Epics, legends and tales of Orpheus and Eurydice. PR in Ancient Mythology How the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice ended

Once upon a time he lived in Thrace famous singer and a musician, his name was Orpheus. He could play the lyre so skillfully and sing unusually beautiful songs that Apollo heard him, came down from Olympus and gave him his golden lyre. With this lyre, Orpheus's art became truly divine - under his singing, birds fell silent and wild animals bowed their heads, and remained standing after the end of the song.

Rumors about the greatest musician spread throughout Greece, someone even said that Orpheus’ father was Apollo himself, but still his father was the river god Eagre, and his mother was the muse Calliope. He wandered a lot around the world, was also in Egypt, where he improved his skills, he was among the Argonauts when they went on a campaign for the Golden Fleece, until he met his beloved, the beautiful dryad Eurydice.

Listen carefully to what I have to say. Your beloved will follow you on her own, but you should not look back until you step into the sunlight. If you turn around and destroy her, you will never be able to meet again.

The singer headed away from the dark kingdom, rejoicing in his luck, Kerber obediently let him pass by order of Hades. The return journey took half as much time, but Orpheus did not hear the steps of his beloved behind him. With every step, he doubted more and more that Hades had not deceived him. A bright point appeared in the distance - the exit from the cave, but the singer was tormented by doubts.

Unable to resist any longer, Orpheus turned around. He saw Eurydice for a moment, she looked sadly and melted away like morning fog. Screaming in despair great musician rushed back.

For a long time he wandered along the banks of the Acheron River, trying to find Charon's pier, where they go to last way the souls of the dead, but he could not find them and Eurydice was forever lost to him. Orpheus returned to earth, but since then no one has heard a single cheerful song from him, only his lyre could now cry.

The myth of Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice is one of the most famous myths about love. No less interesting is this mysterious singer himself, about whom not much reliable information has survived. The myth of Orpheus, which we will talk about, is only one of the few legends dedicated to this character. There are also many legends and fairy tales about Orpheus.

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice: summary

According to legend, this great singer lived in Thrace, located in northern Greece. Translated, his name means “healing with light.” He had a wonderful gift of songs. Throughout Greek soil there was fame about him. Eurydice, a young beauty, fell in love with him for his beautiful songs and became his wife. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice begins with a description of these happy events.

However, the carefree happiness of the lovers was short-lived. The myth of Orpheus continues with the fact that one day the couple went into the forest. Orpheus sang and played the seven-string cithara. Eurydice began to collect flowers growing in the clearings.

The Kidnapping of Eurydice

Suddenly the girl felt that someone was running after her through the forest. She got scared and rushed to Orpheus, throwing flowers. The girl ran through the grass, not making out the road, and suddenly she fell into a snake wrapped around her leg and stung Eurydice. The girl screamed loudly in fear and pain. She fell on the grass. Hearing the plaintive cry of his wife, Orpheus hurried to her aid. But he only managed to see how large black wings flashed between the trees. Death took the girl to the underworld. It’s interesting how the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice will continue, isn’t it?

Orpheus' grief

The great singer’s grief was very great. After reading the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice, we learn that the young man left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests. In his songs, Orpheus poured out his longing. They had such power that the trees that had fallen from their places surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, stones moved closer and closer, and birds left their nests. Everyone listened to how Orpheus yearned for his beloved girl.

Orpheus goes to the kingdom of the dead

Days passed, but the singer could not console himself. His sadness grew every hour. Realizing that he could no longer live without his wife, he decided to go to the underworld of Hades in order to find her. Orpheus searched for the entrance there for a long time. Finally, he found a stream in deep cave Tenara. It flowed into the river Styx, located underground. Orpheus went down the stream bed and reached the bank of the Styx. It was revealed to him kingdom of the dead, which began behind this river. The waters of the Styx were deep and black. It was scary for a living creature to step into them.

