the boatman and the three-headed dog Cerbero. guardian of the entrance to the underworld, to take him to where Perséfone, the queen of hell, was, who also moved with his music.
In the end, Persephone allowed Orpheus to bring his beloved back to the world of the living, but she put a condition: during the trip, Orpheus should continue and Eurydice behind, could not turn to look at him until the sunlight touched them by full. , already out of the underworld. Orpheus agreed, but did not completely trust everything Persephone had said. He feared there was a demon behind him, not his beloved wife.
When she finally came out of the cave, couldn’t resist and turned around, it only took the sunlight to touch one of Euridice’s feet, but she disappeared before her eyes and died forever, Orpheus fell into great sadness and made a song that made the gods cry. The menades, savage beings, fell in love with him, but Orpheus did not yield to his attempts at seduction.
In revenge, the threats killed him and scattered his remains everywhere, however, this allowed Orpheus and Eurydice to unite in the underworld, this time they would be together forever. From then until today, it is still possible to hear its beautiful melodies that resonate in the meadows and forests.