Hades gives Eurydice

Orpheus went through many trials in this terrible place. Love helped him cope with everything. Eventually Orpheus reached the palace of Hades, the ruler underground kingdom. He turned to him with a request to return Eurydice, a girl so young and beloved by him. Hades took pity on the singer and agreed to give him his wife. However, one condition had to be met: it was impossible to look at Eurydice until he brought her to the kingdom of the living. Orpheus made a promise that throughout the entire journey he would not turn around and look at his beloved. If the ban was violated, the singer risked losing his wife forever.

Return trip

Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the underworld. He passed through the domain of Hades in the form of a spirit, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. The lovers boarded the boat of Charon, who silently carried the couple to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led to the ground. Orpheus slowly climbed up. It was quiet and dark around. It seemed that no one was following him.

Violation of the ban and its consequences

But it began to get brighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was already close. And the shorter the distance to the exit, the brighter it became. Finally, everything around me became clearly visible. Orpheus' heart was filled with anxiety. He began to doubt whether Eurydice was following him. Forgetting his promise, the singer turned around. For a moment, very close, he saw a beautiful face, a sweet shadow... The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice tells that this shadow immediately flew away and disappeared into the darkness. Orpheus, with a desperate cry, began to go back down the path. He again came to the shore of the Styx and began to call the ferryman. Orpheus prayed in vain: no one responded. The singer sat alone for a long time on the bank of the Styx and waited. However, he never waited for anyone. He had to return to earth and continue to live. Forget Eurydice, your only love, he never could. The memory of her lived in his songs and in his heart. Eurydice is the divine soul of Orpheus. He will unite with her only after death.

This ends the myth of Orpheus. Summary We will supplement it with an analysis of the main images presented in it.

Image of Orpheus

Orpheus is a mysterious image that is found in a number of Greek myths. This is a symbol of a musician who conquers the world with the power of sounds. He is able to move plants, animals and even stones, as well as summon the gods of the underworld ( underworld) compassion is not characteristic of them. The image of Orpheus also symbolizes overcoming alienation.

This singer can be seen as the personification of the power of art, which contributes to the transformation of chaos into the cosmos. Thanks to art, a world of harmony and causality, images and forms is created, that is, the “human world”.

Orpheus, unable to hold on to his love, also became a symbol human weakness. Because of her, he was unable to cross the fatal threshold and failed in his attempt to return Eurydice. This is a reminder that there is a tragic side to life.

The image of Orpheus is also considered a mythical personification of one secret teaching, according to which the planets move around the Sun, located at the center of the Universe. The source of universal harmony and connection is the force of its attraction. And the rays emanating from it are the reason why particles move in the Universe.

Image of Eurydice

The myth of Orpheus is a legend in which the image of Eurydice is a symbol of oblivion and tacit knowledge. This is the idea of ​​detachment and silent omniscience. In addition, it is correlated with the image of music, in search of which Orpheus is.

The Kingdom of Hades and the Image of Lyra

The kingdom of Hades, depicted in the myth, is the kingdom of the dead, beginning far in the west, where the sun plunges into the depths of the sea. This is how the idea of ​​winter, darkness, death, night appears. The element of Hades is the earth, which again takes its children to itself. However, the sprouts of new life lurk in her womb.

The image of Lyra represents the magical element. With his help, Orpheus touches the hearts of both people and gods.

Reflection of myth in literature, painting and music

This myth was first mentioned in the writings of Publius Ovid Naso, the major “Metamorphoses” - a book that is his main work. In it, Ovid expounds about 250 myths about the transformations of heroes and gods of ancient Greece.

The myth of Orpheus outlined by this author has attracted poets, composers and artists in all eras and times. Almost all of his subjects are represented in the paintings of Tiepolo, Rubens, Corot and others. Many operas have been created based on this plot: “Orpheus” (1607, author - C. Monteverdi), “Orpheus in Hell” (operetta of 1858, written by J. Offenbach), “Orpheus” (1762, author - K.V. Glitch).

As for literature, in Europe in the 20-40s of the 20th century this topic was developed by J. Anouilh, R. M. Rilke, P. J. Zhuve, I. Gol, A. Gide and others. At the beginning of the 20th century in Russian poetry, the motifs of myth were reflected in the work of M. Tsvetaeva (“Phaedra”) and in the work of O. Mandelstam.

Selezneva Daria

Orpheus and Eurydice

Summary of the myth

Frederic Leighton. Orpheus and Eurydice

According to legend, the singer Orpheus lived in the north of Greece, in Thrace. His name translates as “healing with light.”

He had a wonderful gift of songs, and his fame spread throughout the land of the Greeks. The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became his wife. But their happiness was short-lived. One day Orpheus and Eurydice were in the forest. Orpheus played his seven-stringed cithara and sang. Eurydice was picking flowers in the meadows. Unnoticed, she got lost. Suddenly it seemed to her that someone was running through the forest, breaking branches, chasing her, she got scared and, throwing the flowers, ran back to Orpheus. She ran, without knowing the road, through the thick grass and in a rapid run stepped into a snake’s nest. The snake wrapped itself around her leg and bit her. Eurydice screamed loudly in pain and fear and fell onto the grass. Orpheus heard his wife's plaintive cry from a distance and hurried to her. But he saw large black wings flash between the trees - it was Death that was carrying Eurydice into the underworld.

Great was the grief of Orpheus. He left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests, pouring out his melancholy in songs. And there was such power in these melancholy songs that the trees moved from their places and surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, birds left their nests, stones moved closer. And everyone listened to how he missed his beloved.

Nights and days passed, but Orpheus could not console himself, his sadness grew with every hour. Realizing that he could no longer live without his wife, Orpheus went to look for her in the underground kingdom of Hades. For a long time he searched for the entrance to the underground kingdom and, finally, in the deep cave of Tenara he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx. Along the bed of this stream, Orpheus descended deep underground and reached the bank of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead. The waters of the Styx are black and deep, and it is scary for the living to step into them.

Having gone through many trials in the kingdom of the dead, Orpheus, driven by the power of love, reaches the palace of the formidable ruler of the underworld - Hades. Orpheus turned to Hades with a request to return Eurydice to him, who was still so young and loved by him. Hades took pity on Orpheus and agreed to let his wife go only on one condition, which Orpheus had to fulfill: he should not see her throughout their entire journey to the land of the living. He promised Orpheus that Eurydice would follow him, but he should not turn around and look at her. If he violates the ban, he will lose his wife forever.

Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the kingdom of the dead. Like a spirit, he passed through the land of Death, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. They entered Charon's boat, and he silently transported them back to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led up to the ground. Orpheus slowly climbed the mountain. It was dark and quiet around him and quiet behind him, as if no one was following him.

Finally it began to get lighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was close. And the closer the exit was, the brighter it became ahead, and now everything around was clearly visible. Anxiety squeezed Orpheus’s heart: is Eurydice here? Is he following him? Forgetting everything in the world, Orpheus stopped and looked around. For a moment, very close, he saw a sweet shadow, a dear, beautiful face... But only for a moment. Eurydice's shadow immediately flew away, disappeared, melted into the darkness. With a desperate cry, Orpheus began to go back down the path and again came to the shore of the black Styx and called for the ferryman. But in vain he prayed and called: no one responded to his prayers. For a long time Orpheus sat on the bank of the Styx alone and waited. He didn't wait for anyone. He had to return to earth and live. But he could not forget his only love - Eurydice, and the memory of her lived in his heart and in his songs. Eurydice represents the divine soul of Orpheus, with whom he unites after death.

Images and symbols of myth

Orpheus, a mysterious image from Greek myths and a symbol of a musician who, with the conquering power of sounds, could move animals, plants and even stones, and evoke compassion among the gods of the underworld (underworld). Image of Orpheus- it is also overcoming human alienation.

Orpheus- this is the power of art, which contributes to the transformation of chaos into space - a world of causality and harmony, forms and images, the real “human world”.

The inability to hold on to love also turned Orpheus into a symbol of human weakness, leading to failure at the moment of crossing the fatal threshold, a reminder of the tragic side of life...

Image of Orpheus- a mythical personification of the secret teaching according to which the planets revolve around the Sun, located at the center of the Universe. The force of attraction of the Sun is the source of universal connection and harmony, and the rays emanating from it are the reason for the movement of particles of the Universe.

Image of Eurydice- a symbol of silent knowledge and oblivion. The idea of ​​embodied silent omniscience and detachment. She is also associated with the image of the music that Orpheus is looking for.

Image of Lyra- a magical instrument with which Orpheus touches the hearts of not only people, but also the Gods.

Kingdom of Hades- the kingdom of the dead, which begins far in the west, where the sun descends into the depths of the sea. This is how the idea of ​​night, death, darkness, winter arises. The element of Hades is the earth, which again takes its children to itself, but in its bosom lie the seeds of a new life.

Communicative means of creating images and symbols

Emil Ben
Death of Orpheus, 1874

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice was first mentioned in the works of the greatest Roman poet Publius Ovid Naso. His main work was the book “Metamorphoses”, in which Ovid expounds about 250 myths about transformations greek gods and heroes. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, as presented, has attracted poets, artists and composers in all times and eras.

Almost all the subjects of the myth were reflected in the paintings of Rubens, Tiepolo, Corot and many others.

Many operas were written, the leitmotif of which was the myth of Orpheus: the opera “Orpheus” (C. Monteverdi, 1607), the opera “Orpheus” (K.V. Gluck, 1762), the operetta “Orpheus in Hell” (J. Offenbach, 1858 )

In the 15th-19th centuries. various plots of the myth were used by G. Bellini, F. Cossa, B. Carducci, G. V. Tiepolo, P. P. Rubens, Giulio Romano, J. Tintoretto, Domenichino, A. Canova, Rodin and others.

IN European literature 20-40s 20th century The theme “Orpheus and Eurydice” was developed by R. M. Rilke, J. Anouilh, I. Gol, P. J. Zhuve, A. Gide and others.

Orpheus is the hero of J. Cocteau's tragedy "Orpheus" (1928). Cocteau uses ancient material in search of the eternal and always modern philosophical meaning, hidden at the core ancient myth. Two films by Charles Cocteau were devoted to the theme of Orpheus - “Orpheus” (1949) and “The Testament of Orpheus” (1960). The ancient singer is the hero of G. Ibsen’s “family drama” “Orpheus” (1884). T. Mann uses the image of Orpheus as the main character in the work “Death in Venice” (1911). Orpheus - the main thing actor in The Tin Drum (1959) by Günter Grass.

In Russian poetry of the early 20th century. The motives of the myth of Orpheus were reflected in the works of O. Mandelstam and M. Tsvetaeva (“Phaedra”, 1923).

In 1975, composer Alexander Zhurbin and playwright Yuri Dimitrin wrote the first Soviet rock opera, Orpheus and Eurydice. It was staged by the Singing Guitars ensemble in the opera studio at the Leningrad Conservatory. In 2003, the rock opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the musical performed the maximum number of times by one ensemble. At the time of registration of the record, the performance was performed for the 2350th time. This took place at the St. Petersburg Rock Opera Theater.

Social significance of the myth

"Landscape with Orpheus and Eurydice" 1648

Orpheus - greatest singer and a musician, the son of the muse Calliope and Apollo (according to another version - the Thracian king), from whom he receives his instrument, a 7-string lyre, to which he later added 2 more strings, making it an instrument of 9 muses. According to myths, Orpheus took part in the Argonauts' journey for the Golden Fleece, helping out his friends during trials. Orpheus was considered the founder of Orphism - a special mystical cult. According to Orphic teaching, the immortal soul dwells in a mortal body; after human death, she goes to the underworld for purification, and then moves into another shell - the body of a person, animal, etc., enriching herself with the experience acquired during these successive reincarnations. Reflections of the Orphic idea that the soul can become free only by breaking away from the body.

Time passed, and the real Orpheus became hopelessly identified with his teachings and became a symbol of the Greek school of wisdom. The initiates abstained from carnal pleasures and wore white linen, symbolizing purity. The Greeks highly appreciated the amazing strength and intelligence of Orpheus, his courage and fearlessness. He is the favorite of numerous legends, he patronized sports schools, gymnasiums and palaestras, where young men were taught the art of winning. And among the Romans, retiring gladiators dedicated their weapons to the famous hero. The image of Orpheus to this day revives in people faith in the power of eternal, beautiful, incomprehensible love, faith in fidelity and devotion, in the unity of souls, faith that there is at least one small hope of getting out of the darkness of the underworld. He combined internal and external beauty, thereby being a role model for many.

The teaching of Orpheus is the teaching of light, purity and Great boundless love, all of humanity received it, and every person inherited part of the light of Orpheus. This is a gift from the gods that lives in the soul of each of us.

Bibliography

1. Myths of the peoples of the world //http://myths.kulichki.ru
2. Abstract: The image of Orpheus in mythology, ancient literature and art. Plots. Attributes http://www.roman.by
3. Orpheus //http://ru.wikipedia.org
4. The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in lyrics Silver Age//http://gymn.tom.ru

In the north of Greece, in Thrace, lived the singer Orpheus. He had a wonderful gift of songs, and his fame spread throughout the land of the Greeks.

The beautiful Eurydice fell in love with him for his songs. She became his wife. But their happiness was short-lived. One day Orpheus and Eurydice were in the forest. Orpheus played his seven-stringed cithara and sang. Eurydice was picking flowers in the meadows. Unnoticed, she moved far from her husband, into the wilderness of the forest. Suddenly it seemed to her that someone was running through the forest, breaking branches, chasing her, she got scared and, throwing the flowers, ran back to Orpheus. She ran, without knowing the road, through the thick grass and in a rapid run stepped into a snake’s nest. The snake wrapped itself around her leg and bit her. Eurydice screamed loudly in pain and fear and fell onto the grass. Orpheus heard his wife's plaintive cry from a distance and hurried to her. But he saw large black wings flash between the trees - it was Death that was carrying Eurydice into the underworld.

Great was the grief of Orpheus. He left people and spent whole days alone, wandering through the forests, pouring out his melancholy in songs. And there was such power in these melancholy songs that the trees moved from their places and surrounded the singer. Animals came out of their holes, birds left their nests, stones moved closer. And everyone listened to how he missed his beloved.

Nights and days passed, but Orpheus could not console himself, his sadness grew with every hour.

No, I can’t live without Eurydice! - he said. - The land is not dear to me without her. Let Death take me too, let me at least be in the underworld with my beloved!

But Death did not come. And Orpheus decided to go to the kingdom of the dead himself.

For a long time he searched for the entrance to the underground kingdom and, finally, in the deep cave of Tenara he found a stream that flowed into the underground river Styx. Along the bed of this stream, Orpheus descended deep underground and reached the bank of the Styx. Beyond this river began the kingdom of the dead.

The waters of the Styx are black and deep, and it is scary for the living to step into them. Orpheus heard sighs and quiet crying behind him - these were the shadows of the dead, like him, who were waiting for crossing into a country from which no one can return.

A boat separated from the opposite shore: the carrier of the dead, Charon, was sailing for new newcomers. Charon silently moored to the shore, and shadows obediently filled the boat. Orpheus began to ask Charon:

Take me to the other side too! But Charon refused:

I only transfer the dead to the other side. When you die, I will come for you!

Have pity! - Orpheus prayed. - I don’t want to live anymore! It's hard for me to stay on earth alone! I want to see my Eurydice!

The stern ferryman pushed him away and was about to set sail from the shore, but the strings of the cithara rang plaintively, and Orpheus began to sing. Sad and gentle sounds echoed under the gloomy arches of Hades. The cold waves of the Styx stopped, and Charon himself, leaning on his oar, listened to the song. Orpheus entered the boat, and Charon obediently transported him to the other side. Hearing the hot song of the living about undying love, the shadows of the dead flew from all sides. Orpheus walked boldly through the silent kingdom of the dead, and no one stopped him.

So he reached the palace of the ruler of the underworld, Hades, and entered a vast and gloomy hall. High on the golden throne sat the formidable Hades and next to him his beautiful queen Persephone.

With a sparkling sword in his hand, in a black cloak, with huge black wings, the god of Death stood behind Hades, and his servants, Kera, crowded around him, flying on the battlefield and taking the lives of warriors. The stern judges of the underworld sat to the side of the throne and judged the dead for their earthly deeds.

Memories were hidden in the dark corners of the hall, behind the columns. They had scourges made of live snakes in their hands, and they painfully stung those standing before the court.

Orpheus saw many kinds of monsters in the kingdom of the dead: Lamia, which steals small children from mothers at night, and the terrible Empusa with donkey legs, drinking the blood of people, and ferocious Stygian dogs.

Only younger brother the god of Death - the god of Sleep, young Hypnos, beautiful and joyful, rushed around the hall on his light wings, stirring a sleepy drink in his silver horn, which no one on earth can resist - even the great one himself Thunderer Zeus falls asleep when Hypnos splashes his potion on him.

Hades looked menacingly at Orpheus, and everyone around him began to tremble.

But the singer approached the throne of the gloomy ruler and sang even more inspired: he sang about his love for Eurydice.

Persephone listened to the song without breathing, and tears rolled from her beautiful eyes. The terrible Hades bowed his head on his chest and thought. The God of Death lowered his sparkling sword.

The singer fell silent, and the silence lasted for a long time. Then Hades raised his head and asked:

What are you looking for, singer, in the kingdom of the dead? Tell me what you want and I promise to fulfill your request.

Orpheus said to Hades:

Lord! Our life on earth is short, and Death overtakes us all someday and takes us to your kingdom - no mortal can escape it. But I, alive, myself came to the kingdom of the dead to ask you: give me back my Eurydice! She had lived so little on earth, had so little time to rejoice, loved so briefly... Let her go, lord, to earth! Let her live in the world a little longer, let her enjoy the sun, warmth and light and the greenery of the fields, the spring beauty of the forests and my love. After all, she will return to you after all!

So spoke Orpheus and asked Persephone:

Intercede for me, beautiful queen! You know how good life is on earth! Help me get my Eurydice back!

Let it be as you ask! - Hades said to Orpheus. - I will return Eurydice to you. You can take her with you up to the bright earth. But you have to promise...

Anything you want! - Orpheus exclaimed. - I’m ready to do anything to see my Eurydice again!

You must not see her until you come out into the light,” Hades said. - Return to earth and know: Eurydice will follow you. But don't look back and don't try to look at her. If you look back, you will lose her forever!

And Hades ordered Eurydice to follow Orpheus.

Orpheus quickly headed towards the exit from the kingdom of the dead. Like a spirit, he passed through the land of Death, and the shadow of Eurydice followed him. They entered Charon's boat, and he silently transported them back to the shore of life. A steep rocky path led up to the ground.

Orpheus slowly climbed the mountain. It was dark and quiet around him and quiet behind him, as if no one was following him. Only his heart was beating:

“Eurydice! Eurydice!

Finally it began to get lighter ahead, and the exit to the ground was close. And the closer the exit was, the brighter it became ahead, and now everything around was clearly visible.

Anxiety squeezed Orpheus’s heart: is Eurydice here? Is he following him? Forgetting everything in the world, Orpheus stopped and looked around.

Where are you, Eurydice? Let me look at you! For a moment, very close, he saw a sweet shadow, a dear, beautiful face... But only for a moment. Eurydice's shadow immediately flew away, disappeared, melted into the darkness.

Eurydice?!

With a desperate cry, Orpheus began to go back down the path and again came to the shore of the black Styx and called for the ferryman. But in vain he prayed and called: no one responded to his prayers. For a long time Orpheus sat on the bank of the Styx alone and waited. He didn't wait for anyone.

He had to return to earth and live. But he could not forget his only love - Eurydice, and the memory of her lived in his heart and in his songs.

Literature:
Smirnova V. //Heroes of Hellas, - M.: "Children's Literature", 1971 - p.103-109

The wonderful lyre of Orpheus. A boy was once born to two immortal gods, the river god Eagr and the beautiful muse Calliope. His mother was delighted and gave him the best she could - a wonderfully beautiful voice. When the child, who was named Orpheus, grew up, he was sent to study with the golden-haired Apollo himself, the god sunlight, music and poetry. Apollo taught Orpheus all the arts. When Orpheus played the lyre or sang, people stopped what they were doing and listened with bated breath. And not only people! The predatory hawk stopped chasing the dove, the wolf left the fallow deer alone, the branches of the trees bowed towards the singing Orpheus, even the stones tried to roll closer to him, the rivers stopped their flow and listened to the singer, trying not to miss a single sound. She conquered everyone Magic power his art.

The love of Orpheus and Eurydice. I once heard Orpheus sing beautiful nymph Eurydice fell in love with him. For hours she could watch Orpheus pluck the sonorous strings of the lyre with his fingers, listen to the enchanting sounds of his voice. Orpheus also fell in love with Eurydice; They were now constantly together, with the name of Eurydice on his lips, the singer fell asleep and woke up. Orpheus dedicated his best songs to their extraordinary love. When they decided to become husband and wife, the immortal gods themselves feasted at their wedding. Orpheus and Eurydice were immensely happy; day after day flew by, bringing nothing but joy and love.

Death of Eurydice. But their happiness was short-lived. One day Eurydice wandered through a beautiful forest clearing, picking flowers and waiting for her beloved husband. The sun warmed tenderly, all living things rejoiced in it and bathed in its life-giving rays. Even the snake left its cold lair and went out to bask in the sun. Eurydice did not notice her and stepped on her foot. The snake hissed and bit the young nymph in the leg. The poison quickly took effect, Eurydice fell on green grass, having only time to whisper: “Orpheus, where are you, oh my Orpheus?” Eurydice died. Her nymph friends gathered around her, cried and grieved over her untimely death. The swift-winged birds brought the sad news to Orpheus, and he hurried to the place where the misfortune happened. Like a madman, Orpheus rushed to his beloved wife. He hugged her and bowed his head on her chest. He wanted to die next to her. Grief spread throughout nature: all living things mourned Eurydice. Deep sadness settled in the heart of Orpheus. He could not stay in the house where he was so happy with Eurydice, he could no longer sing wonderful songs, only sad sounds were made by his lyre.

Orpheus in Hades. Orpheus realized that he could not live without Eurydice and decided to go down to Hades, to underground gods. What if they can be moved to pity and they will return their beloved wife! The entrance to the underworld was in the very south of the country of the Greeks, Hellas. Apollo asked Hermes to be Orpheus' guide. Hermes agreed; he wanted Orpheus to become happy and joyful again, as before.

And then they reached the dark gates of Hades. Orpheus said goodbye to Hermes and went on alone. He reached the dark waters of the underground river Acheron. The shadows of the dead crowded on its shore, waiting for the ferryman Charon to transport them by boat to the other shore. He saw a living person among the shadows rushing into the boat and yelled: “Hey! Where are you getting into? I won’t take you, there is no way for a living person to cross Acheron!” Then Orpheus took the lyre and began to play, so beautifully, wonderfully and sincerely that Charon began to listen. Continuing to play, Orpheus got into the boat, and Charon took him to the other side. The singer got out of the boat and went to the palace of King Hades; his singing was so beautiful that the shadows of the dead flew towards him from all sides. Here is the palace of the eternally gloomy god; he sits on a golden throne, and next to him is the goddess of the dead, Persephone. Orpheus struck the strings harder, and the song became louder. He sang about his wife, about the love that bound them forever, about the happy spring days when they were together, he also sang about the bitterness of loss, about the torment he endures after losing his beloved... His singing was so beautiful that tears sparkled in Persephone's eyes, and even Hades himself seemed touched.

Hades condition. But then Orpheus’ song died away, like a barely audible sigh of sadness, and then the ruler of the underworld asked: “Tell me, what do you want? I swear by the waters of the Styx, I will fulfill your desire.” - “Oh, mighty Hades! When the time comes, you accept all of us mortals into your kingdom. No one will pass your monastery, but let Eurydice go to earth for at least a few years, let her know more fully the joys of life, because she came to you so young! Look how I suffer; You would suffer the same way if your Persephone were taken away from you!” - “Okay, Orpheus! I'll get your wife back. But remember: while you walk through my kingdom, don’t look back. If you look back even once, you will never see Eurydice.”

Orpheus violates the condition. Orpheus hurried back. He goes further and further from the palace of Hades along the path leading to earth; now the Acheron River is behind us, now daylight has already dawned ahead... Orpheus does not hear the steps behind him: the shadows are ethereal, they do not make a sound when walking. Is Eurydice following him? What if she got lost, fell behind, and remained in Hades? Orpheus could not stand it and looked back. He saw the shadow of Eurydice, but the vision lasted only one brief moment; the shadow flew back into the darkness of eternal night. In vain did Orpheus call for his wife, in vain did he run after her to the banks of Acheron, in vain did he stand on the banks of the underground river for seven days - the singer was left alone forever!

The loneliness of Orpheus. Orpheus returned to earth. Four years had passed since Eurydice's death, but he still remained faithful to her. Orpheus did not even want to look at a single woman, he fled from people and wandered alone through the forests and mountains, mourning his love. He especially avoided the Bacchantes - daring and violent maidens who loved noisy fun, and of all the gods they worshiped one - Dionysus, the god of viticulture and winemaking, dancing, games and feasts.

The Bacchantes throw stones at Orpheus. One day he was sitting on the bank of a stream and singing Eurydice’s favorite song. Suddenly loud exclamations and laughter were heard; Soon a crowd of bacchantes came out to the stream, cheerful and excited: on that day they celebrated the festival of Dionysus-Bacchus. One of them noticed Orpheus and exclaimed: “Here he is, our hater!” She grabbed a stone and threw it at Orpheus, but the stone did not hit the singer - defeated by the enchanting singing, the stone fell at his feet, as if begging for forgiveness. However, the bacchantes seemed to go mad: a cloud of stones rushed towards Orpheus, their cries became louder and more obscene. They completely drowned out the singing, and now the stones were stained with the singer’s blood. The sight of blood drove the Bacchantes into a real frenzy. How beasts of prey, they attacked Orpheus and killed him. They tore the dead body of Orpheus into pieces, and threw his lyre into fast waters Gebr River. And then a miracle happened: the lyre, carried away by the waves, began to sound quietly, as if mourning the death of the singer, and in response all nature began to sob. Trees and flowers cried, animals and birds cried, rocks cried, and there were so many tears that the rivers and lakes overflowed.

Lesbos gives the last refuge to Orpheus. The river carried the head of Orpheus and his lyre into the sea, and sea ​​waves carried them to the island of Lesbos. They buried the singer’s head there, and since then the most beautiful songs in the world have been heard in Lesvos; many famous singers and poets were born on this island. And the gods placed the lyre of Orpheus in the sky among the constellations.

The immortals were angry with the mad bacchantes for their crime; Dionysus turned them into oak trees: in whatever place each of them was caught by the wrath of God, there they remained standing forever, rustling the leaves with belated repentance.

The shadow of Orpheus descended into Hades, and there he again met his Eurydice and embraced him in a tender embrace. Since then they have been inseparable. They can forever wander through the fields of gloomy Hades, and Orpheus is free to look back, without fear of losing his beloved Eurydice.